Army Quote by Michael Anthony
““I couldn't see killing myself if I had a book that was only half-read: Fountainhead, Catcher in the Rye, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, One Hundred Years of Solitude? No. I figured that those who killed themselves first had to finish whatever book they were reading...if it were any good, that is. Of course, there's always the occasional book that makes you want to throw yourself off a bridge just for having wasted your time reading it. But I usually finished those ones, too.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, 1943 (reference) and other novels
The speaker suggests that unfinished books feel like unfinished lives, and that finishing even terrible books is a way to confront despair
In simple terms: Finishing books, even bad ones, can be a small act of defiance against hopelessness
Key Takeaway
Finish what you start, even if it seems pointless
Themes
literature
despair
resilience
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
personal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading
- personal crisis
- mental health coping
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
existentialism
meaning-making
Questions to Reflect On
- What unfinished book feels most unfinished to you?
- Can finishing a book change your mood?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue that reading cannot replace professional help for suicidal thoughts
![“I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect [Donald Trump], or then-president [Barack Obama]. But it's - I'm very clear. I voted for the change that put the Army Field Manual in place as a member of Congress. I understand that law very, very quickly and am also deeply aware…” quote by James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/761/james-mattis-9515_army_i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-th_3990.jpg)
