--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a melancholy illusion of those who…" description: "\"It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives. Alas, it rarely does.\" — Eric Hobsbawm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/eric-hobsbawm-20660_articles_it-is-a-melancholy-illusion-of-those-who_1883390.jpg" --- # It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and… ![“It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives. Alas, it rarely does.” quote by Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/eric-hobsbawm-20660_articles_it-is-a-melancholy-illusion-of-those-who_1883390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/eric-hobsbawm-20660_articles_it-is-a-melancholy-illusion-of-those-who_1883390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aee/eric-hobsbawm-20660_articles_it-is-a-melancholy-illusion-of-those-who_1883390.jpg) > “It is a melancholy illusion of those who write books and articles that the printed word survives. Alas, it rarely does.” [Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hobsbawm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Printed works are often believed to endure, but most fade quickly and become forgotten **In simple terms:** Printed words rarely survive over time Key Takeaway Preserve ideas in multiple formats for longevity Themes impermanence media history Mood nostalgic analytical Type historical literary When to use this quote - libraries - academic citations - personal note‑taking Key Concepts cultural memory digital archiving Questions to Reflect On - Which books have endured despite low print runs? - How can we ensure important ideas persist? A Different Perspective The quote may ignore the lasting impact of influential texts ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Very rarely does anyone say that the TV is better than the book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-seymour/very-rarely-does-anyone-say-that-the-tv-is-better-than-the-book/) [Gerald Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-seymour/) > [“Anyone who knows anything knows that almost nothing ever ends, and when it does, it rarely ever does so well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goode/anyone-who-knows-anything-knows-that-almost-nothing-ever-ends-and/) [John Goode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goode/) > [“Rarely is success an accident, but when it is, rarely does it last.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hawkins/rarely-is-success-an-accident-but-when-it-is-rarely-does-it-last/) [John Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hawkins/) > [The darkest hour doesn't always come in the night...rarely does it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/the-darkest-hour-doesn-t-always-come-in-the-night-rarely-does-it/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [Rarely does one see a squirrel tremble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/rarely-does-one-see-a-squirrel-tremble/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [“Rarely does the Spirit come to the hurried who are seeking more and more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-root-blair-d-bertrand/rarely-does-the-spirit-come-to-the-hurried-who-are-seeking-more-and/) Andrew Root, Blair D. 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Khrushchev established his supremacy in the U.S.S.R. after post-Stalinist alarums and excursions (1958-64). This admirable rough diamond, a believer in reform and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hobsbawm/n-s-khrushchev-established-his-supremacy-in-the-u-s-s-r-after-post/) [Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hobsbawm/) > [The only certain thing about the future is that it will surprise even those who have seen furthest into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hobsbawm/the-only-certain-thing-about-the-future-is-that-it-will-surprise-even/) [Eric Hobsbawm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hobsbawm/) > [Nations without a past are contradictions in terms. 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