--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I loved those books or at least that…" description: "\"“But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I felt somewhere down deep inside him the person who wrote it must be there. That you couldn't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png" --- # But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I… ![“But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I felt somewhere down deep inside him the person who wrote it must be there. That you couldn't write such beautiful things and have such an ugly heart. But that is the truth. He was a beautiful writer and a terrible person.” quote by Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png) > ““But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I felt somewhere down deep inside him the person who wrote it must be there. That you couldn't write such beautiful things and have such an ugly heart. But that is the truth. He was a beautiful writer and a terrible person.”” [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A writer can produce beautiful work while possessing a morally flawed character, highlighting the tension between artistic talent and personal virtue. **In simple terms:** Great art can coexist with a terrible person. Key Takeaway Artistic merit and moral character are independent. Themes art vs artist moral complexity creative genius human contradiction Mood reflective somber Type personal reflection literary observation When to use this quote - Literary criticism - Fan discussions about controversial authors Key Concepts ethical appraisal of art psychology of creativity Practical Applications - Separate evaluation of work from creator - Encourage nuanced discourse Questions to Reflect On - Should we separate art from the artist? - How does an author's morality affect our interpretation? A Different Perspective May overlook how personal ethics can influence artistic content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writers/) ## Related quotes > [Truman Capote was a magical, beautiful writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/truman-capote-was-a-magical-beautiful-writer/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [“A person who wrote badly did better than a person who does not write at all. A bad writing can be corrected. An empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-person-who-wrote-badly-did-better-than-a-person-who-does-not-write/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Writers don't make any money at all. We make about a dollar. It is terrible. But then again we don't work either. We sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/writers-don-t-make-any-money-at-all-we-make-about-a-dollar-it-is/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“For it was through books that she felt her life to be unjudged Look at all of the great mix-ups, messes, confinement, and double-dealings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/for-it-was-through-books-that-she-felt-her-life-to-be-unjudged-look/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [I obtained a job at the Library of Congress. I loved books, so I felt at home. I was going to end up, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glazer/i-obtained-a-job-at-the-library-of-congress-i-loved-books-so-i-felt/) [Tom Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glazer/) > [Making books has always felt very connected to my bookselling experience, that of wanting to draw people's attention to things that I liked, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/making-books-has-always-felt-very-connected-to-my-bookselling/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [All my life, books have felt alive; some more so than people, or rather, some people. Alive - this has to do with me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-barrett/all-my-life-books-have-felt-alive-some-more-so-than-people-or-rather/) [Andrea Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-barrett/) > [“Despite the fact that he loves books and owns a bookstore, A.J. does not particularly care for writers. He finds them to be unkempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/despite-the-fact-that-he-loves-books-and-owns-a-bookstore-a-j-does/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [No makeup in this world can cover up an ugly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-makeup-in-this-world-can-cover-up-an-ugly-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The ugly heart of the South still beats with this idea that one group of people is worth less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/the-ugly-heart-of-the-south-still-beats-with-this-idea-that-one-group/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [A beautiful girl is nothing if she has an ugly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-beautiful-girl-is-nothing-if-she-has-an-ugly-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is too short to spend hoping that the perfectly arched eyebrow or hottest new lip shade will mask an ugly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevyn-aucoin/life-is-too-short-to-spend-hoping-that-the-perfectly-arched-eyebrow/) [Kevyn Aucoin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevyn-aucoin/) > [Pretty girls mean nothing if they have an ugly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pretty-girls-mean-nothing-if-they-have-an-ugly-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't care how attractive you think you look... If you have an Ugly Heart... Your Ugly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-care-how-attractive-you-think-you-look-if-you-have-an-ugly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A pretty face is nothing if you have an ugly heart..