Books Quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
““The more we have known of the really good things, the more insipid the thin lemonade of later literature becomes, sometimes almost to the point of making us sick. Do you know a work of literature written in the last, say, fifteen years that you think has any lasting quality? I don't. It is partly idle chatter, partly propaganda, partly self-pitying sentimentality, but there is no insight, no ideas, no clarity, no substance and almost always the language is bad and constrained. On this subject I am quite consciously a laudator temporis acti.””
About This Quote
The speaker laments contemporary literature as lacking depth, originality, and technical quality, dismissing it as propaganda and sentimentality.
In simple terms: Modern books feel shallow and uninspired.
Key Takeaway
Recent literature often fails to deliver lasting insight.
Themes
literary criticism
culture
modernism
aesthetic standards
Mood
cynical
disappointed
Type
critical essay
cultural lament
When to use this quote
- book club debates
- academic literary courses
- publishing industry reviews
Key Concepts
taste hierarchy
cultural decay
Practical Applications
- encourage rigorous editorial standards
- promote mentorship for emerging writers
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria define literary lasting quality?
- How does nostalgia influence criticism of new art?
A Different Perspective
The assessment is highly subjective and overlooks notable contemporary works.
![“I often feel happier, after putting down some of my own experiences [in my journal], than I do in reading much. Novels, even if they are good, pass out of my memory very rapidly. I enjoy it as I should a scene at the theatre; but am not essentially benefited by the incidents or morals. What more…” quote by Abigail May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ae3/abigail-may-alcott-91127_books_i-often-feel-happier-after-putting-down_96733.jpg)
