Book lovers are thought by unbookish people to be gentle…
“Book lovers are thought by unbookish people to be gentle and unworldly, and perhaps a few of them are so. But there are others who will lie and scheme and steal to get books as wildly and unconscionably as the dope-taker in pursuit of his drug. They may not want the books to read immediately, or at all; they want them to possess, to range on their shelves, to have at command. They want books as a Turk is thought to want concubines - not to be hastily deflowered, but to be kept at their master's call, and enjoyed more often in thought than in reality.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Some book lovers hoard volumes for status or control, treating books like prized possessions rather than tools for reading.
In simple terms: People sometimes collect books to show off or dominate, not to read them.
Key Takeaway
Consider the purpose behind your own book collection.
Themes
collecting
literature
obsession
status
ownership
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal libraries
- gift giving
- academic research
- bookstore inventory
Key Concepts
Materialism
psychology of ownership
literary culture
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we value books beyond their content?
- How does ownership affect our reading habits?
A Different Perspective
The quote may generalize and ignore genuine scholarly or emotional connections to books.