Battle Quote by Libba Bray
“There is a hideous invention called the Dewey Decimal System. And you have to look up your topic in books and newspapers. Pages upon pages upon pages…” Uncle Will frowned. “Didn’t they teach you how to go about research in that school of yours?” “No. But I can recite ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ while making martinis.” “I weep for the future.” “There’s where the martinis come in.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Great and Dangerous Beauty, 2011
The speaker criticizes the Dewey Decimal System as cumbersome and laments the decline of research skills, contrasting with frivolous distractions.
In simple terms: Critique of complex library system and loss of research skills.
Key Takeaway
Value deep research over superficial distractions.
Themes
research
knowledge
distraction
education
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
literary
social commentary
When to use this quote
- academic study
- library work
- creative writing
- social commentary
Key Concepts
information literacy
library science
modernity
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance thorough research with modern distractions?
- What alternatives to traditional cataloging could improve access?
A Different Perspective
May overlook benefits of organized classification.
