---
title: "1 Read Matter Quotes By Kenneth Goldsmith"
description: "1 Read Matter quotes by Kenneth Goldsmith. Plus more from Kenneth Goldsmith and more Read Matter sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/kenneth-goldsmith-15276_behinds_the-best-thing-about-conceptual-poetry-i_1841018.jpg"
---

> [The best thing about conceptual poetry is that it doesn’t need to be read. You don’t have to read it. As a matter of fact, you can write books, and you don’t even have to read them. My books, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/the-best-thing-about-conceptual-poetry-is-that-it-doesn-t-need-to-be/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/254/kenneth-goldsmith-15276_behinds_the-best-thing-about-conceptual-poetry-i_1841018.jpg)

## More by Kenneth Goldsmith

> [It's Twitter's combination of simplicity and complexity that is astonishing in the same way that minimalist sculpture was inspiring and enlightening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/it-s-twitter-s-combination-of-simplicity-and-complexity-that-is/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [If you work on something a little bit every day, you end up with something that is massive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/if-you-work-on-something-a-little-bit-every-day-you-end-up-with/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [My books are better thought about than read. They're insanely dull and unreadable.But they're wonderful to talk about and think about, to dip in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/my-books-are-better-thought-about-than-read-they-re-insanely-dull-and/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [I think that the richer and deeper documentation is on the web, the better off we all are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/i-think-that-the-richer-and-deeper-documentation-is-on-the-web-the/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [I've been trolled lots on Twitter. But I understand trolls for what they are and I don't let them get to me. They take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/i-ve-been-trolled-lots-on-twitter-but-i-understand-trolls-for-what/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [I don’t trust painting. At least not in New York. Most painting here relies on formula and repetition, whoring itself to the market. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/i-don-t-trust-painting-at-least-not-in-new-york-most-painting-here/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [An updated notion of genius would have to center around one's mastery of information and its dissemination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/an-updated-notion-of-genius-would-have-to-center-around-one-s-mastery/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [Art used to make me see the world differently, think about things in a new way - it rarely does that for me anymore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/art-used-to-make-me-see-the-world-differently-think-about-things-in-a/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [New York City is just one node on the global cultural scene now. Social media reflects the state of the world, so I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/new-york-city-is-just-one-node-on-the-global-cultural-scene-now/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [I think that the special thing about radio is the off switch. If something's not pleasing you, turn it off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/i-think-that-the-special-thing-about-radio-is-the-off-switch-if/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [Everyone complains that we can no longer intake huge chunks of text. I find that a reason to celebrate. It's something that has deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/everyone-complains-that-we-can-no-longer-intake-huge-chunks-of-text-i/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [And I think this is the real epiphany: the ways in which culture is distributed become profoundly more intriguing as a cultural artifact itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/and-i-think-this-is-the-real-epiphany-the-ways-in-which-culture-is/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [Language is material to shape and mold, not only a transparent or invisible medium for communication, business contracts, or telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/language-is-material-to-shape-and-mold-not-only-a-transparent-or/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [Poets think in short lines. Unless you're Samuel Beckett, Twitter might be more difficult for novelists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/poets-think-in-short-lines-unless-you-re-samuel-beckett-twitter-might/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

> [I never wanted my books to be mistaken for poetry or fiction books; I wanted to write reference books. But instead of referring to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-goldsmith/i-never-wanted-my-books-to-be-mistaken-for-poetry-or-fiction-books-i/)

[Kenneth Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-goldsmith/)

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