--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I haven't any right to criticize books…" description: "\"I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/mark-twain-22_austen_i-haven-t-any-right-to-criticize-books-a_2751449.png" --- # I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it… ![“I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig…” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/mark-twain-22_austen_i-haven-t-any-right-to-criticize-books-a_2751449.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/mark-twain-22_austen_i-haven-t-any-right-to-criticize-books-a_2751449.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/mark-twain-22_austen_i-haven-t-any-right-to-criticize-books-a_2751449.png) > “I haven't any right to criticize books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone.” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits a hostile, almost violent, emotional reaction to Austen's work, acknowledging a personal inability to critique objectively. **In simple terms:** I feel angry when I read Austen. Key Takeaway Recognize bias before judging. Themes literature criticism emotions Mood frustrated reflective Type personal emotional When to use this quote - book clubs - literary analysis - personal reflection Key Concepts subjectivity authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How does personal feeling affect literary critique? - Can anger be a useful lens? A Different Perspective Bias can cloud fair assessment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austen/) [Austen Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/austen-books-2368281/) [Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) [Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [Criticize Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize-books-3103340/) [Criticize Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize-jane-3103341/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Jane austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jane-austen/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Pride And Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride-and-prejudice/) [Pride Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride-prejudice/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Skulls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skulls/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When I take up one of Jane Austen's books ... 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