--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The multitude of books is a great evil…" description: "\"The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing; every one must be an author; some out of vanity, to acquire celebr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/martin-luther-106_acquire_the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-t_1160856.jpg" --- # The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit… ![“The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing; every one must be an author; some out of vanity, to acquire celebrity and raise up a name, others for the sake of mere gain.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/martin-luther-106_acquire_the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-t_1160856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/martin-luther-106_acquire_the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-t_1160856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/827/martin-luther-106_acquire_the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-t_1160856.jpg) > “The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing; every one must be an author; some out of vanity, to acquire celebrity and raise up a name, others for the sake of mere gain.” [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes the proliferation of authors driven by vanity or profit, seeing it as a societal ill. **In simple terms:** Too many authors for fame or money is harmful. Key Takeaway Value quality over quantity. Themes vanity literature ego economics authorship culture Mood critical thought‑provoking Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - writing careers - academic publishing - media saturation Key Concepts publishing self‑promotion Questions to Reflect On - How to balance expression and excess? - What standards should limit publishing? A Different Perspective Some voices are necessary for diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Author Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/author-vanity-3323298/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Fever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever/) [Fever Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever-writing-3323299/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Mere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mere/) [Multitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitude/) [Multitude Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitude-books-1124048/) [Multitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Raise up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raise-up/) [Raises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raises/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Vanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vanity/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Author](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-author-482170/) ## Related quotes > [The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-there-is-no-limit-to-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The multitude of books is making us ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-multitude-of-books-is-making-us-ignorant/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“What is writing? It’s me, the author, taking the state inside my mind and, via the gift of language, grafting it onto yours. But”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-garcia-martinez/what-is-writing-it-s-me-the-author-taking-the-state-inside-my-mind/) [Antonio Garcia Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-garcia-martinez/) > [“I learned that books are never finished, that it is possible for stories to go on writing themselves without an author.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-learned-that-books-are-never-finished-that-it-is-possible-for/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [There is a difference between writing and being an author. Authors talk. I'm standing here talking now. This has nothing to do with writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-pearson-2/there-is-a-difference-between-writing-and-being-an-author-authors/) [T. R. 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They want for you security and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-washer/oh-that-god-would-raise-up-missionaries-i-don-t-wish-the-same-things/) [Paul Washer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-washer/) > [I raise up my voice-not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard...we cannot succeed when half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-raise-up-my-voice-not-so-i-can-shout-but-so-that-those-without-a/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [ Socialism needs to pull down wealth; liberalism seeks to raise up poverty. 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They are constructed concentrations celebrating barren rooms. They bring a limited light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-flavin/my-icons-do-not-raise-up-the-blessed-savior-in-elaborate-cathedrals/) [Dan Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-flavin/) > [Raise up the people beside you & quit worshipping those above you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brogan/raise-up-the-people-beside-you-quit-worshipping-those-above-you/) [Chris Brogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brogan/) ## More by Martin Luther > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-you-could-understand-a-single-grain-of-wheat-you-would-die-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. 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But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-works-of-the-righteous-would-be-mortal-sins-if-they-would-not-be/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. 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