---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This author has nothing but…"
description: "\"“This author has nothing but imagination…there are people who claim that imagination has clearer and keener eyes than a wise, old mind.” Translated fro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg"
---

#  This author has nothing but imagination…there are people…

![“This author has nothing but imagination…there are people who claim that imagination has clearer and keener eyes than a wise, old mind.” Translated from: Und Friede auf Erden, (1904) (And Peace on Earth)” quote by Karl Friedrich May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg)

> ““This author has nothing but imagination…there are people who claim that imagination has clearer and keener eyes than a wise, old mind.” Translated from: Und Friede auf Erden, (1904) (And Peace on Earth)””

Karl Friedrich May

## About This Quote

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

Imagination can be sharper than experience; some claim it sees clearer than wisdom.

**In simple terms:** Imagination may perceive more clearly than a wise mind.

Key Takeaway

Value imaginative insight alongside experience.

Themes

imagination wisdom perception literature truth

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

Books:0 Imagination:1 Peace on earth:0 Imagination People:0 Author Imagination:0 Imagination Clearer:0 Claim Imagination:0

When to use this quote

- artistic critique
- philosophical debate

Key Concepts

creative insight epistemology comparative perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How does imagination complement or conflict with wisdom?
- Can imagination be trusted as a guide?

A Different Perspective

counterpoint: imagination is subjective and may mislead

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Peace on earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-on-earth/)

## Related quotes

> [There are all sorts of topics and themes that just recur time and time again, which either means people have less imagination or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-henry/there-are-all-sorts-of-topics-and-themes-that-just-recur-time-and/)

[Buck Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-henry/)

> [On the spectrum of imagination, there are people who are more imaginative than others - I guess some kids are hardcore pretenders and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-dallas-howard/on-the-spectrum-of-imagination-there-are-people-who-are-more/)

[Bryce Dallas Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-dallas-howard/)

> [“Historical fiction is a hybrid, a blending of reported reality, reasonable speculation, psychological truth, and the author’s imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/historical-fiction-is-a-hybrid-a-blending-of-reported-reality/)

[Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/)

> [“This novel is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to peoples either living or deceased is purely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are figments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/addison-moore/this-novel-is-a-work-of-fiction-any-resemblance-to-peoples-either/)

[Addison Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/addison-moore/)

> [“This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-hahn/this-is-a-work-of-fiction-names-characters-places-and-incidents-are/)

[Chanda Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-hahn/)

> [“This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/this-book-is-a-work-of-fiction-names-characters-places-and-incidents/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“It is not so much as to say that something has occured; but to describe the very essence of the occurance. One must take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-w-blair/it-is-not-so-much-as-to-say-that-something-has-occured-but-to/)

[Jason W. Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-w-blair/)

> [“the author’s imagination or are used”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-heitman/the-author-s-imagination-or-are-used/)

Lynne Heitman

> [I think the two main tools actors have are the imagination of what other people have gone through, to connect with and through research,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-t-fagbenle/i-think-the-two-main-tools-actors-have-are-the-imagination-of-what/)

[O. T. Fagbenle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-t-fagbenle/)

> [“People say they want to read about life but that's not what they want at all. They want a version of life. Don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andersen-prunty/people-say-they-want-to-read-about-life-but-that-s-not-what-they-want/)

[Andersen Prunty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andersen-prunty/)

> [It is not too much to say that next after the passion to learn there is no quality so indispensable to the successful prosecutionof…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sanders-peirce/it-is-not-too-much-to-say-that-next-after-the-passion-to-learn-there/)

[Charles Sanders Peirce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sanders-peirce/)

> [I’ve always thought that each person invented himself… that we are each a figment of our own imagination. And some people have a greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-ve-always-thought-that-each-person-invented-himself-that-we-are/)

[David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/)

> [“Sooner or later someone’s going to catch the imagination of these people with some new magic. At the bottom of it will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/sooner-or-later-someone-s-going-to-catch-the-imagination-of-these/)

[Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/)

> [(Stereotyping) is only for those without the imagination to see people as they are instead of being like someone else they understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/stereotyping-is-only-for-those-without-the-imagination-to-see-people/)

[Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/)

> [I have discovered that people with money have no imagination, and people with imagination have no money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weiss-rainbow/i-have-discovered-that-people-with-money-have-no-imagination-and/)

George Weiss Rainbow

## More Books 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/)

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/)

[Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/)

> [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/)

> [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/)

[Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/)

> [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/)

> [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/)

Christopher K. Krebs

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [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/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

Markus Herz

> [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

[Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“This author has nothing but imagination…there are people who claim that imagination has clearer and keener eyes than a wise, old mind.” Translated from: Und Friede auf Erden, (1904) (And Peace on Earth)”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Karl Friedrich May"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-friedrich-may/this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination-there-are-people-who-claim/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-friedrich-may/this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination-there-are-people-who-claim/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b49/karl-friedrich-may-252066_books_this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination_1910463.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This author has nothing but imagination…there are people who claim that imagination has clearer and keener…” — Karl Friedrich May",
                "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": "Karl Friedrich May",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-friedrich-may/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“This author has nothing but imagination…there...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-friedrich-may/this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination-there-are-people-who-claim/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-friedrich-may/this-author-has-nothing-but-imagination-there-are-people-who-claim/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
