--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best of a book is not the thought…" description: "\"The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg" --- # The best of a book is not the thought which it contains… ![“The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg) > “The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The value of a work lies not in its explicit content but in the ideas it inspires within the reader or listener. **In simple terms:** Art’s power is in the thoughts it sparks. Key Takeaway Focus on personal interpretation of art. Themes art interpretation inspiration Mood contemplative inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading a novel - listening to music - creating art - educational discussion Key Concepts aesthetics reader response theory Questions to Reflect On - What personal insights does a piece of art evoke in you? - How does your background shape interpretation? A Different Perspective Interpretations vary widely; not all audiences receive the same meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Charm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charm/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [“4.23..If 'thought' means: instance of the subject in a truth-procedure, then there is no thought of this thought, because it contains no knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-badiou/4-23-if-thought-means-instance-of-the-subject-in-a-truth-procedure/) [Alain Badiou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-badiou/) > [The highest thought is always a thought which contains joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-highest-thought-is-always-a-thought-which-contains-joy/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [“had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/had-peeped-into-the-book-her-sister-was-reading-but-it-had-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/alice-was-beginning-to-get-very-tired-of-sitting-by-her-sister-on-the-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I was a child, I never thought to myself, someday I want to be an artist or I want to write a book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-a-child-i-never-thought-to-myself-someday-i-want-to-be-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/alice-was-beginning-to-get-very-tired-of-sitting-by-her-sister-on-the-2/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“Solara: I didn't think you'd ever give up the book, I thought it was too important to you Eli: It was, I was carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/book-of-eli-movie/solara-i-didn-t-think-you-d-ever-give-up-the-book-i-thought-it-was/) Book of Eli Movie > [I own a book,' he thought, delighted (Paolini 291).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/i-own-a-book-he-thought-delighted-paolini-291/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [More is got from one book on which the thought settles for a definite end in knowledge, than from libraries skimmed over by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/more-is-got-from-one-book-on-which-the-thought-settles-for-a-definite/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“It's not the error in the book, it's the thought that counts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-stewart/it-s-not-the-error-in-the-book-it-s-the-thought-that-counts/) [Edna Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-stewart/) > [“God who spoke the world into existence with words is, in fact, the source of meaning of all words. My journey toward that discovery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-swallow-prior/god-who-spoke-the-world-into-existence-with-words-is-in-fact-the/) [Karen Swallow Prior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-swallow-prior/) > [“Ever since I could read, I’ve wanted to write a book. I never thought I had anything to write about. Maybe you don’t think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/ever-since-i-could-read-i-ve-wanted-to-write-a-book-i-never-thought-i/) [Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/) > [“Austin cleared his throat. Given the choice between being with books or people, he'd always choose books. You could always tell what a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/austin-cleared-his-throat-given-the-choice-between-being-with-books/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [“It's an actual book-book. Something I thought was lost on this generation of internet fiends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/it-s-an-actual-book-book-something-i-thought-was-lost-on-this/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“of having nothing to do. Once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-kretschmer/of-having-nothing-to-do-once-or-twice-she-had-peeped-into-the-book/) Dan Kretschmer ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hearts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-which-it-contains-but-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-which-it-contains-but-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e1/anonymous-1_book_the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-wh_2906487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests; just as the…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best of a book is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-which-it-contains-but-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-of-a-book-is-not-the-thought-which-it-contains-but-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```