Books Quote by Gunter Grass
““But every time I shunned books, as scholars sometimes do, cursed them as verbal graveyards, and tried to make contact with the common folk, I ran up against the kids in our building and felt fortunate, after a few brushes with those little cannibals, to return to my reading in one piece.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Gunter Grass on literature and society, 1995
Avoiding books for fear of elitism can lead to unexpected, grounding encounters with everyday life.
In simple terms: Books can isolate; real life reconnects.
Key Takeaway
Balance scholarly reading with lived experience.
Themes
elitism
reconnection
humility
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- urban life
- community interaction
- educational outreach
Key Concepts
social critique
personal growth
literary criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “verbal graveyard” mean to you?
- How can scholars stay grounded?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize “common folk” encounters.
![“Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and the screenplay of Simon (Beaufoy) and I was reading it, even before the shoot, some kind of sounds came into my mind and I put some stuff [down] and sent it to…” quote by A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/a-r-rahman-4481_cutting_since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-o_539.jpg)
![“The young man [Turgot] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his studies, his reading, his professors, his associates, all were combined to keep from him any results of observation or reflection save those…” quote by Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5d4/andrew-dickson-white-24254_associates_the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecc_3146.jpg)
![“[To be an artist,] this desire to conquer all with images.” quote by Gunter Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/gunter-grass-3046_art_to-be-an-artist-this-desire-to-conquer-a_378010.jpg)
