--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: literature is a way in which we can learn…" description: "\"“literature is a way in which we can learn to live deeper lives -- husband with wife, parent with child, brother with sister, fellow member with fellow..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/arthur-henry-king-83902_better-man_literature-is-a-way-in-which-we-can-lear_2026294.jpg" --- # literature is a way in which we can learn to live deeper… ![“literature is a way in which we can learn to live deeper lives -- husband with wife, parent with child, brother with sister, fellow member with fellow member. Most good authors are better than we are. They are much better company than our own friends. What comes from good company? What comes from…” quote by Arthur Henry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/arthur-henry-king-83902_better-man_literature-is-a-way-in-which-we-can-lear_2026294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/arthur-henry-king-83902_better-man_literature-is-a-way-in-which-we-can-lear_2026294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da0/arthur-henry-king-83902_better-man_literature-is-a-way-in-which-we-can-lear_2026294.jpg) > ““literature is a way in which we can learn to live deeper lives -- husband with wife, parent with child, brother with sister, fellow member with fellow member. Most good authors are better than we are. They are much better company than our own friends. What comes from good company? What comes from good company is better manners, greater sensitivity, greater sensibility, greater empathy, great sympathy. Reading good literature makes us more capable of understanding other people, of loving other people, those whom we don't particularly want to love, even our enemies, as well as those closest to us. How can we expect to have full marriages when we are not going into those marriages with full minds and fine sensibilities? We are ignoring the tremendous possibilities of a delicate, well-poised, rich, sensitive life if we ignore the literature of the past. There is no substitute.”” Arthur Henry King ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading quality literature deepens empathy and emotional sensitivity, enriching personal relationships and moral understanding. **In simple terms:** Books teach us to feel and understand others. Key Takeaway Read diverse, thoughtful works. Themes empathy relationships culture education Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - book clubs - family discussions - school curricula Key Concepts literary criticism humanism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does reading change your behavior? - What books have shifted your perspective? A Different Perspective Literature alone cannot replace lived experience; personal growth also needs action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-man/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Good company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-company/) [Good literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-literature/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [Good literature makes your head throb heartlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/good-literature-makes-your-head-throb-heartlike/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Reading good literature is an experience of pleasure...but it is also an experience of learning what and how we are, in our human integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/reading-good-literature-is-an-experience-of-pleasure-but-it-is-also/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [“Reading good literature is not so different then taking good drugs, do it enough and it will certainly alter your mind. The drugs can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/reading-good-literature-is-not-so-different-then-taking-good-drugs-do/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [There's no better way to inform and expand you mind on a regular basis than to get into the habit of reading good literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-no-better-way-to-inform-and-expand-you-mind-on-a-regular/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just as composers go to concerts and artists visit galleries, writers read. You will learn, in the most enjoyable way, more about style and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-barrington/just-as-composers-go-to-concerts-and-artists-visit-galleries-writers/) [Judith Barrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-barrington/) > [Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/education-begins-the-gentleman-but-reading-good-company-and/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [I believe in a kind of literature which makes clear that, at a deeper level, below the surface, we are tied together through invisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/i-believe-in-a-kind-of-literature-which-makes-clear-that-at-a-deeper/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [Literature makes history come to life. It is maybe the most accurate depiction of history, especially literature that was written in the time period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/literature-makes-history-come-to-life-it-is-maybe-the-most-accurate/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [“Literature differs from life in that life is amorphously full of detail, and rarely directs us toward it, wheras literature teaches us to notice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wood/literature-differs-from-life-in-that-life-is-amorphously-full-of/) [James Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wood/) > [That's the great thing about literature -- it makes the world less lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stone/that-s-the-great-thing-about-literature-it-makes-the-world-less-lonely/) [Robert Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stone/) > [“Reading