Books Quote by Italo Calvino
““Some books will remain famous but will be considered anonymous works, as for us the epic of Gilgamesh; others author's names will still be known, but none of their works will survive, as was the case with Socrates; or perhaps, all the surviving books will be attributed to a single, mysterious author, like Homer.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Literature of the Future,” 1972
Future anonymity may erase author identities, leaving works attributed to unknown or single mythical creators.
In simple terms: Authors may become unknown over time.
Key Takeaway
Consider the lasting impact of ideas beyond names.
Themes
authorship
legacy
anonymity
Mood
reflective
speculative
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- library curation
- academic citation
- cultural memory
Key Concepts
literature
history
myth
Questions to Reflect On
- Will future generations value ideas over creators?
- How does anonymity affect cultural heritage?
A Different Perspective
Works may survive without knowing their creators.
![“But my hand was too small to do the gathering. [Epic of Gilgamesh, p. 79]” quote by Herbert Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd9/herbert-mason-66422_gathering_but-my-hand-was-too-small-to-do-the-gath_2260818.jpg)
![“Although the disappearance of the true wildwood [in the British Isles] occurred in the Neolithic period, before humanity began to record its own history, creation myths in almost all cultures look fabulously back to a forested earth. In the ancient Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh, the quest-story which…” quote by Robert Macfarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/361/robert-macfarlane-11240_nature_although-the-disappearance-of-the-true-w_1196534.jpg)
