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Books Quote by Amos Oz

“I could imagine his sorrow. My father had a sensual relationship with his books. He loved feeling them, stroking them, sniffing them. He took a physical pleasure in books: he could not stop himself, he had to reach out and touch them, even other people's books. And books then really were sexier…” quote by Amos Oz
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““I could imagine his sorrow. My father had a sensual relationship with his books. He loved feeling them, stroking them, sniffing them. He took a physical pleasure in books: he could not stop himself, he had to reach out and touch them, even other people's books. And books then really were sexier than books today: they were good to sniff and stroke and fondle. There were books with gold writing on fragrant, slightly rough leather bindings, that gave you gooseflesh when you touched them, as though you were groping something private and inaccessible, something that seemed to tremble at your touch. And there were other books that were bound in cloth-covered cardboard, stuck with a glue that had a wonderful smell. Every book had its own private, provocative scent. Sometimes the cloth came away from the cardboard, like a saucy skirt, and it was hard to resist the temptation to peep into the dark space between body and clothing and sniff those dizzying smells. Father would generally return””

Amos Oz

About This Quote

Source Novel: A Tale of Love and Darkness, 1973

A father’s sensual, almost erotic, relationship with books reflects deep emotional and tactile connection to literature, evoking nostalgia and intimacy.

In simple terms: Father loved books physically, finding pleasure in their scent and texture.

Key Takeaway

Appreciate the sensory experience of reading.

Themes

nostalgia sensuality literature memory intimacy

Mood

reflective poetic intimate

Type

literary sensory

When to use this quote

  • book collecting
  • library curation
  • personal reading rituals

Key Concepts

embodied reading olfactory imagination material culture

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do physical books shape our emotional connection to stories?
  • Can digital media replicate sensory aspects of reading?
A Different Perspective

Not all readers share this tactile intimacy; modern books may lack such sensory richness.

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