---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To choose a good book, look in an…"
description: "\"“To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list.”\" — John Aiken"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg"
---

#  To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited…

![“To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list.” quote by John Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg)

> ““To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list.””

John Aiken

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

To discover a quality book, consider exploring titles that have been banned or censored, as these often contain powerful, thought‑provoking ideas.

**In simple terms:** Banned books can be especially insightful.

Key Takeaway

Explore prohibited literature for depth.

Themes

literature censorship curiosity critical thinking knowledge

Mood

inquisitive thoughtful

Type

Book:1 Books:1 Good book:1 Writer:0 Inquisitor:0 Book Look:0 Inquisitor Prohibited:0 Look Inquisitor:0 Prohibited List:0

When to use this quote

- library research
- reading lists
- academic study

Key Concepts

book selection cultural studies political theory

Questions to Reflect On

- Why are certain books banned?
- What can we learn from controversial works?

A Different Perspective

Banning may be due to harmful content, not just depth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [“To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list. ~John Aikin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aikin/to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisitor-s-prohibited-list-john/)

John Aikin

> [“I hate anything superficial. But I will take the book and look at it, and tell you what I think of the writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-hate-anything-superficial-but-i-will-take-the-book-and-look-at-it/)

[Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/)

> [“That moment when you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone is just carrying on with their lives as though you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-craig/that-moment-when-you-finish-a-book-look-around-and-realize-that/)

Jamie Craig

> [“What are you doing with all these books?" I asked, stepping towards a tall stack on the floor. I ran my fingers down the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-carey/what-are-you-doing-with-all-these-books-i-asked-stepping-towards-a/)

[Anna Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-carey/)

> [Every time I end a book, I look down at myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/every-time-i-end-a-book-i-look-down-at-myself/)

[Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/)

> [Of course, every time I end a book, I look down at myself and I'm just the same. I'm always disappointed that I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/of-course-every-time-i-end-a-book-i-look-down-at-myself-and-i-m-just/)

[Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/)

> ['Dhalgren' is the kind of book in which you can look for pretty much anything you want. I tried to put as much into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/dhalgren-is-the-kind-of-book-in-which-you-can-look-for-pretty-much/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“here is my last book! give a look http://it.20lines.com/bigjump/read/98... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-garbarini/here-is-my-last-book-give-a-look-http-it-20lines-com-bigjump-read-98/)

Simona Garbarini

> [You don't look up truthiness in a book, you look it up in your gut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/you-don-t-look-up-truthiness-in-a-book-you-look-it-up-in-your-gut/)

[Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/)

> [I really like to look like a history book. I can look 1940s, I can look 1970s hippie-chic, or sometimes I'll pull that '80s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-really-like-to-look-like-a-history-book-i-can-look-1940s-i-can-look/)

[Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/)

> [“Books,' I say sleepily. 'They don't change either. If you read a book and look at it again later on, it's still the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truus-matti/books-i-say-sleepily-they-don-t-change-either-if-you-read-a-book-and/)

Truus Matti

> [“It is impossible to get rid of a book, once I take a look inside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugenia-o-neal/it-is-impossible-to-get-rid-of-a-book-once-i-take-a-look-inside/)

Eugenia O'Neal

> [“That moment you finish a book, look around, and realize that everyone else is just getting on with their lives as though you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-moment-you-finish-a-book-look-around-and-realize-that-everyone/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> ['Get Skinny' is my sixth book. I look over the books that I've written, and my subject matters are varied, and I write books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-somers/get-skinny-is-my-sixth-book-i-look-over-the-books-that-i-ve-written/)

[Suzanne Somers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-somers/)

> [“Life has enough torturers as it is, without you going around moonlighting as a Grand Inquisitor against yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/life-has-enough-torturers-as-it-is-without-you-going-around/)

[Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/)

## 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": "“To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Aiken"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aiken/to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisitor-s-prohibited-list/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aiken/to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisitor-s-prohibited-list/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/john-aiken-248900_book_to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisi_3096109.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To choose a good book, look in an inquisitor’s prohibited list.” — John Aiken",
                "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": "John Aiken",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-aiken/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“To choose a good book, look...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aiken/to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisitor-s-prohibited-list/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-aiken/to-choose-a-good-book-look-in-an-inquisitor-s-prohibited-list/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
