---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have my mind … and a mind needs books…"
description: "\"“I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg"
---

#  I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a…

![“I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s why I read so much, Jon” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg)

> ““I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s why I read so much, Jon””

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Books sharpen the mind like a whetstone sharpens a sword, keeping intellect keen.

**In simple terms:** Reading sharpens the mind like a stone sharpens a blade.

Key Takeaway

Read regularly to keep your mind sharp.

Themes

learning books intellect growth

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- education
- writing
- personal development

Key Concepts

metaphor self‑improvement

Questions to Reflect On

- How does reading translate to action?
- What books have most sharpened your thinking?

A Different Perspective

Reading alone may not guarantee wisdom without application.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [“-My mind is my weapon. my brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind... and a mind needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mind-is-my-weapon-my-brother-has-his-sword-king-robert-has-his/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-a-realistic-grasp-of-my-own-strengths-and-weaknesses-my-mind/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“... a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if-it-is-to-keep-its/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“My mind is my weapon. . . and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mind-is-my-weapon-and-a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [Mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrion-lannsiter/mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone/)

Tyrion Lannsiter

> [A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if-it-is-to-keep-its-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-brother-has-his-sword-king-robert-has-his-warhammer-and-i-have-my/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrion-lannister-game-of-thrones-ascent/a-mind-needs-books-like-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone/)

Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones Ascent

> [My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer and I have my mind...and a mind needs books as a sword needs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-brother-has-his-sword-king-robert-has-his-warhammer-and-i-have-my-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. That is why I read so much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-mind-needs-books-like-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if-it-is-to-keep/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-a-realistic-grasp-of-my-own-strengths-and-weaknesses-my-mind-3/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-a-realistic-grasp-of-my-own-strengths-and-weaknesses-my-mind-2/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Why do you read so much?" "I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/why-do-you-read-so-much-i-have-a-realistic-grasp-of-my-own-strengths/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone. That's Why I read so much, Jon Snow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrion-lannister-game-of-thrones-ascent/a-mind-needs-books-like-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-that-s-why-i-read/)

Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones Ascent

> [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/)

[David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/)

## More by George R.R. Martin

> [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“It is my look they will flinch from now, my frown that they must fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-is-my-look-they-will-flinch-from-now-my-frown-that-they-must-fear/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“A good threat is often more telling than a blow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/a-good-threat-is-often-more-telling-than-a-blow/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“This wine is very choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/this-wine-is-very-choice/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Everything Syrio Forel had ever taught her vanished in a heartbeat. In that instant of sudden terror, the only lesson Arya could remember was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/everything-syrio-forel-had-ever-taught-her-vanished-in-a-heartbeat-in/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Megga couldn’t sing, but she was mad to be kissed. She and Alla played a kissing game sometimes, she confessed, but it wasn’t the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/megga-couldn-t-sing-but-she-was-mad-to-be-kissed-she-and-alla-played/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The rain feels good against my face, Sam. It feels like tears. Let me stay a while longer, I pray you. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-rain-feels-good-against-my-face-sam-it-feels-like-tears-let-me/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Every man who walks the earth casts a shadow on the world. Some are thin and weak, others long and dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/every-man-who-walks-the-earth-casts-a-shadow-on-the-world-some-are/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The shy girl she had known at Riverrun had grown into a woman who was by turns proud, fearful, cruel, dreamy, reckless, timid, stubborn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-shy-girl-she-had-known-at-riverrun-had-grown-into-a-woman-who-was/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“He won the war on the battlefield and lost it in a bedchamber, poor fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/he-won-the-war-on-the-battlefield-and-lost-it-in-a-bedchamber-poor/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“On the morning after battle the crows had feasted on victors and vanquished alike. How much can a crown be worth when a crow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/on-the-morning-after-battle-the-crows-had-feasted-on-victors-and/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“The little man gave the big one a look. One of his eyes was green, one was black, and both were cool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-little-man-gave-the-big-one-a-look-one-of-his-eyes-was-green-one/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a...good purpose? - Samwell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/jon-could-there-be-honor-in-a-lie-if-it-were-told-for-a-good-purpose/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“My mother said my father had a drop of dragon blood.” “Two drops. That, or a cock six feet long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/my-mother-said-my-father-had-a-drop-of-dragon-blood-two-drops-that-or/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

[Explore all 1,761 George R.R. Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## More Books quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/)

[Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/)

[Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/)

Christopher K. Krebs

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

Markus Herz

> [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

[Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. “That’s why I read so much, Jon”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "George R.R. Martin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f07/george-r-r-martin-48_books_i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as_1606919.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have my mind … and a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.” Tyrion…” — George R.R. Martin",
                "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": "George R.R. Martin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I have my mind … and a mind...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-have-my-mind-and-a-mind-needs-books-as-a-sword-needs-a-whetstone-if/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
