--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some will read only old books, as if…" description: "\"Some will read only old books, as if there were no valuable truths to be discovered in modern publications: others will only read new books, as if some..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/benjamin-disraeli-390_book_some-will-read-only-old-books-as-if-ther_1107360.png" --- # Some will read only old books, as if there were no… ![“Some will read only old books, as if there were no valuable truths to be discovered in modern publications: others will only read new books, as if some valuable truths are not among the old. Some will not read a book because they know the author: others . . . would also read the man.” quote by Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/benjamin-disraeli-390_book_some-will-read-only-old-books-as-if-ther_1107360.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/benjamin-disraeli-390_book_some-will-read-only-old-books-as-if-ther_1107360.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/benjamin-disraeli-390_book_some-will-read-only-old-books-as-if-ther_1107360.png) > “Some will read only old books, as if there were no valuable truths to be discovered in modern publications: others will only read new books, as if some valuable truths are not among the old. Some will not read a book because they know the author: others . . . would also read the man.” [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing reading old and new works reveals timeless truths across eras. **In simple terms:** Read both old and new books. Key Takeaway Seek wisdom from all sources. Themes knowledge balance literature wisdom history Mood reflective thoughtful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - personal development - teaching - book clubs - library curation Key Concepts philosophy literary criticism epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What biases affect your reading choices? - How can you integrate insights from both periods? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one era may miss complementary insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [New books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-books/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athanasius/it-is-a-good-rule-after-reading-a-new-book-never-to-allow-yourself/) [Athanasius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athanasius/) > [When a new book appears one should read an old one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/when-a-new-book-appears-one-should-read-an-old-one/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is a good saying to the effect that when a new book appears one should read an old one. As as author I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-is-a-good-saying-to-the-effect-that-when-a-new-book-appears-one/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-than-new-ones/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Age appears to be best in some things Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-grace/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-age-appears-to-be-best-in-some/) [Lorna Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-grace/) > [You know what it's like: you don't want to read your old books again. All you can see are the flaws, what you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/you-know-what-it-s-like-you-don-t-want-to-read-your-old-books-again/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-are-three-things-that-grow-more-precious-with-age-old-wood-to/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-good-rule-after-reading-a-new-book-never-to-allow-yourself-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I drank coffee and read old books and waited for the year to end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/i-drank-coffee-and-read-old-books-and-waited-for-the-year-to-end/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best to read. Old rice best to eat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-old-wood-best-to-burn-old-books/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Read two old books for every new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/read-two-old-books-for-every-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Usually I read several books at a time - old books, new books, fiction, nonfiction, verse, anything - and when the bedside heap of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/usually-i-read-several-books-at-a-time-old-books-new-books-fiction/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [As soon as I got into the library I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I got a whiff of the leather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/as-soon-as-i-got-into-the-library-i-closed-my-eyes-and-took-a-deep-2/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [“Old books that we have known but not possessed cross our path and invite themselves over. New books try to seduce us daily with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/old-books-that-we-have-known-but-not-possessed-cross-our-path-and-2/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [I prefer old books and find them more relevant. I dislike new books. It's like drinking wine that's not ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-prefer-old-books-and-find-them-more-relevant-i-dislike-new-books-it/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) ## More by Benjamin Disraeli > [Next to the assumption of power was the responsibility of relinquishing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/next-to-the-assumption-of-power-was-the-responsibility-of/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [We make our fortunes and we call them fate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/we-make-our-fortunes-and-we-call-them-fate/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The European talks of progress because by the aid of a few scientific discoveries he has established a society which has mistaken comfort for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-european-talks-of-progress-because-by-the-aid-of-a-few-scientific/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [It shows you exactly how a star is formed; nothing else can be so pretty! A cluster of vapor, the cream of the milky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/it-shows-you-exactly-how-a-star-is-formed-nothing-else-can-be-so/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Terror has its inspiration, as well as competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/terror-has-its-inspiration-as-well-as-competition/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I am prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-am-prepared-for-the-worst-but-hope-for-the-best/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Religion should be the rule of life, not a casual incident in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/religion-should-be-the-rule-of-life-not-a-casual-incident-in-it/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Frank and explicit - that is the right line to take when you wish to conceal your own mind and confuse the minds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/frank-and-explicit-that-is-the-right-line-to-take-when-you-wish-to/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [I was told that the privileged and the people formed two nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/i-was-told-that-the-privileged-and-the-people-formed-two-nations/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The praise of a fool is incense to the wisest of us . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-praise-of-a-fool-is-incense-to-the-wisest-of-us/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Expediency is a law of nature. The camel is a wonderful animal, but the desert made the camel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/expediency-is-a-law-of-nature-the-camel-is-a-wonderful-animal-but-the/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of the angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/is-man-an-ape-or-an-angel-now-i-am-on-the-side-of-the-angels/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Real politics are the possession and distribution of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/real-politics-are-the-possession-and-distribution-of-power/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/desperation-is-sometimes-as-powerful-an-inspirer-as-genius/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Why, I say, that to tax the community for the advantage of a class is not protection; it is plunder, and I entirely disclaim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/why-i-say-that-to-tax-the-community-for-the-advantage-of-a-class-is/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) [Explore all 603 Benjamin Disraeli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## 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! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. 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": "Some will read only old books, as if there were no valuable truths to be discovered in modern publications: others will only read new books, as if some valuable truths are not among the old. 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