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-pretty-face-is-nothing-if-you-have-an-ugly-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gabrielle Zevin > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [He kissed me, though not in a sexy way. Gentle. Tender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-kissed-me-though-not-in-a-sexy-way-gentle-tender/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“I am repulsed by ghostwritten novels by reality television stars, celebrity picture books, sports memoirs, movie tie-in editions, novelty items, and—I imagine this goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-am-repulsed-by-ghostwritten-novels-by-reality-television-stars/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wish I could tell you to always follow your heart, but I think it is bad advice. You have a heart, yes, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-to-always-follow-your-heart-but-i-think-it-is/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is a lie that you should only speak from your heart- you ought to let your brain play a part too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-a-lie-that-you-should-only-speak-from-your-heart-you-ought-to/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wondered if the person who really loves you is the person who knows all your stories, the person who WANTS to know all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wondered-if-the-person-who-really-loves-you-is-the-person-who-knows/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Most people's problems would be solved if they would only give more things a chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/most-people-s-problems-would-be-solved-if-they-would-only-give-more/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is lucky, she thinks, that we don’t feel all the love inside us every moment. We couldn’t breathe or walk or eat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-lucky-she-thinks-that-we-don-t-feel-all-the-love-inside-us/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Real love' is not just instinct, but intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/real-love-is-not-just-instinct-but-intent/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Hi there," squeaked a precocious little voice, "you are speaking to Chloe Fusakawa, and I have just learned how to answer the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/hi-there-squeaked-a-precocious-little-voice-you-are-speaking-to-chloe/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Well, I’m warning you. I could be a bad book with a good jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/well-i-m-warning-you-i-could-be-a-bad-book-with-a-good-jacket/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“A place ain’t a place without a bookstore,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/a-place-ain-t-a-place-without-a-bookstore/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) [Explore all 425 Gabrielle Zevin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## More Authors quotes > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“Today if anything is trying to hold you back, give no attention to it. Get your hopes up, get your faith up, look up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/today-if-anything-is-trying-to-hold-you-back-give-no-attention-to-it/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“By their very nature, idiots do not have the intellectual capacity to identify genius. All that idiots are mentally equipped to recognize are other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dermot-davis/by-their-very-nature-idiots-do-not-have-the-intellectual-capacity-to/) [Dermot Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dermot-davis/) > [“Authors go on writing books, and so we go on reading them. It is a sad state of affairs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-aston/authors-go-on-writing-books-and-so-we-go-on-reading-them-it-is-a-sad/) [Elizabeth Aston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-aston/) > [“Intercourse is one thing, Intimacy is everything. Be encouraged”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-e-wagner/intercourse-is-one-thing-intimacy-is-everything-be-encouraged/) [Kerry E. Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-e-wagner/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [“Do you read them? Faulkner, Hemingway, Fitzgerald?" "Only if I have to. I try to avoid old dead white men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/do-you-read-them-faulkner-hemingway-fitzgerald-only-if-i-have-to-i/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“How long has it been since you and me? Hugs and kisses. Blankets and snuggles. Our sparks smoldering without a fireplace. Losing time is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2019-fidelis-o-mkparu/how-long-has-it-been-since-you-and-me-hugs-and-kisses-blankets-and/) 2019 Fidelis O Mkparu > [“Authors: The only people you thank for leaving you emotionally devastated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-the-stacks-bookstore/authors-the-only-people-you-thank-for-leaving-you-emotionally/) Love The Stacks Bookstore > [“Authors, reviews are not for you. They are not for you. Authors, reviews are not for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacia-kane/authors-reviews-are-not-for-you-they-are-not-for-you-authors-reviews/) [Stacia Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacia-kane/) > [“I like to read as much as I can from every genre. That way, I can express my love for all writers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-selinsky/i-like-to-read-as-much-as-i-can-from-every-genre-that-way-i-can/) [Jen Selinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-selinsky/) > [“He's a liar for a living, all authors are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/he-s-a-liar-for-a-living-all-authors-are/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [“A writer writes regardless... even though... notwithstanding... despite... at any rate... anyhow... nevertheless... in the face of... undeterred by... heedless of... and because. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-writer-writes-regardless-even-though-notwithstanding-despite-at-any/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“Crazy people love their Kindles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dermot-davis/crazy-people-love-their-kindles/) [Dermot Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dermot-davis/) [Browse all 529 Authors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I felt somewhere down deep inside him the person who wrote it must be there. That you couldn't write such beautiful things and have such an ugly heart. But that is the truth. He was a beautiful writer and a terrible person.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gabrielle Zevin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that-first-one-and-i-felt/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that-first-one-and-i-felt/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f10/gabrielle-zevin-626_authors_but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that_116718.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But I loved those books or at least that first one. And I felt somewhere down deep inside him the person who…” — Gabrielle Zevin", "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": "Gabrielle Zevin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But I loved those books or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that-first-one-and-i-felt/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/but-i-loved-those-books-or-at-least-that-first-one-and-i-felt/#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 } } ] } ```