--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything around me smelled musty, like…" description: "\"“Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an old book and it smells like words.”\" — Meg Leder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg" --- # Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an… ![“Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an old book and it smells like words.” quote by Meg Leder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg) > ““Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an old book and it smells like words.”” Meg Leder ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The smell of old books evokes the tactile and aromatic essence of written words. **In simple terms:** Old books smell like words. Key Takeaway Appreciate the sensory experience of reading. Themes sensory literature nostalgia Mood reflective poetic Type personal aesthetic When to use this quote - reading habits - library visits - collecting books Key Concepts aroma tactile memory Questions to Reflect On - How do senses affect your reading? - What memories does a book’s scent trigger? A Different Perspective Not everyone values smell over content. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) ## Related quotes > [The house smelled musty and damp, and a little sweet, as if it were haunted by the ghosts of long-dead cookies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-house-smelled-musty-and-damp-and-a-little-sweet-as-if-it-were/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [A book has got smell. A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/a-book-has-got-smell-a-new-book-smells-great-an-old-book-smells-even/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Any woman who is currently with a man is with him partly because she loves the way he smells. And if we haven't smelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-hendricks/any-woman-who-is-currently-with-a-man-is-with-him-partly-because-she/) [Christina Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-hendricks/) > [“SHE LET US INTO THE house, which had the subtle smell of old wood and old wool—as I used to imagine Victorian homes smelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/she-let-us-into-the-house-which-had-the-subtle-smell-of-old-wood-and/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [It smelled like aging wood and creosote, plastic book covers, and old paper. Old paper, which my mom used to say was the smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/it-smelled-like-aging-wood-and-creosote-plastic-book-covers-and-old/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“His suit smelled of cigarettes and Breznev”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-miller/his-suit-smelled-of-cigarettes-and-breznev/) [A.D. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-miller/) > [“An older, inebriated Scot who looked like he'd been sitting on his barstool all day looked me up and down, then smelled the air.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-alten/an-older-inebriated-scot-who-looked-like-he-d-been-sitting-on-his/) [Steve Alten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-alten/) > [“She smelled of sweet safe things I hadn’t smelt in years,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/she-smelled-of-sweet-safe-things-i-hadn-t-smelt-in-years/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [“Mrs. Jones leaned in close. She smelled of wool and peppermint. "There's a man somewhere who wanted you to believe in something...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/mrs-jones-leaned-in-close-she-smelled-of-wool-and-peppermint-there-s/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [In sheepskin coats, I silence the lamb. Do you know who I am Clarice? No cheap cologne whenever I shh-shh. Success never smelled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/in-sheepskin-coats-i-silence-the-lamb-do-you-know-who-i-am-clarice-no/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“The stuff smelled nasty: like gasoline and dirty socks mixed with something sweet. Kind of like Buckley’s cough syrup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coreene-callahan/the-stuff-smelled-nasty-like-gasoline-and-dirty-socks-mixed-with/) [Coreene Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coreene-callahan/) > [“Consider me an open book" dev said. "Mi casa es su casa." Dev crinkled his nose and smelled the air. "Err, mi nose es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/consider-me-an-open-book-dev-said-mi-casa-es-su-casa-dev-crinkled-his/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [“He smelled good. Sweat and motorcycle and wintergreen. No stinking weed smoke. No perfume. No sadness. He smelled like love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryn-greenwood/he-smelled-good-sweat-and-motorcycle-and-wintergreen-no-stinking-weed/) [Bryn Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryn-greenwood/) > [“She wondered if everyone could smell it on her. It smelled like death and coffee, like lilies and dirt, and it permeated her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-griffin/she-wondered-if-everyone-could-smell-it-on-her-it-smelled-like-death/) [R.L. Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-griffin/) > [When you chopped logs with the ax and they split open they smelled beautiful, like Christmas. But when you split someone's head open it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/when-you-chopped-logs-with-the-ax-and-they-split-open-they-smelled/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) ## More by Meg Leder > [“His smile was deep and dark, like a thousand books begging to be read, like the doorway to Narnia.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/his-smile-was-deep-and-dark-like-a-thousand-books-begging-to-be-read/) Meg Leder > [“It was lonely being mad at people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/it-was-lonely-being-mad-at-people/) Meg Leder Explore all 3 Meg Leder quotes ## 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": "“Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an old book and it smells like words.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Meg Leder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like-when-you-open-an-old-book-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like-when-you-open-an-old-book-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/meg-leder-81313_books_everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like_2771774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Everything around me smelled musty, like when you open an old book and it smells like words.” — Meg Leder", "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": "Meg Leder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-leder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Everything around me smelled musty, like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like-when-you-open-an-old-book-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-leder/everything-around-me-smelled-musty-like-when-you-open-an-old-book-and/#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 } } ] } ```