--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Books are totally useless unless you take…" description: "\"Books are totally useless unless you take their advice. If you just keep reading them, thinking \"that's so insightful! that changes everything,\" but ne..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/aaron-swartz-11684_advice_books-are-totally-useless-unless-you-tak_720215.png" --- # Books are totally useless unless you take their advice. If… ![“Books are totally useless unless you take their advice. If you just keep reading them, thinking "that's so insightful! that changes everything," but never actually doing anything different, then pretty quickly the feeling will wear off and you'll start searching for another book to fill the void.” quote by Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/aaron-swartz-11684_advice_books-are-totally-useless-unless-you-tak_720215.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/aaron-swartz-11684_advice_books-are-totally-useless-unless-you-tak_720215.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/aaron-swartz-11684_advice_books-are-totally-useless-unless-you-tak_720215.png) > “Books are totally useless unless you take their advice. If you just keep reading them, thinking "that's so insightful! that changes everything," but never actually doing anything different, then pretty quickly the feeling will wear off and you'll start searching for another book to fill the void.” [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading without action is ineffective; knowledge must be applied to create change. **In simple terms:** Reading alone isn’t enough; you must act on what you learn. Key Takeaway Turn insights into action. Themes learning action personal growth Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - self‑improvement - career advancement - creative projects - social activism Key Concepts knowledge application behavior change Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take after reading a book? - How do you balance reading and doing? A Different Perspective It may undervalue the intrinsic joy of reading for its own sake. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Insightful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insightful/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Void](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/void/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“I would actually write books totally full of nothing BUT kissing scenes, but apparently people like books to have, like, "plots" or whatever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawkins/i-would-actually-write-books-totally-full-of-nothing-but-kissing/) [Rachel Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawkins/) > [I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That is very uncommon in American business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-insist-on-a-lot-of-time-being-spent-almost-every-day-to-just-sit-2/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [The written word, obviously, is very inward, and when we're reading, we're thinking. It's a sort of spiritual, meditative activity. When we're looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-written-word-obviously-is-very-inward-and-when-we-re-reading-we/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Reading is thinking with someone else's head instead of ones own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/reading-is-thinking-with-someone-else-s-head-instead-of-ones-own/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, and effectual comforter. By study, by reading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barrow/he-that-loves-a-book-will-never-want-a-faithful-friend-a-wholesome-2/) Barrow > [I enjoy reading and thinking, and it's hard to make that space as an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-hahn/i-enjoy-reading-and-thinking-and-it-s-hard-to-make-that-space-as-an/) [Hilary Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-hahn/) > [There are fashions in reading, even in thinking. You don't have to follow them unless you want to. On the other hand, watch out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/there-are-fashions-in-reading-even-in-thinking-you-don-t-have-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“In a country where people are not reading and thinking much, the sun is already set!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-a-country-where-people-are-not-reading-and-thinking-much-the-sun/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [On top of whatever else I'm doing, I'm usually teaching some form of composition. The benefit of this is I get to read across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-pardlo/on-top-of-whatever-else-i-m-doing-i-m-usually-teaching-some-form-of/) [Gregory Pardlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-pardlo/) > [ He that loves a book will never want a \[close\] friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/he-that-loves-a-book-will-never-want-a-close-friend-a-wholesome/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [“The real education never ends. It is a cycle of reading, thinking and writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-real-education-never-ends-it-is-a-cycle-of-reading-thinking-and/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Reading without thinking will confuse you.Thinking without reading will place you in danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/reading-without-thinking-will-confuse-you-thinking-without-reading/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“Reading without thinking is null and void, whereas thinking without reading is critical and riskful."Reviewing”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-r-manning/reading-without-thinking-is-null-and-void-whereas-thinking-without/) Phil R. Manning > [He that loveth a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counsellor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-barrow/he-that-loveth-a-book-will-never-want-a-faithful-friend-a-wholesome/) [Isaac Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-barrow/) > [“He that loves a book will never want a faithful friend, a wholesome counselor, a cheerful companion, an effectual comforter. By study, by reading,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-that-loves-a-book-will-never-want-a-faithful-friend-a-wholesome/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Aaron Swartz > [Without the ability to talk about government power, there's no way for citizens to make sure this power isn't being misused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/without-the-ability-to-talk-about-government-power-there-s-no-way-for/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Most people, it seems, stretch the truth to make themselves seem more impressive. I, it seems, stretch the truth to make myself look worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/most-people-it-seems-stretch-the-truth-to-make-themselves-seem-more/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [As the Internet breaks down the last justifications for a professional class of politicians, it also builds up the tools for replacing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/as-the-internet-breaks-down-the-last-justifications-for-a/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Normally, I just sit in my quiet little room and do the small things that bring me pleasures. I read my books, I answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/normally-i-just-sit-in-my-quiet-little-room-and-do-the-small-things/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. The world's entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/but-like-all-power-there-are-those-who-want-to-keep-it-for-themselves/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [What is the most important thing you could be working on in the world right now? ... And if you're not working on that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/what-is-the-most-important-thing-you-could-be-working-on-in-the-world/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Social Security got passed because John D. Rockefeller was sick of having to take money out of his profits to pay for his workers'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/social-security-got-passed-because-john-d-rockefeller-was-sick-of/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [What if there was a library which held every book? Not every book on sale, or every important book, or even every book in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/what-if-there-was-a-library-which-held-every-book-not-every-book-on/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [But all of this action goes on in the dark, hidden underground. It’s called stealing or piracy, as if sharing a wealth of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/but-all-of-this-action-goes-on-in-the-dark-hidden-underground-it-s/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [With enough of us, around the world, we'll not just send a strong message opposing the privatization of knowledge - we'll make it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/with-enough-of-us-around-the-world-we-ll-not-just-send-a-strong/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [There's all sorts of stuff people want to publish anonymously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/there-s-all-sorts-of-stuff-people-want-to-publish-anonymously/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Now, as far as I know, nobody has ever put up the U.S.'s nuclear missiles on the Internet. I mean, it's not something I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/now-as-far-as-i-know-nobody-has-ever-put-up-the-u-s-s-nuclear/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [What is "this drive"? It's the tendency to not simply accept things as they are but to want to think about them, to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/what-is-this-drive-it-s-the-tendency-to-not-simply-accept-things-as/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Life is short ... so why waste it doing something dumb?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/life-is-short-so-why-waste-it-doing-something-dumb/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Large corporations, of course, are blinded by greed. The laws under which they operate require it - their shareholders would revolt at anything less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/large-corporations-of-course-are-blinded-by-greed-the-laws-under/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) [Explore all 58 Aaron Swartz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Books are totally useless unless you take their advice. 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