Reading Quote by Italo Calvino
““Reading," he says, "is always this: there is a thing that is there, a thing made of writing, a solid material object, which cannot be changed, and through this thing we measure ourselves against something else that is not present, something else that belongs to the immaterial, invisible world, because it can only be thought, imagined, or because it was once and is no longer, past, lost, unattainable, in the land of the dead…" "Or that is not present because it does not yet exist, something desire, feared, possible or impossible," Ludmilla says. "Reading is going toward something that is about to be, and no one yet knows what it will be…””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Invisible Cities, 1972
Reading connects us to an immutable, imagined world, allowing self‑measurement against unseen ideas and desires.
In simple terms: Reading links us to imagined, timeless ideas.
Key Takeaway
Use reading to explore unseen concepts.
Themes
reading
imagination
self‑reflection
Mood
introspective
philosophical
Type
literary critique
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic study
- personal growth
- creative writing
Key Concepts
literary analysis
philosophical inquiry
creative thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What unseen ideas does reading reveal?
- How does reading shape your self‑view?
A Different Perspective
Interpretation varies; meaning may be elusive.
![“[When] he's here, he's always reading. He says books stop time. I myself think he's crazy...Don't tell anyone, but when he reads something that he likes he gets real happy, turns on the music, and dances by himself, or with a broom sometimes.” quote by Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b55/mark-helprin-1171_book_when-he-s-here-he-s-always-reading-he-sa_2013657.jpg)
![“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)
