--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Properly speaking, we learn from those…" description: "\"Properly speaking, we learn from those books only that we cannot judge. The author of a book that I am competent to criticise would have to learn from ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_book_properly-speaking-we-learn-from-those-bo_2303172.jpg" --- # Properly speaking, we learn from those books only that we… ![“Properly speaking, we learn from those books only that we cannot judge. The author of a book that I am competent to criticise would have to learn from me.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_book_properly-speaking-we-learn-from-those-bo_2303172.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_book_properly-speaking-we-learn-from-those-bo_2303172.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac0/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_book_properly-speaking-we-learn-from-those-bo_2303172.jpg) > “Properly speaking, we learn from those books only that we cannot judge. The author of a book that I am competent to criticise would have to learn from me.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism should be reciprocal; true expertise allows one to both judge and be judged. **In simple terms:** Critique works both ways. Key Takeaway Embrace mutual learning. Themes criticism humility expertise reciprocity Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic review - peer feedback - creative collaboration Key Concepts dialogue intellectual humility learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster equal critique? - When is it appropriate to challenge an author? A Different Perspective Power imbalances can silence critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-judge-3907220/) [Competent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competent/) [Competent Criticise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competent-criticise-5449413/) [Criticise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticise/) [Criticise Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticise-learn-5449412/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Learn Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn-books-491100/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“We really learn only from those books that we cannot judge. The author of a book that we were able to judge would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-really-learn-only-from-those-books-that-we-cannot-judge-the-author/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no trifling with nature; it is always true, grave, and severe; it is always in the light, and the faults and errors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-trifling-with-nature-it-is-always-true-grave-and-severe/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [For those who are going to learn from books, learning the art of reading would seem to be indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hutchins/for-those-who-are-going-to-learn-from-books-learning-the-art-of/) [Robert M. Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hutchins/) > [Education is what you learn in books, and nobody knows you know it but your teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-cary-hudson/education-is-what-you-learn-in-books-and-nobody-knows-you-know-it-but/) [Virginia Cary Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-cary-hudson/) > [What don't I want to learn? I have how-to books, history, nature. Ain't nobody here saying, 'You'd better learn this.' But I still think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/what-don-t-i-want-to-learn-i-have-how-to-books-history-nature-ain-t/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [You can only learn so much from books. You can only learn so much from education. Ultimately, it is the wisdom of God that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/you-can-only-learn-so-much-from-books-you-can-only-learn-so-much-from/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [I don't like books that seem to want to teach me things. Which is not to say that one doesn't learn from books -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/i-don-t-like-books-that-seem-to-want-to-teach-me-things-which-is-not/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [It's always important to read, to know something about this world, so I try to learn, to know, to see what I can learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/it-s-always-important-to-read-to-know-something-about-this-world-so-i/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [Some people learn from books, some listen to the advice of others, some learn from mistakes. I fit into the last category. So sue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/some-people-learn-from-books-some-listen-to-the-advice-of-others-some/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Real understanding does not come from what we learn in books; it comes from what we learn from love of nature, of music, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/real-understanding-does-not-come-from-what-we-learn-in-books-it-comes/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [“The best way to learn about books ... is to spend time with them, talk about them, defend them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-lovett/the-best-way-to-learn-about-books-is-to-spend-time-with-them-talk/) [Charlie Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-lovett/) > [“I was learning how people were with one another, how they acted and reacted and interacted, what they said and how they said it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-was-learning-how-people-were-with-one-another-how-they-acted-and/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Problem with being a librarian is there's some lessons you just can't learn from books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kristoff/problem-with-being-a-librarian-is-there-s-some-lessons-you-just-can-t/) [Jay Kristoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kristoff/) > [“I read books—read, read, one can learn everything from books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabih-alameddine/i-read-books-read-read-one-can-learn-everything-from-books/) [Rabih Alameddine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabih-alameddine/) > [You see, some things I can teach you. Some you learn from books. But there are things that, well, you have to see and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/you-see-some-things-i-can-teach-you-some-you-learn-from-books-but/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## 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! 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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": "Properly speaking, we learn from those books only that we cannot judge. 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