--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sat staring up at a shelf in my…" description: "\"I sat staring up at a shelf in my workroom from which thirty-one books identically dressed in neat dark green leather stared back at me with a sort of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/edna-ferber-3893_asks_i-sat-staring-up-at-a-shelf-in-my-workro_2654639.jpg" --- # I sat staring up at a shelf in my workroom from which… ![“I sat staring up at a shelf in my workroom from which thirty-one books identically dressed in neat dark green leather stared back at me with a sort of cold hostility like children who resent their parents. Don't stare at us like that! they said. Don't blame us if we didn't turn out to be the…” quote by Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/edna-ferber-3893_asks_i-sat-staring-up-at-a-shelf-in-my-workro_2654639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/edna-ferber-3893_asks_i-sat-staring-up-at-a-shelf-in-my-workro_2654639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/edna-ferber-3893_asks_i-sat-staring-up-at-a-shelf-in-my-workro_2654639.jpg) > “I sat staring up at a shelf in my workroom from which thirty-one books identically dressed in neat dark green leather stared back at me with a sort of cold hostility like children who resent their parents. Don't stare at us like that! they said. Don't blame us if we didn't turn out to be the perfection you expected. We didn't ask to be brought into the world.” [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Books can seem hostile when they appear indifferent to readers' expectations. **In simple terms:** Books may feel unwelcoming. Key Takeaway Accept books on their own terms. Themes literature expectation creativity Mood curious thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - library browsing - book clubs - creative writing Key Concepts authorial intent reader response Questions to Reflect On - Why do we project feelings onto objects? - How can we appreciate unexpected narratives? A Different Perspective Not all books are hostile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Hostility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hostility/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Annabelle stared straight ahead at the canvas, neither seeing nor caring about the fluctuations of light and color that conveyed impressions of approaching nightfall…the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/annabelle-stared-straight-ahead-at-the-canvas-neither-seeing-nor/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Tonight you’re thinking of cities under crowns of snow and I stare at you like I’m looking through a window, counting birds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/tonight-you-re-thinking-of-cities-under-crowns-of-snow-and-i-stare-at/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [Most people are really nice but some stare, like you're some kind of zoo exhibit and not a real person with real feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/most-people-are-really-nice-but-some-stare-like-you-re-some-kind-of/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Hunt seemed similarly indifferent to the show, his head inclined toward hers, his gaze locked on her face. Though his breathing remained soft and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/hunt-seemed-similarly-indifferent-to-the-show-his-head-inclined/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I love when people stare me down. Its like they have nothing better to do, but it makes me feel better and I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/i-love-when-people-stare-me-down-its-like-they-have-nothing-better-to/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [I'm a few minutes late to class? Please, stare at me like I just killed five people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-few-minutes-late-to-class-please-stare-at-me-like-i-just-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lower your gaze because you become less of a human every time you stare at a woman and you stare at her like she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/lower-your-gaze-because-you-become-less-of-a-human-every-time-you/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [All you have to do is pick up a baseball. It begs to you: throw me. If you took a year to design an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-dravecky/all-you-have-to-do-is-pick-up-a-baseball-it-begs-to-you-throw-me-if/) [Dave Dravecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-dravecky/) > [A language like Ruby is a toolbox with some really neat little tools that do their job really nicely. JavaScript is a leather sheath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-morgan/a-language-like-ruby-is-a-toolbox-with-some-really-neat-little-tools/) [Nick Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-morgan/) > [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [We resent being faced with facts we'd prefer to ignore as much as being wrongly accused of doing something we haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-chambers/we-resent-being-faced-with-facts-we-d-prefer-to-ignore-as-much-as/) [Aidan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-chambers/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [I don't really resent being on the red carpet as much as I do having to deal with the paparazzi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-don-t-really-resent-being-on-the-red-carpet-as-much-as-i-do-having/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) ## More by Edna Ferber > [People in big empty places are likely to behave very much as the gods did on Olympus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/people-in-big-empty-places-are-likely-to-behave-very-much-as-the-gods/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [Housework's the hardest work in the world. That's why men won't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/housework-s-the-hardest-work-in-the-world-that-s-why-men-won-t-do-it/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [It was part of theTexas ritual? We know about champagne and caviar but we talk hog and hominy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/it-was-part-of-thetexas-ritual-we-know-about-champagne-and-caviar-but/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [It's terrible to realize that you don't learn how to live until you're ready to die; and, then it's too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/it-s-terrible-to-realize-that-you-don-t-learn-how-to-live-until-you/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [The goat's business is none of the sheep's concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/the-goat-s-business-is-none-of-the-sheep-s-concern/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [I sometimes wonder ... if the land is not destroying the people who inhabit it as the people who inhabit it are destroying the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/i-sometimes-wonder-if-the-land-is-not-destroying-the-people-who/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [All the difference in the world between the movies and the thrill I get out of a play at the theater. Ay, yes! Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-movies-and-the-thrill-i/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [It's difficult to write a really good short story because it must be a complete and finished reflection of life with only a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/it-s-difficult-to-write-a-really-good-short-story-because-it-must-be/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [Now gae your wa'sTho'anes as gude As ever happit flesh and blude, Yet part we maunthe case sae hard is, Amang the writers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/now-gae-your-wa-stho-anes-as-gude-as-ever-happit-flesh-and-blude-yet/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [But I have felt that to be a Jew was, in some ways at least, to be especially privileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/but-i-have-felt-that-to-be-a-jew-was-in-some-ways-at-least-to-be/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [I think in order to write really well and convincingly, one must be somewhat poisoned by emotion, dislike, displeasure, resentment, fault-finding, imagination, passionate remonstrance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/i-think-in-order-to-write-really-well-and-convincingly-one-must-be/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [“Then there were long, lazy summer afternoons when there was nothing to do but read. And dream. And watch the town go by to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/then-there-were-long-lazy-summer-afternoons-when-there-was-nothing-to/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [A woman can look both moral and exciting... if she also looks as if it was quite a struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/a-woman-can-look-both-moral-and-exciting-if-she-also-looks-as-if-it/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [Funny, isn't it, how your whole life goes by while you think you're only planning the way you're going to live it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/funny-isn-t-it-how-your-whole-life-goes-by-while-you-think-you-re/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [There's no sauce for play like work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/there-s-no-sauce-for-play-like-work/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) [Explore all 120 Edna Ferber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. 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