--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People would react to books by authors…" description: "\"People would react to books by authors like James and Austen almost on a gut level. I think it was not so much the message, because the best authors do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/azar-nafisi-2001_almost_people-would-react-to-books-by-authors-l_2896508.png" --- # People would react to books by authors like James and… ![“People would react to books by authors like James and Austen almost on a gut level. I think it was not so much the message, because the best authors do not have obvious messages. These authors were disturbing to my students because of their perspectives on life.” quote by Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/azar-nafisi-2001_almost_people-would-react-to-books-by-authors-l_2896508.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/azar-nafisi-2001_almost_people-would-react-to-books-by-authors-l_2896508.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/azar-nafisi-2001_almost_people-would-react-to-books-by-authors-l_2896508.png) > “People would react to books by authors like James and Austen almost on a gut level. I think it was not so much the message, because the best authors do not have obvious messages. These authors were disturbing to my students because of their perspectives on life.” [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Readers often respond instinctively to literary voices, perceiving deeper worldviews beyond explicit messages. **In simple terms:** Readers feel authors' perspectives intuitively. Key Takeaway Trust gut reactions to literature. Themes literature perception education Mood thoughtful analytical Type reflective critical When to use this quote - classroom discussion - book clubs - personal reflection Key Concepts subjectivity interpretation cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How do personal experiences shape literary interpretation? - What hidden messages might you overlook? A Different Perspective Gut reactions may be influenced by personal bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Almost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/almost/) [Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austen/) [Authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors/) [Authors Disturbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors-disturbing-4096391/) [Authors Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors-like-480586/) [Authors Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors-obvious-4096393/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Disturbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disturbing/) [Disturbing Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disturbing-students-4096392/) [Gut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gut/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/james/) [Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/level/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perspectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspectives/) [React](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/react/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [“The window on the right featured contemporary bestselling authors like Brad Meltzer, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Nelson DeMille, and others who make more money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/the-window-on-the-right-featured-contemporary-bestselling-authors/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [Authors must not, like Chinese soldiers, expect to win victories by turning somersets in the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/authors-must-not-like-chinese-soldiers-expect-to-win-victories-by/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Authors are like cattle going to a fair: those of the same field can never move on without butting one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/authors-are-like-cattle-going-to-a-fair-those-of-the-same-field-can/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“romance authors like Catherine Coulter, Brenda Joyce, Candice Proctor, Bertrice Small, Diana Gabaldon, and Jade Lee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-adams/romance-authors-like-catherine-coulter-brenda-joyce-candice-proctor/) [Ellery Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-adams/) > [The reason some crime writers have a chip on their shoulder about the label is because their good books are shelved beside books about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/the-reason-some-crime-writers-have-a-chip-on-their-shoulder-about-the/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [“People who make snide comments to authors like "anyone can write a book" or "well, you did it, so obviously I can/it can't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-m-pillow/people-who-make-snide-comments-to-authors-like-anyone-can-write-a/) [Michelle M. Pillow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-m-pillow/) > [Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/authors-like-cats-because-they-are-such-quiet-lovable-wise-creatures/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [Authors, like coins, grow dear as they grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/authors-like-coins-grow-dear-as-they-grow-old/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Among non-fiction authors I like Richard Bach, Nichiren Daishonin, Burton Watson, Deepak Chopra and MJ Akbar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukul-dev/among-non-fiction-authors-i-like-richard-bach-nichiren-daishonin/) [Mukul Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukul-dev/) > [“I was surprised to find authors like Kaizan Nakazato and Sanjugo Naoki in a corner of the bookcase where I've never noticed them before.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shizuko-go/i-was-surprised-to-find-authors-like-kaizan-nakazato-and-sanjugo/) [Shizuko Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shizuko-go/) > [Authors like reading. Go figure. So it's not surprising that we sometimes bog down in the research stage of new writing projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/authors-like-reading-go-figure-so-it-s-not-surprising-that-we/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [If my public existence does anything worthwhile, hopefully it at least demystifies the author a bit, because I know when I was younger I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/if-my-public-existence-does-anything-worthwhile-hopefully-it-at-least/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I've noticed that, with many of the authors I like, I tend to think I would dislike them as human beings or that there'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marling/i-ve-noticed-that-with-many-of-the-authors-i-like-i-tend-to-think-i/) [Laura Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marling/) > [Authors are sometimes like tomcats: They distrust all the other toms but they are kind to kittens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-cowley/authors-are-sometimes-like-tomcats-they-distrust-all-the-other-toms/) [Malcolm Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-cowley/) > [Read the books you love, tell people about authors you like, and don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/read-the-books-you-love-tell-people-about-authors-you-like-and-don-t/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by Azar Nafisi > [“A novel is not an allegory...it is a sensual experience of another world. 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It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/that-first-day-i-asked-my-students-what-they-thought-fiction-should/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“you cannot just be stubborn against something, you need to be stubborn for something as well”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/you-cannot-just-be-stubborn-against-something-you-need-to-be-stubborn/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Do not, under any circumstances, belittle a work of fiction by trying to turn it into a carbon copy of real life; what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/do-not-under-any-circumstances-belittle-a-work-of-fiction-by-trying/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [Visa for Avalon is a testament to the power of fiction. It illuminates the truth at the heart of what is commonly called reality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/visa-for-avalon-is-a-testament-to-the-power-of-fiction-it-illuminates/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“You ask me what it means to be irrelevant? The feeling is akin to visiting your old house as a wandering ghost with unfinished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/you-ask-me-what-it-means-to-be-irrelevant-the-feeling-is-akin-to/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“I explained that most great works of the imagination were meant to make you feel like a stranger in your own home. The best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/i-explained-that-most-great-works-of-the-imagination-were-meant-to/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“We envy people like you, and we want to be you; we can't, so we destroy you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/we-envy-people-like-you-and-we-want-to-be-you-we-can-t-so-we-destroy/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“..."readers were born free and ought to remain free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/readers-were-born-free-and-ought-to-remain-free/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) [Explore all 182 Azar Nafisi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) ## More Almost quotes > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. 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