--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sticklers never read a book without a…" description: "\"Sticklers never read a book without a pencil at hand, to correct the typographical errors. In short, we are unattractive know-all obsessives who get th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/lynne-truss-4153_book_sticklers-never-read-a-book-without-a-pe_2840945.png" --- # Sticklers never read a book without a pencil at hand, to… ![“Sticklers never read a book without a pencil at hand, to correct the typographical errors. In short, we are unattractive know-all obsessives who get things out of proportion and are in continual peril of being disowned by our exasperated families.” quote by Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/lynne-truss-4153_book_sticklers-never-read-a-book-without-a-pe_2840945.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/lynne-truss-4153_book_sticklers-never-read-a-book-without-a-pe_2840945.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abc/lynne-truss-4153_book_sticklers-never-read-a-book-without-a-pe_2840945.png) > “Sticklers never read a book without a pencil at hand, to correct the typographical errors. In short, we are unattractive know-all obsessives who get things out of proportion and are in continual peril of being disowned by our exasperated families.” [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over‑meticulous readers correct errors obsessively, risking alienation from others. **In simple terms:** Obsessive editing can isolate you. Key Takeaway Balance precision with flexibility. Themes attention to detail perfectionism social risk Mood cautionary reflective Type literary social When to use this quote - academic writing - proofreading - personal relationships Key Concepts editing obsessiveness family dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When is perfectionism helpful? - How do you accept imperfections? A Different Perspective May hinder creative flow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Errors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/errors/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Know Obsessives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-obsessives-3724711/) [Obsessives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessives-942158/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) [Peril](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peril/) [Proportion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proportion/) [Read A Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-a-book/) [Sticklers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticklers-1070682/) [Sticklers Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticklers-read-3724710/) [Unattractive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unattractive/) [Unattractive Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unattractive-know-490803/) ## Related quotes > [“we are unattractive know-all obsessives who get things out of proportion and are in continual peril of being disowned by our exasperated families.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/we-are-unattractive-know-all-obsessives-who-get-things-out-of/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Changing your mind every five seconds is unattractive. Know what you want, or don't bother getting involved. Seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/changing-your-mind-every-five-seconds-is-unattractive-know-what-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't mind being unattractive, at least if someone's with me, I know that they're with me not because of looks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-mind-being-unattractive-at-least-if-someone-s-with-me-i-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sticklers unite, you have nothing to lose but your sense of proportion, and arguably you didn't have a lot of that to begin with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/sticklers-unite-you-have-nothing-to-lose-but-your-sense-of-proportion/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“The Trenwith Poldarks had never been sticklers for the agrémens,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-graham/the-trenwith-poldarks-had-never-been-sticklers-for-the-agr-mens/) [Winston Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-graham/) > [“The sticklers Truss appeals to in the book are distinguished by several features. 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They become completely hooked on things and they're slightly crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/kids-before-they-re-7-or-8-are-like-little-manic-obsessives-they/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [“But paranoids might have real enemies and obsessives might obsess about really important stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-goff/but-paranoids-might-have-real-enemies-and-obsessives-might-obsess/) [Stan Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-goff/) > [You do get your stalkers and obsessives though, and it's a huge problem sometimes. 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I was this gangly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-stevens/at-the-age-of-11-i-was-about-6-ft-tall-and-my-voice-had-completely/) [Dan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-stevens/) > [“It’s a strange but consistent trait of people who consider themselves unattractive. They look embarrassed if you suggest that they might be interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/it-s-a-strange-but-consistent-trait-of-people-who-consider-themselves/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) ## More by Lynne Truss > [Punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/punctuation-marks-are-the-traffic-signals-of-language-they-tell-us-to/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Evidently an A level in English is a sacred trust, like something out of "The Lord of the Rings". You must go forth with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/evidently-an-a-level-in-english-is-a-sacred-trust-like-something-out/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Texting is a supremely secretive medium of communication - it's like passing a note - and this means we should be very careful what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/texting-is-a-supremely-secretive-medium-of-communication-it-s-like/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“Part of one's despair, of course, is that the world cares nothing for the little shocks endured by the sensitive stickler. While we look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/part-of-one-s-despair-of-course-is-that-the-world-cares-nothing-for/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [For any true stickler, you see, the sight of the plural word “Book’s” with an apostrophe in it will trigger a ghastly private emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/for-any-true-stickler-you-see-the-sight-of-the-plural-word-book-s/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Brackets come in various shapes, types and names: 1 round brackets (which we call brackets, and the Americans call parentheses) 2 square brackets \[which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/brackets-come-in-various-shapes-types-and-names-1-round-brackets/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Texting is a fundamentally sneaky form of communication, which we should despise, but it is such a boon we don't care. We are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/texting-is-a-fundamentally-sneaky-form-of-communication-which-we/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [My favorite thing in the world is a quiz show, 'University Challenge,' so you can see what kind of sad person I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/my-favorite-thing-in-the-world-is-a-quiz-show-university-challenge-so/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“nothing is straightforward in the world of literary taste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/nothing-is-straightforward-in-the-world-of-literary-taste/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Punctuation is a courtesy designed to help readers to understand a story without stumbling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/punctuation-is-a-courtesy-designed-to-help-readers-to-understand-a/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“one might dare to say that while the full stop is the lumpen male of the punctuation world (do one job at a time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/one-might-dare-to-say-that-while-the-full-stop-is-the-lumpen-male-of/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [The main advantage of working at home is that you get to find out what cats really do all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/the-main-advantage-of-working-at-home-is-that-you-get-to-find-out/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“I think about death sometimes. Analytically, of course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/i-think-about-death-sometimes-analytically-of-course/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“For the first time since she met him, she asked herself whether mr Dodgson was really the sunny personality she had at first imagined.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/for-the-first-time-since-she-met-him-she-asked-herself-whether-mr/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“All the important roles shortly boiled down to one: remember your with other people; show some consideration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/all-the-important-roles-shortly-boiled-down-to-one-remember-your-with/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) [Explore all 115 Lynne Truss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) ## 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": "Sticklers never read a book without a pencil at hand, to correct the typographical errors. 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