--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is not a book. This is libel…" description: "\"“This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is not a book, in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/henry-miller-179_beauty_this-is-not-a-book-this-is-libel-slander_2847420.jpg" --- # This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of… ![“This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is not a book, in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of Art, a kick in the pants to God, Man, Destiny, Time, Love, Beauty . . . what you will. I am going to sing for…” quote by Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/henry-miller-179_beauty_this-is-not-a-book-this-is-libel-slander_2847420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/henry-miller-179_beauty_this-is-not-a-book-this-is-libel-slander_2847420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/194/henry-miller-179_beauty_this-is-not-a-book-this-is-libel-slander_2847420.jpg) > ““This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is not a book, in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of Art, a kick in the pants to God, Man, Destiny, Time, Love, Beauty . . . what you will. I am going to sing for you, a little off key perhaps, but I will sing. I will sing while you croak, I will dance over your dirty corpse . . . To sing you must first open your mouth. You must have a pair of lungs, and a little knowledge of music. It is not necessary to have an accordion, or a guitar. The essential thing is to want to sing. This then is a song. I am singing.”” [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art demands bold, unfiltered expression; any restraint is an insult to creativity. **In simple terms:** Art must be expressed freely and boldly. Key Takeaway Sing despite imperfections. Themes creativity expression rebellion Mood defiant passionate Type artistic provocative When to use this quote - performance art - writing - public speaking - activism Key Concepts aesthetics freedom of speech Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance authenticity with audience expectations? - When is restraint appropriate? A Different Perspective Boldness can alienate audiences seeking polish. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Going Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-sing/) [Little knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-knowledge/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing/) [Sing Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-song/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-singing-320773/) [Time love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-love/) ## Related quotes > [“I am going to sing for you, a little off key perhaps but I will sing. I will sing while you croak, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-am-going-to-sing-for-you-a-little-off-key-perhaps-but-i-will-sing-i/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The essential thing is to WANT to sing. This then is a song. I am singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-essential-thing-is-to-want-to-sing-this-then-is-a-song-i-am/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [I'm never going to sing another song I don't believe in. I'm never going to make another picture I don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/i-m-never-going-to-sing-another-song-i-don-t-believe-in-i-m-never/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [I'm definitely not going to go and sing a song that condones certain things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/i-m-definitely-not-going-to-go-and-sing-a-song-that-condones-certain/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [“I am going to sing for you, a little off key perhaps, but I will sing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/i-am-going-to-sing-for-you-a-little-off-key-perhaps-but-i-will-sing/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [I'm telling the story, and if I can't tell the story, I'm not going to sing it. And if I don't agree with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/i-m-telling-the-story-and-if-i-can-t-tell-the-story-i-m-not-going-to/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [You have to have Beef on you, if your going to sing for a career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-to-have-beef-on-you-if-your-going-to-sing-for-a-career/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To sing you must first open your mouth. You must have a pair of lungs, and a little knowledge of music. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/to-sing-you-must-first-open-your-mouth-you-must-have-a-pair-of-lungs/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [When you hear an instrumental song someone is singing over, you know right away it's wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/when-you-hear-an-instrumental-song-someone-is-singing-over-you-know/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [I try to sing many different kinds of songs. If I sing a batch of humorous songs, I'll throw in a deadly serious song.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/i-try-to-sing-many-different-kinds-of-songs-if-i-sing-a-batch-of/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [There is no song to your singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/there-is-no-song-to-your-singing/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I tend to play covers when I'm gearing up for creating new song. Singing other people's songs is a way that I get inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scout-niblett/i-tend-to-play-covers-when-i-m-gearing-up-for-creating-new-song/) [Scout Niblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scout-niblett/) > [You've got a song you're singing from your gut, you want that audience to feel it in their gut. And you've got to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/you-ve-got-a-song-you-re-singing-from-your-gut-you-want-that-audience/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [All alone singing this song. Singing singing this song. So now I'm like noo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bei-maejor/all-alone-singing-this-song-singing-singing-this-song-so-now-i-m-like/) [Bei Maejor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bei-maejor/) > [Memorizing the song and singing it are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sarbh/memorizing-the-song-and-singing-it-are-two-different-things/) [Jim Sarbh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sarbh/) ## More by Henry Miller > [“I reached out for something to attach myself to—and I found nothing. 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The ego dies in its own glass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-egocentric-prism-the-helpless-victim-is-walled-in-by-the-very/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“When one spends what he has on himself, when one has a thoroughly good time with his own money, people are apt to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/when-one-spends-what-he-has-on-himself-when-one-has-a-thoroughly-good/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Paint what you like and die happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/paint-what-you-like-and-die-happy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [She may be lying in bed reading a book, she may be making love with a prize fighter, or she may be running like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/she-may-be-lying-in-bed-reading-a-book-she-may-be-making-love-with-a/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“And no one sets about saving the world unless he has first experienced the miracle of personal salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/and-no-one-sets-about-saving-the-world-unless-he-has-first/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“He looks about the room at the few sticks of furniture, at the dirty bed sheets and the wash basin with the dirty water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/he-looks-about-the-room-at-the-few-sticks-of-furniture-at-the-dirty/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Since then, of course, I have discovered what every madman in Paris discovers sooner of later; that there are no ready made infernos for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/since-then-of-course-i-have-discovered-what-every-madman-in-paris/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Looking back upon my career, I see myself as a person capable of undertaking almost any task, any vocation. It was the monotony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/looking-back-upon-my-career-i-see-myself-as-a-person-capable-of/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“The word in your mouth is anarchy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/the-word-in-your-mouth-is-anarchy/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) [Explore all 894 Henry Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is not a book. This is libel, slander, defamation of character. This is not a book, in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of Art, a kick in the pants to God, Man, Destiny, Time, Love, Beauty . . . what you will. 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