Brilliance Quote by Joseph Epstein
“While reading writers of great formulatory power — Henry James, Santayana, Proust — I find I can scarcely get through a page without having to stop to record some lapidary sentence. Reading Henry James, for example, I have muttered to myself, "C’mon, Henry, turn down the brilliance a notch, so I can get some reading done." I may be one of a very small number of people who have developed writer’s cramp while reading.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Reading, 2005
Reading dense, brilliant prose can cause mental fatigue and a desire to simplify.
In simple terms: Complex writing can be exhausting to read.
Key Takeaway
Pause and summarize to aid comprehension.
Themes
reading
literature
mental fatigue
analysis
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
educational
literary
When to use this quote
- academic study
- literary clubs
- personal reading
- writing workshops
Key Concepts
cognitive load
literary criticism
attention span
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance depth with comprehension?
- What strategies help you process dense text?
A Different Perspective
Simplifying may lose nuance.
