--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you know that if you take the books in…" description: "\"Do you know that if you take the books in an average school library and stretched out all those words into a single line, the line would go all the way..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/neal-shusterman-412_around-the-world_do-you-know-that-if-you-take-the-books-i_988587.png" --- # Do you know that if you take the books in an average… ![“Do you know that if you take the books in an average school library and stretched out all those words into a single line, the line would go all the way around the world? Actually, I made that up, but doesn't it sound like it should be true?” quote by Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/neal-shusterman-412_around-the-world_do-you-know-that-if-you-take-the-books-i_988587.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/neal-shusterman-412_around-the-world_do-you-know-that-if-you-take-the-books-i_988587.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b99/neal-shusterman-412_around-the-world_do-you-know-that-if-you-take-the-books-i_988587.png) > “Do you know that if you take the books in an average school library and stretched out all those words into a single line, the line would go all the way around the world? Actually, I made that up, but doesn't it sound like it should be true?” [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If all words in a typical school library were placed in a line, it would circle the Earth—though this is a fabricated claim. **In simple terms:** Imagines a massive line of words around Earth, but it's made up. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about scale and data. Themes imagination scale information myth Mood playful curious Type humorous educational When to use this quote - library tours - educational podcasts - reading challenges - statistics lessons Key Concepts Perception of knowledge hyperbole Questions to Reflect On - What does this exaggeration reveal about information overload? - How can we verify such statements? A Different Perspective The claim is false, risking misinformation if taken literally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-library/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Books in a large university library system: 2,000,000. Books in an average large city library: 10,000. Average number of books in a chain bookstore:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/books-in-a-large-university-library-system-2-000-000-books-in-an/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [...I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/i-spent-many-many-hours-in-libraries-libraries-became-courts-of-last/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [“Libraries are always bigger on the inside because every book has an entire word inside of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-arger/libraries-are-always-bigger-on-the-inside-because-every-book-has-an/) Robert Arger > [Throughout my formal education I spent many, many hours in public and school libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ashe/throughout-my-formal-education-i-spent-many-many-hours-in-public-and/) [Arthur Ashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ashe/) > [It's easy to blame the nature-deficit disorder on the kids' or the parents' back, but they also need the help of urban planners, schools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-louv/it-s-easy-to-blame-the-nature-deficit-disorder-on-the-kids-or-the/) [Richard Louv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-louv/) > [A School Library is Like the Bat Cave: it's a safe fortress in a chaotic world, a source of knowledge and the lair of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-angleberger/a-school-library-is-like-the-bat-cave-it-s-a-safe-fortress-in-a/) [Tom Angleberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-angleberger/) > [There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/there-is-more-treasure-in-books-than-in-all-the-pirates-loot-on-2/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Our nearly century-long experiment in banning marijuana has failed as abysmally as Prohibition did... In contrast, legalizing and taxing marijuana would bring in substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-d-kristof/our-nearly-century-long-experiment-in-banning-marijuana-has-failed-as/) [Nicholas D. Kristof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-d-kristof/) > [“The humble little school library ... was a ramp to everything in the world and beyond, everything that could be dreamed and imagined, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-sherman/the-humble-little-school-library-was-a-ramp-to-everything-in-the/) Lee Sherman > [I recall that I had a terrible struggle finding anything antireligious in the school libraries.But many years later my family moved into a house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/i-recall-that-i-had-a-terrible-struggle-finding-anything/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [I spent all my time at school in the library. Bad teachers can teach you to learn on your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-colbert/i-spent-all-my-time-at-school-in-the-library-bad-teachers-can-teach/) [Gregory Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-colbert/) > [I got into Kiss before I got into anybody. The first thing I heard was 'Detroit Rock City.' I heard it in the school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-posehn/i-got-into-kiss-before-i-got-into-anybody-the-first-thing-i-heard-was/) [Brian Posehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-posehn/) > [In assembling this group of portraits of women, I'm aware that I'm treading on dangerous ground. When I was in college, I learned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-soth/in-assembling-this-group-of-portraits-of-women-i-m-aware-that-i-m/) [Alec Soth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-soth/) > [Books are the quietest and most constant of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-william-eliot/books-are-the-quietest-and-most-constant-of-friends/) [Charles William Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-william-eliot/) > [I once stole a book. It was really just the once, and at the time I called it borrowing. It was 1970, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/i-once-stole-a-book-it-was-really-just-the-once-and-at-the-time-i/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) ## More by Neal Shusterman > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“If you come anywhere near my daughter, I will see to it that you are taken apart piece by bloody piece. Do I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-come-anywhere-near-my-daughter-i-will-see-to-it-that-you-are/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/dead-kids-are-put-on-pedestals-but-mentally-ill-kids-get-hidden-under/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The fear of not living is a deep, abiding dread of watching your own potential decompose into irredeemable disappointment when “should be” gets crushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-fear-of-not-living-is-a-deep-abiding-dread-of-watching-your-own/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [That's wisdom you can take to the grave, and dig up when you need it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-wisdom-you-can-take-to-the-grave-and-dig-up-when-you-need-it/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“And you know the darkness beyond despair, just as intimately as you know the soaring heights. Because in this and all universes, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/and-you-know-the-darkness-beyond-despair-just-as-intimately-as-you/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [You may feel a tugging sensation near your ankles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-may-feel-a-tugging-sensation-near-your-ankles/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“while an adult could rarely be universally loved, everyone could love the right kid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/while-an-adult-could-rarely-be-universally-loved-everyone-could-love/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“It's like art, you know? Picasso had to prove to the world he can paint the right way, before he goes putting both eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/it-s-like-art-you-know-picasso-had-to-prove-to-the-world-he-can-paint/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [The way I see it, the impossible happens all the time; but we're so good at taking it for granted, we forget it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-way-i-see-it-the-impossible-happens-all-the-time-but-we-re-so/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“a true leader never puts his ego ahead of his assets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/a-true-leader-never-puts-his-ego-ahead-of-his-assets/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [If you have to ask then you don't deserve an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-have-to-ask-then-you-don-t-deserve-an-answer/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“There was never anything wrong with my life. Perhaps that was the problem... The crack in my life was the fact that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/there-was-never-anything-wrong-with-my-life-perhaps-that-was-the/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“But fate is a freak when it comes to messing with your future in ways you don't see coming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/but-fate-is-a-freak-when-it-comes-to-messing-with-your-future-in-ways/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The sad truth about humanity, Risa was quick to realize, is that people believe what they are told. Maybe not the first time, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-sad-truth-about-humanity-risa-was-quick-to-realize-is-that-people/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) [Explore all 573 Neal Shusterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. 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These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. 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