---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are two things that I cannot live…"
description: "\"There are two things that I cannot live without: music and books. Caffeine isn't dignified enough to qualify.\" — Carlos Ruiz Zafon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg"
---

#  There are two things that I cannot live without: music and…

![“There are two things that I cannot live without: music and books. Caffeine isn't dignified enough to qualify.” quote by Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg)

> “There are two things that I cannot live without: music and books. Caffeine isn't dignified enough to qualify.”

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author values music and books as essential, while dismissing caffeine as insufficient.

**In simple terms:** Music and books are vital; caffeine isn’t.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize creative nourishment over trivial stimulants.

Themes

art literature priorities

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- reading sessions
- music listening
- creative work
- relaxation

Key Concepts

essentialism cultural value

Questions to Reflect On

- What creative pursuits sustain you?
- How do you balance leisure and productivity?

A Different Perspective

Caffeine may still have a role for some; consider personal needs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Caffeine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caffeine/) [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Dignified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignified/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/)

## Related quotes

> [“Music and books, food for the soul!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-luis-braga/music-and-books-food-for-the-soul/)

José Luis Braga

> [“Some people read books on musicians, while I read music books. Not books on music, but literally books full of sheet music. Fascinating reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/some-people-read-books-on-musicians-while-i-read-music-books-not/)

[Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/)

> [Music and books, I think, were the two things I trusted the most as a child - songs and books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/music-and-books-i-think-were-the-two-things-i-trusted-the-most-as-a/)

[Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/)

> [I only read the very best music books. Donald Fagan's memoir 'Eminent Hipsters' is great. Bob Dylan's memoir 'Chronicles' and Patty Smith's 'Just Kids'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-only-read-the-very-best-music-books-donald-fagan-s-memoir-eminent/)

[Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/)

> [I just keep my ear to the street. I haven't read any music books recently, because I figure I read everything I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juicy-j/i-just-keep-my-ear-to-the-street-i-haven-t-read-any-music-books/)

[Juicy J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juicy-j/)

> [The Bible is not just one book, but an entire library, with stories, songs, poetry, letters and history, as well as literature that might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drane/the-bible-is-not-just-one-book-but-an-entire-library-with-stories/)

John Drane

> [Obviously, I don't really think my version of a Cha-Cha would actually qualify for a Cha-Cha.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/obviously-i-don-t-really-think-my-version-of-a-cha-cha-would-actually/)

[Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/)

> [I won two ITF tournaments in Japan in two weeks. I had to qualify for both of them, which meant that I won 16…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-ivanovic/i-won-two-itf-tournaments-in-japan-in-two-weeks-i-had-to-qualify-for/)

[Ana Ivanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-ivanovic/)

> [When you only qualify in 18th position, you have to take your chance off the grid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-verstappen/when-you-only-qualify-in-18th-position-you-have-to-take-your-chance/)

[Jos Verstappen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-verstappen/)

> [If you qualify for a World Cup and expect to get an easy group, you are in the wrong sport. It doesn't work like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/if-you-qualify-for-a-world-cup-and-expect-to-get-an-easy-group-you/)

[Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/)

> [In any business that you pursue, if you belong at the top, and you're perceived as having that caliber, and you do qualify, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/in-any-business-that-you-pursue-if-you-belong-at-the-top-and-you-re/)

[Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/)

> [My advice to American filmmakers is to marry a European. I'm not kidding. Otherwise they don't qualify for international co-production treaties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-thomas/my-advice-to-american-filmmakers-is-to-marry-a-european-i-m-not/)

Jeremy Thomas

> [A number of well-understood mechanisms, including single gene mutations, produce changes that qualify as macroevolution. These include heterochronic mutations that alter structures by changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/a-number-of-well-understood-mechanisms-including-single-gene/)

[Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/)

> [Instead of the traditional emphasis on the sanctity of life, bioethics began to stress the quality of life, meaning that many damaged humans, young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/instead-of-the-traditional-emphasis-on-the-sanctity-of-life-bioethics/)

[John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/)

> [Not only that - college doesn't particularly qualify you for the outside world. he world is changing so fast, and college is not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-mccord/not-only-that-college-doesn-t-particularly-qualify-you-for-the/)

[Kent McCord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-mccord/)

## More by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

> [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“I carried the trace of her lips, of her breath on my skin through streets full of faceless people escaping from offices and shops.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/i-carried-the-trace-of-her-lips-of-her-breath-on-my-skin-through/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“Nekada davno, u djetinjstvu, možda is toga što sam odrastao među knjigama i knjižarima, odlučio sam da želim postati pisac i živjeti životom punim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/nekada-davno-u-djetinjstvu-mo-da-is-toga-to-sam-odrastao-me-u/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“nations never see themselves clearly in the mirror, much less when war preys on their minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/nations-never-see-themselves-clearly-in-the-mirror-much-less-when-war/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [People might not agree with me, but I think a woman should have a feminine shape, something you can get your hands on. You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/people-might-not-agree-with-me-but-i-think-a-woman-should-have-a/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“But I couldn't absorb the idea that death could actually walk by my side, with a human face and a heart that was poisoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/but-i-couldn-t-absorb-the-idea-that-death-could-actually-walk-by-my/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“Wise men think and speak alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/wise-men-think-and-speak-alike/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“Time plays for the other team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/time-plays-for-the-other-team/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [Once I'd worked out that I couldn't possibly expect people to enjoy a monstrous, 3000-page book, I realised I could in fact create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/once-i-d-worked-out-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-expect-people-to-enjoy-a/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me, Madrid is a man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-haunting-of-history-is-ever-present-in-barcelona-i-see-cities-as/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [Waiting is the rust of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/waiting-is-the-rust-of-the-soul/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“The main pillar of organized religion, with few exceptions, is the subjugation, repression, even the annulment of women in the group. Woman must accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/the-main-pillar-of-organized-religion-with-few-exceptions-is-the/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“Bea says that the art of reading is slowly dying, that it's an intimate ritual, that a book is a mirror that offers us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/bea-says-that-the-art-of-reading-is-slowly-dying-that-it-s-an/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [Human beings believe just as they breathe - in order to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/human-beings-believe-just-as-they-breathe-in-order-to-survive/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

> [“Darwin was a dreamer, I can assure you. No evolution or anything of the sort. For every one who can reason, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/darwin-was-a-dreamer-i-can-assure-you-no-evolution-or-anything-of-the/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

[Explore all 785 Carlos Ruiz Zafon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

## 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": "There are two things that I cannot live without: music and books. Caffeine isn't dignified enough to qualify.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Carlos Ruiz Zafon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live-without-music-and-books/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live-without-music-and-books/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/carlos-ruiz-zafon-126_book_there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live_2804634.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There are two things that I cannot live without: music and books. Caffeine isn't dignified enough to qualify.” — Carlos Ruiz Zafon",
                "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": "Carlos Ruiz Zafon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There are two things that I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live-without-music-and-books/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/there-are-two-things-that-i-cannot-live-without-music-and-books/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
