Appendix Quote by Henry David Thoreau
“Indeed, the best books have a use, like sticks and stones, which is above or beside their design, not anticipated in the preface,not concluded in the appendix. Even Virgil's poetry serves a very different use to me today from what it did to his contemporaries. It has often an acquired and accidental value merely, proving that man is still man in the world.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Walden, 1854
Books can serve unexpected purposes beyond their intended design, revealing new values over time.
In simple terms: Books have hidden uses.
Key Takeaway
Seek unexpected value in literature.
Themes
literature
serendipity
interpretation
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reading
- academic study
- teaching
- creative writing
Key Concepts
cultural context
historical reception
Questions to Reflect On
- What unexpected value have you found in a book?
- How do you reassess old texts?
A Different Perspective
Not all books reveal new uses; personal bias influences perception.
![“In the appendix to my History of the Russian Revolution I give a detailed and documented study of the ideas of the Bolshevik party on the October revolution. This study, I hope, will make it impossible in the future to ascribe to [Vladimir] Lenin the theory of Socialism in a single country.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/374/leon-trotsky-2558_appendix_in-the-appendix-to-my-history-of-the-rus_363447.jpg)
