--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world of books: romantic, idle…" description: "\"The world of books: romantic, idle, shiftless world so beautiful, so cheap compared with living.\" — Nancy Spain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/nancy-spain-41968_beautiful_the-world-of-books-romantic-idle-shiftle_3175954.jpg" --- # The world of books: romantic, idle, shiftless world so… ![“The world of books: romantic, idle, shiftless world so beautiful, so cheap compared with living.” quote by Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/nancy-spain-41968_beautiful_the-world-of-books-romantic-idle-shiftle_3175954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/nancy-spain-41968_beautiful_the-world-of-books-romantic-idle-shiftle_3175954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/nancy-spain-41968_beautiful_the-world-of-books-romantic-idle-shiftle_3175954.jpg) > “The world of books: romantic, idle, shiftless world so beautiful, so cheap compared with living.” [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Books offer an idealized, inexpensive escape compared to the hardships of real life. **In simple terms:** Books are cheap, beautiful escapes. Key Takeaway Value reading as a refuge. Themes escapism literature comparison Mood reflective nostalgic Type literary observational When to use this quote - reading for comfort - academic study - creative writing - library curation Key Concepts idealization cost beauty Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance reading with living? - What does “cheap” imply about value? A Different Perspective Books cannot replace lived experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/dreams-books-are-each-a-world-and-books-we-know-are-a-substantial/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“There are those who cannot imagine a world without birds; there are those who cannot imagine a world without water; but in my case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/there-are-those-who-cannot-imagine-a-world-without-birds-there-are/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“The world of books is the wealth of being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-world-of-books-is-the-wealth-of-being/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“A world without books is overrated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nashi-hoshimiya/a-world-without-books-is-overrated/) Nashi Hoshimiya > [“The world of books is a world of wonder. She's been out there a little bit. Into the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ann-murray/the-world-of-books-is-a-world-of-wonder-she-s-been-out-there-a-little/) Sally-Ann Murray > [“I can not imagine a world without books. My world will not be complete with the love for books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-can-not-imagine-a-world-without-books-my-world-will-not-be-complete/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The world of books is the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-of-books-is-the-most-remarkable-creation-of-man-nothing-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I've traveled the world twice over, Met the famous; saints and sinners, Poets and artists, kings and queens, Old stars and hopeful beginners, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-james/i-ve-traveled-the-world-twice-over-met-the-famous-saints-and-sinners/) Janice James > [“The world of books is my fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-world-of-books-is-my-fantasy/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Books were in the world; the world was in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-buzbee/books-were-in-the-world-the-world-was-in-books/) [Lewis Buzbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-buzbee/) > [The world is not in your books and maps, it's out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-world-is-not-in-your-books-and-maps-it-s-out-there/) [J. 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Monuments fall; nations perish; civilizations grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-day/the-world-of-books-is-the-most-remarkable-creation-of-man-nothing/) [Clarence Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-day/) > [Home to me is the world because my books have been translated into more than 30 languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/home-to-me-is-the-world-because-my-books-have-been-translated-into/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good: Round these, with tendrils strong as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/dreams-books-are-each-a-world-and-books-we-know-are-a-substantial-2/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Books don’t change the world, people change the world, books only change people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-quintana/books-don-t-change-the-world-people-change-the-world-books-only/) [Mario Quintana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-quintana/) ## More by Nancy Spain > [I like a new clean book, freshly bound, particularly when I am the first to read it. I like dirty books - where other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/i-like-a-new-clean-book-freshly-bound-particularly-when-i-am-the/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [It is a city of villages, closely connected, each village dedicated to a different way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/it-is-a-city-of-villages-closely-connected-each-village-dedicated-to/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [Whenever I have tried to do anything For Money it has always led me astray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/whenever-i-have-tried-to-do-anything-for-money-it-has-always-led-me/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [Ireland is a wonderful place to write in. Even although the atmosphere was so Faith-laden that I was often worried that I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/ireland-is-a-wonderful-place-to-write-in-even-although-the-atmosphere/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [I only really love a book when I have read it at least four times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/i-only-really-love-a-book-when-i-have-read-it-at-least-four-times/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [Everything begins in Paris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-spain/everything-begins-in-paris/) [Nancy Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-spain/) > [I have never been able to wear a hat. 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