--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The crazy thing is that when we go to…" description: "\"The crazy thing is that when we go to somebody's house, what's better than looking at their bookshelves? Nobody's ever going to say, \"Can I see the ind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/jeanette-winterson-166_bookshelves_the-crazy-thing-is-that-when-we-go-to-so_880325.png" --- # The crazy thing is that when we go to somebody's house… ![“The crazy thing is that when we go to somebody's house, what's better than looking at their bookshelves? Nobody's ever going to say, "Can I see the index to your Kindle?" It's so depressing and so unsexy. Sure, it's there, but nobody is going to get excited by that.” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/jeanette-winterson-166_bookshelves_the-crazy-thing-is-that-when-we-go-to-so_880325.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/jeanette-winterson-166_bookshelves_the-crazy-thing-is-that-when-we-go-to-so_880325.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b3/jeanette-winterson-166_bookshelves_the-crazy-thing-is-that-when-we-go-to-so_880325.png) > “The crazy thing is that when we go to somebody's house, what's better than looking at their bookshelves? Nobody's ever going to say, "Can I see the index to your Kindle?" It's so depressing and so unsexy. Sure, it's there, but nobody is going to get excited by that.” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously critiques how people avoid sharing digital reading habits because they lack the tactile appeal of physical books, making the experience feel dull and uninteresting. **In simple terms:** People find physical books more exciting than digital ones. Key Takeaway Embrace tangible experiences for deeper connection. Themes literature technology social norms Mood reflective lighthearted critical Type observational humorous When to use this quote - book clubs - library tours - gift giving - teaching reading - personal branding Key Concepts digital media physicality human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does physical media shape our perception of knowledge? - Can digital formats ever replicate the intimacy of a bookshelf? A Different Perspective Digital reading can be convenient but may lack emotional resonance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Dad is looking at the bookshelves, deep in thought, deciding which book should go where. Once, Mom came home from work and discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-stead/dad-is-looking-at-the-bookshelves-deep-in-thought-deciding-which-book/) [Rebecca Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-stead/) > [We have a generation of kids who may never see a bookshelf or never see books in houses. What are they going to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/we-have-a-generation-of-kids-who-may-never-see-a-bookshelf-or-never/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [For me, the most painful thing is the thought of shelves without books. This is the problem with the digital thing. I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/for-me-the-most-painful-thing-is-the-thought-of-shelves-without-books/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Bookaholics are the ones who start to feel uncomfortable and uneasy in another person’s house, and suddenly realize there are no bookshelves or magazines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lee-hadden/bookaholics-are-the-ones-who-start-to-feel-uncomfortable-and-uneasy/) Robert Lee Hadden > [I learned to build bookshelves and brought books to my room, gathering them around me thickly. I read by day and into the night.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-learned-to-build-bookshelves-and-brought-books-to-my-room-gathering/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in...We should be thankful we cannot see the horrors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/there-is-always-one-moment-in-childhood-when-the-door-opens-and-lets/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [My mom didn't write, but she loved to read. She liked books 'that made you a little nervous.' 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I had new bookshelves put up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-edwards/she-says-i-ought-to-throw-out-at-least-two-books-for-every-one-i-buy/) [Martin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-edwards/) > [...Mr. Wodehouse is a prose stylist of such startling talent that Frankie nearly skipped around with glee when she first read some of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/mr-wodehouse-is-a-prose-stylist-of-such-startling-talent-that-frankie/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [I have a nice bookshelf in my office, but not my house. I'm crass, but not that crass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-a-nice-bookshelf-in-my-office-but-not-my-house-i-m-crass-but/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. 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I'm crass, but not that crass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/i-have-a-nice-bookshelf-in-my-office-but-not-my-house-i-m-crass-but/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [...Mr. Wodehouse is a prose stylist of such startling talent that Frankie nearly skipped around with glee when she first read some of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/mr-wodehouse-is-a-prose-stylist-of-such-startling-talent-that-frankie/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“She says I ought to throw out at least two books for every one I buy. I had new bookshelves put up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-edwards/she-says-i-ought-to-throw-out-at-least-two-books-for-every-one-i-buy/) [Martin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-edwards/) > [You ever buy a book and not read it? You feel almost guilty having it up on a bookshelf. 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But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [I source images and ideas from different parts of my experiences, and sometimes they are things that are made-up, or just appear out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-stone/i-source-images-and-ideas-from-different-parts-of-my-experiences-and/) Julia Stone > [The time will come when, with elation you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror and each will smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-walcott/the-time-will-come-when-with-elation-you-will-greet-yourself-arriving/) [Derek Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-walcott/) > [“If I am alive this is my book, and my father lives now in the afterlife that is a book, a thing not vague…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/if-i-am-alive-this-is-my-book-and-my-father-lives-now-in-the/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [My mom didn't write, but she loved to read. She liked books 'that made you a little nervous.' Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-easton/my-mom-didn-t-write-but-she-loved-to-read-she-liked-books-that-made/) [Michael Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-easton/) > [There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in...We should be thankful we cannot see the horrors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/there-is-always-one-moment-in-childhood-when-the-door-opens-and-lets/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [I learned to build bookshelves and brought books to my room, gathering them around me thickly. I read by day and into the night.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-learned-to-build-bookshelves-and-brought-books-to-my-room-gathering/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“Bookaholics are the ones who start to feel uncomfortable and uneasy in another person’s house, and suddenly realize there are no bookshelves or magazines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lee-hadden/bookaholics-are-the-ones-who-start-to-feel-uncomfortable-and-uneasy/) Robert Lee Hadden > [I stretched out my hand towards the little bookshelf where I kept cookery and devotional books, the most comfortable bedside reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-pym/i-stretched-out-my-hand-towards-the-little-bookshelf-where-i-kept/) [Barbara Pym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-pym/) > [I would be the most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-would-be-the-most-content-if-my-children-grew-up-to-be-the-kind-of/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“Jamie felt a strong desire to go across and see what the open books were, to go to the shelves and run his knuckles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/jamie-felt-a-strong-desire-to-go-across-and-see-what-the-open-books/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) Browse all 135 Bookshelves quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The crazy thing is that when we go to somebody's house, what's better than looking at their bookshelves? 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