--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this book does not offer a single…" description: "\"“But this book does not offer a single page of original and unpublished work. What then is the need, now, for such a book?”\" — J.R.R. Tolkien" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg" --- # But this book does not offer a single page of original and… ![“But this book does not offer a single page of original and unpublished work. What then is the need, now, for such a book?” quote by J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg) > ““But this book does not offer a single page of original and unpublished work. What then is the need, now, for such a book?”” [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The book offers no new material, questioning its relevance. **In simple terms:** A book without original content seems unnecessary. Key Takeaway Seek fresh ideas when creating works. Themes creativity originality value Mood reflective skeptical Type literary critical When to use this quote - publishing - academic research - creative writing Key Concepts literature authorship Questions to Reflect On - Why do we value novelty? - Can compilation be worthwhile? A Different Perspective Readers may still find value in curation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Need Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-book-1014699/) [Original Unpublished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/original-unpublished-2402787/) [Page Original](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/page-original-2402788/) [Unpublished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpublished/) [Unpublished Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpublished-work-2402786/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Agents will read unpublished work because they might make money, and that's their job. It isn't mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-cornwell/agents-will-read-unpublished-work-because-they-might-make-money-and/) [Bernard Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-cornwell/) > [My father was a very prolific writer and he left behind a huge body of unpublished work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carter-cash/my-father-was-a-very-prolific-writer-and-he-left-behind-a-huge-body/) [John Carter Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carter-cash/) > [ The novel \[The Kite Runner\] came about as an expansion of that original, unpublished short story. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/the-novel-the-kite-runner-came-about-as-an-expansion-of-that-original/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“To be on the same page, we need to be in the same book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-guhathakurta/to-be-on-the-same-page-we-need-to-be-in-the-same-book/) [Rahul Guhathakurta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-guhathakurta/) > ['All we need is a book,' roared Leslie; 'don't panic, hit 'em with a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/all-we-need-is-a-book-roared-leslie-don-t-panic-hit-em-with-a-book/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [To me, all the juice of a book is in an unpublished manuscript, and the published book is like a dead tree - just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/to-me-all-the-juice-of-a-book-is-in-an-unpublished-manuscript-and-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Nothing stinks like a pile of unpublished writing, which remark I guess shows I still don't have a pure motive (O it's-such-fun-I-just-can't-stop-who-cares-if-it's-published-or-read) about writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/nothing-stinks-like-a-pile-of-unpublished-writing-which-remark-i/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Very few authors, especially the unpublished, can resist an invitation to read aloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/very-few-authors-especially-the-unpublished-can-resist-an-invitation/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“We all have chapters we would prefer unpublished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/we-all-have-chapters-we-would-prefer-unpublished/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [“An Introduction to Poetry Readings" Preaching to the converted, the tormented and perverted Introspective melancholics, axe-grinding alcoholics Welcome to a night of wine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasty-nigel-lawrence/an-introduction-to-poetry-readings-preaching-to-the-converted-the/) [Nasty Nigel Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasty-nigel-lawrence/) > [There are some works which the authors must consign unpublished to posterity, however uncertain be the event, however hopeless be the trust. He that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/there-are-some-works-which-the-authors-must-consign-unpublished-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The first thing an unpublished author should remember is that no one asked him to write in the first place. With this firmly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-farrar/the-first-thing-an-unpublished-author-should-remember-is-that-no-one/) [John Farrar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-farrar/) > [I've written 16 children's books and five unpublished novels. Some of the latter were breathtakingly bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/i-ve-written-16-children-s-books-and-five-unpublished-novels-some-of/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [In the end, the difference between a published writer and an unpublished one comes down to one thing: The unpublished writer gave up, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-delton/in-the-end-the-difference-between-a-published-writer-and-an/) [Judy Delton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-delton/) > [I sold my first short story while I was home on maternity leave, then began working on novels. Since I was reading and enjoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/i-sold-my-first-short-story-while-i-was-home-on-maternity-leave-then/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) ## More by J.R.R. Tolkien > [“I will vouch for him before the seat of Denethor,' said Gandalf. 'And as for valour, that cannot be computed by stature. He has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-will-vouch-for-him-before-the-seat-of-denethor-said-gandalf-and-as/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“I have chosen Mr Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a Burglar, a Burglar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-have-chosen-mr-baggins-and-that-ought-to-be-enough-for-all-of-you/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“he can see through a brick wall in time (as they say in Bree). But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-can-see-through-a-brick-wall-in-time-as-they-say-in-bree-but/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“No todos los que vagan están perdidos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/no-todos-los-que-vagan-est-n-perdidos/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“The consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending; or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous "turn" (for there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/the-consolation-of-fairy-stories-the-joy-of-the-happy-ending-or-more/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Sméagol won't grub for roots and carrotses and - taters. What's taters, precious, eh, what's taters?' 'Po-ta-toes,' said Sam. 'The Gaffer's delight, and rare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sm-agol-won-t-grub-for-roots-and-carrotses-and-taters-what-s-taters/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“But the Queen Arwen said: 'A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-the-queen-arwen-said-a-gift-i-will-give-you-for-i-am-the-daughter/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“If you lived near the edge of Mirkwood, you would take the word of no one that you did not know as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/if-you-lived-near-the-edge-of-mirkwood-you-would-take-the-word-of-no/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“He was dark-haired as his mother, and promised to be like her in mood also; for he was not merry, and spoke little, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/he-was-dark-haired-as-his-mother-and-promised-to-be-like-her-in-mood/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/may-your-beer-be-laid-under-an-enchantment-of-surpassing-excellence/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/though-sword-shall-be-rusted-and-throne-and-crown-perish-with/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Seguid si es vuestro deber —dijo—, yo me echaré aquí a dormir y a soñar con comida, ya que no puedo tenerla de otro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/seguid-si-es-vuestro-deber-dijo-yo-me-echar-aqu-a-dormir-y-a-so-ar/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Co to mělo v kapšiškách? Nechtělo to říct, ne, milášku. Podvodníšek mrňavá. Nefér otázka. Podvádělo to první. Poruššilo to pravidla. Měli šme to žmáčknout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/co-to-m-lo-v-kap-i-k-ch-necht-lo-to-ct-ne-mil-ku-podvodn-ek-mr-av-nef/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“it is horrible being all alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/it-is-horrible-being-all-alone/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) [Explore all 857 J.R.R. Tolkien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But this book does not offer a single page of original and unpublished work. What then is the need, now, for such a book?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.R.R. Tolkien" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-page-of-original-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-page-of-original-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/22d/j-r-r-tolkien-204_book_but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-pa_1847743.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But this book does not offer a single page of original and unpublished work. What then is the need, now, for…” — J.R.R. Tolkien", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "J.R.R. Tolkien", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But this book does not offer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-page-of-original-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/but-this-book-does-not-offer-a-single-page-of-original-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```