Book Quote by Haruki Murakami
““He was a far more voracious reader than me, but he made it a rule to never touch a book by any author who had not been dead at least 30 years. "That's the only kind of book I can trust," he said. "It's not that I don't believe in contemporary literature," he added, "but I don't want to waste valuable time reading a book that has not had the baptism of time. Life is too short.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: "Kafka on the Shore" (author reference), 2002
Reading only works that have stood the test of time ensures quality, but may limit exposure to fresh ideas.
In simple terms: Only old books are trustworthy.
Key Takeaway
Balance classic and contemporary reading.
Themes
tradition
literature
quality
time
Mood
curious
open‑minded
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal reading list
- library curation
- academic study
Key Concepts
canon formation
literary criticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide what to read?
- What value do you find in new voices?
A Different Perspective
Contemporary works can also be profound; time alone doesn't guarantee merit.
![“[...] he made it a rule never to touch a book by any author who had not been dead at least 30 years. "That's the only kind of book I can trust", he said. "It's not that I don't believe in contemporary literature," he added, "but I don't want to waste valuable time reading any book that has not had…” quote by Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/02b/haruki-murakami-21_book_he-made-it-a-rule-never-to-touch-a-book_1535746.jpg)
