--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps it is only in childhood that…" description: "\"“Perhaps it is only in childhood that books have any deep influence on our lives. In later life we admire, we are entertained, we may modify some views..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/graham-greene-441_book_perhaps-it-is-only-in-childhood-that-boo_1593148.jpg" --- # Perhaps it is only in childhood that books have any deep… ![“Perhaps it is only in childhood that books have any deep influence on our lives. In later life we admire, we are entertained, we may modify some views we already hold, but we are more likely to find in books merely a confirmation of what it is in our minds already; as in a love affair it is our…” quote by Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/graham-greene-441_book_perhaps-it-is-only-in-childhood-that-boo_1593148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/graham-greene-441_book_perhaps-it-is-only-in-childhood-that-boo_1593148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8c/graham-greene-441_book_perhaps-it-is-only-in-childhood-that-boo_1593148.jpg) > ““Perhaps it is only in childhood that books have any deep influence on our lives. In later life we admire, we are entertained, we may modify some views we already hold, but we are more likely to find in books merely a confirmation of what it is in our minds already; as in a love affair it is our own features that we see reflected flatteringly back. But in childhood all books are books of divination, telling us about the future, and like the fortune teller who sees a long journey in the cards or death by water they influence the future. I suppose that is why books excited us so much. What do we ever get nowadays from reading to equal the excitement and the revelation in those first fourteen years? . . . It is in those early years that I would look for the crisis, the moment when life took a new slant in its journey towards death.”” [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood reading shapes imagination and worldview, while adult reading often confirms existing beliefs. **In simple terms:** Kids see books as magical guides; adults see them as mirrors. Key Takeaway Seek the wonder of early reading again. Themes imagination growth reflection Mood nostalgic inquisitive Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - teaching children - personal development - creative writing - book clubs - education programs Key Concepts developmental psychology literary influence Questions to Reflect On - How can we recapture childhood curiosity in adult reading? - What books can challenge our current beliefs? A Different Perspective Adults may resist new ideas due to entrenched biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-deep-1840837/) [Books Divination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-divination-6042652/) [Books Excited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-excited-6042653/) [Childhood Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-books-561349/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fortune teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune-teller/) [Long journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-journey/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-affair/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [A childhood without books – that would be no childhood. 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