Book Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson
““There is a class whose value I should designate as Favorites: such as Froissart's Chronicles; Southey's Chronicle of the Cid ; Cervantes ; Sully's Memoirs ; Rabelais ; Montaigne ; Izaak Walton; Evelyn; Sir Thomas Browne; Aubrey ; Sterne ; Horace Walpole ; Lord Clarendon ; Doctor Johnson ; Burke, shedding floods of light on his times ; Lamb; Landor ; and De Quincey ;- a list, of course, that may easily be swelled, as dependent on individual caprice. Many men are as tender and irritable as lovers in reference to these predilections. Indeed, a man's library is a sort of harem, and I observe that tender readers have a great pudency in showing their books to a stranger.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Self-Reliance, 1841
Emerson likens a cherished personal library to a harem, reflecting how readers proudly showcase their favorite books, revealing personal taste and identity.
In simple terms: People proudly display their favorite books, showing personal taste.
Key Takeaway
Celebrate and share your literary favorites.
Themes
literature
pride
identity
collecting
personal taste
Mood
proud
reflective
Type
observational
personal
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- library tours
- gift giving
- personal branding
- academic research
Key Concepts
cultural capital
self-expression
bibliophilia
Questions to Reflect On
- What books define you?
- How does sharing books shape relationships?
A Different Perspective
May overemphasis on personal taste limit exposure to diverse perspectives.