literature makes us better people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-murphy-paul/reading-literature-makes-us-better-people/) [Annie Murphy Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-murphy-paul/) > [“The beautiful unruliness of literature is what makes it so much fun to wander through: you read Jane Austen and you say, oh, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-fish/the-beautiful-unruliness-of-literature-is-what-makes-it-so-much-fun/) Kathy Fish > [Literature is the best way to overcome death. My father, as I said, is an actor. He's the happiest man on earth when he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilan-stavans/literature-is-the-best-way-to-overcome-death-my-father-as-i-said-is/) Ilan Stavans > [For me, literature is a way of enlarging myself by learning about people who are not like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fadiman/for-me-literature-is-a-way-of-enlarging-myself-by-learning-about/) [Anne Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fadiman/) > [If you live in a country where there is nothing comparable to free information, often literature becomes the only way to be more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/if-you-live-in-a-country-where-there-is-nothing-comparable-to-free/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) ## More by Arthur Henry King > [“Abundance of the Heart. He describes an experience with nature and his father. An environment of trust can have to do with a special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henry-king/abundance-of-the-heart-he-describes-an-experience-with-nature-and-his/) Arthur Henry King > [“We look at a picture throughout our lives, we listen to a piece of music throughout our lives, we read a book time and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henry-king/we-look-at-a-picture-throughout-our-lives-we-listen-to-a-piece-of/) Arthur Henry King Explore all 3 Arthur Henry King quotes ## More Better man quotes > [If I were a boy, I think I could understand how it feels to love a girl..I swear I'll be a better man :-/](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-were-a-boy-i-think-i-could-understand-how-it-feels-to-love-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I should've been a better man instead of wasting my time spending my life searching for the finer things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-should-ve-been-a-better-man-instead-of-wasting-my-time-spending-my/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [“I think so. You’re saying that God’s putting me through this fire so He can make me a better man.” “Yes. The problem is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-h-westall/i-think-so-you-re-saying-that-god-s-putting-me-through-this-fire-so/) [Jennifer H. Westall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-h-westall/) > [“The knuckles of his hand that had Shaw's name inked across them caught my eye. I pointed to them. "You have her with you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/the-knuckles-of-his-hand-that-had-shaw-s-name-inked-across-them/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [“I've had recurring nightmares that I was loved for who I am...and missed the opportunity to be a better man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muse/i-ve-had-recurring-nightmares-that-i-was-loved-for-who-i-am-and/) [Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muse/) > [I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-shall-state-silences-more-competently-than-ever-a-better-man/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“That morning, lying with the woman I loved, a silent promise was formed in my head. I was going to be a better man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/that-morning-lying-with-the-woman-i-loved-a-silent-promise-was-formed/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I'm better than your next man and if you're swingin' like you're dumber than the next man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-better-than-your-next-man-and-if-you-re-swingin-like-you-re/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [He’s playing every bit as hard as I am, only he knows what he’s doing and I don’t. Don’t blame me because he’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/he-s-playing-every-bit-as-hard-as-i-am-only-he-knows-what-he-s-doing/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“Gentlemen, Admiral Lord Nelson wrote, of the officers aft on the quarterdeck and the seamen of the fo’c’sle: ‘Aft the most honour—forward the better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-stockwin/gentlemen-admiral-lord-nelson-wrote-of-the-officers-aft-on-the/) Julian Stockwin > [“But both courses are to be avoided; you should not copy the bad simply because they are many, nor should you hate the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/but-both-courses-are-to-be-avoided-you-should-not-copy-the-bad-simply/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [“Any thought that you are better or less Than another man Quickly Breaks the wine Glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ladinsky/any-thought-that-you-are-better-or-less-than-another-man-quickly/) [Daniel Ladinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ladinsky/) > [Remember 'beauty is in GODS EYES' YOU ALL ARE BEAUTIFUL, but only you control your health, I'm not perfect but I'm striving to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-beauty-is-in-gods-eyes-you-all-are-beautiful-but-only-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 390 Better man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“literature is a way in which we can learn to live deeper lives -- husband with wife, parent with child, brother with sister, fellow member with fellow member. 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