--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is nothing on earth more exquisite…" description: "\"There is nothing on earth more exquisite than a bonny book, with well-placed columns of rich black writing in beautiful borders, and illuminated pictur..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/george-bernard-shaw-68_beautiful_there-is-nothing-on-earth-more-exquisite_574548.jpg" --- # There is nothing on earth more exquisite than a bonny… ![“There is nothing on earth more exquisite than a bonny book, with well-placed columns of rich black writing in beautiful borders, and illuminated pictures cunningly inset. But nowadays, instead of looking at books, people read them. A book might as well be one of those orders for bacon and bran.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/george-bernard-shaw-68_beautiful_there-is-nothing-on-earth-more-exquisite_574548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/george-bernard-shaw-68_beautiful_there-is-nothing-on-earth-more-exquisite_574548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/george-bernard-shaw-68_beautiful_there-is-nothing-on-earth-more-exquisite_574548.jpg) > “There is nothing on earth more exquisite than a bonny book, with well-placed columns of rich black writing in beautiful borders, and illuminated pictures cunningly inset. But nowadays, instead of looking at books, people read them. A book might as well be one of those orders for bacon and bran.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates the tactile beauty and craftsmanship of physical books, lamenting modern readers' shift to digital consumption. **In simple terms:** Physical books are beautiful objects, but people now read them like food. Key Takeaway Appreciate the art of books, not just their content. Themes literature craftsmanship technology culture reading Mood nostalgic reflective Type observational critical When to use this quote - library visits - book design appreciation - reading habits - educational curricula Key Concepts aesthetics materiality digital shift Questions to Reflect On - How does the medium affect your engagement with a text? - What value do you find in the physical form of a book? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize physical books while ignoring the accessibility of digital formats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Despite the enormous quantity of books, how few people read! 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We read for different reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/not-all-books-are-for-all-people-we-read-for-different-reasons/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [The biggest critics of my books are people who never read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-collins/the-biggest-critics-of-my-books-are-people-who-never-read-them/) [Jackie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-collins/) > [Age about 30, I stopped looking up my books in bookstores. Paying attention to the marketplace isn't a healthy thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/age-about-30-i-stopped-looking-up-my-books-in-bookstores-paying/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [“Books," he said, "are like mushrooms. They grow when you are not looking. 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