Bed Quote by Christopher Isherwood
“These books have not made George nobler or better or more truly wise. It is just that he likes listening to their voices, the one or the other, acording to his mood. He misuses them quite ruthlessly - despite the respectful way he has to talk about them in public - to put him to bed, to take his mind off the hands of the clock, to relax the nagging of his pyloric spasm, to gossip him out of his melancholy, to trigger the conditioned reflexes of his colon.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: "Goodbye to Berlin" by Christopher Isherwood, 1939
He uses literature as a tool to manage his moods and physical discomfort, treating books as therapeutic aids rather than sources of moral improvement.
In simple terms: He reads to cope with mood and health issues.
Key Takeaway
Use reading as a self‑care strategy.
Themes
self‑care
literature
health
mood management
Mood
reflective
introspective
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- stress relief
- nighttime routine
- mental health management
- gastrointestinal discomfort
- melancholy alleviation
Key Concepts
therapeutic reading
psychological coping
bodily regulation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you choose books for emotional support?
- Can reading replace professional help for health concerns?
A Different Perspective
Reading may distract but not resolve underlying issues.
![“Leave a cavity behind the [wall] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick or lava in courses, and then bind them to the fronts by means of iron clamps and lead. The beds and builds, all settling equally and bonded at the joints, will not let…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d76/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_bed_leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-a_5922.jpg)
