--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But then such a book as this is not meant…" description: "\"“But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse.”\" — Richard Wagner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg" --- # But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse. ![“But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse.” quote by Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg) > ““But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse.”” [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The work is intended to be serious, not entertaining. **In simple terms:** Not meant for amusement. Key Takeaway Take the work seriously. Themes art seriousness purpose Mood reflective serious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - concert listening - academic study - opera appreciation Key Concepts opera aesthetic intent Questions to Reflect On - Does seriousness diminish enjoyment? - How to balance depth and fun? A Different Perspective May still contain humor despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amuse/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-meant-1205077/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant/) [Meant Amuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meant-amuse-3525203/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The point is, it didn’t really matter what the book was about. It was what it meant that was important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-point-is-it-didn-t-really-matter-what-the-book-was-about-it-was/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Quite simply the book and I were meant to be together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/quite-simply-the-book-and-i-were-meant-to-be-together/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“Lempriere's Bibliotecha Classica?" she said, reading the title. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "How did you know?" He shrugged, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-frampton/lempriere-s-bibliotecha-classica-she-said-reading-the-title-she/) [Megan Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-frampton/) > [The Book of Mormon was written for us today. God is the author of the book. It is a record of a fallen people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-book-of-mormon-was-written-for-us-today-god-is-the-author-of-the/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“My happiness is nothing to him,” she said. “Only his books! He has made me like a book. I am not meant to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-waters/my-happiness-is-nothing-to-him-she-said-only-his-books-he-has-made-me/) [Sarah Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-waters/) > [“Welcome to How to Work for Yourself, a book that’s meant to get you in the right state of mind to start a business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cohen/welcome-to-how-to-work-for-yourself-a-book-that-s-meant-to-get-you-in/) [Bryan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cohen/) > [ \[Lincoln in the Bardo\] is not a long book. And that meant I could obsess over it and live in it both backwards and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/lincoln-in-the-bardo-is-not-a-long-book-and-that-meant-i-could-obsess/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“one day, a clergyman with a deep store of psychological knowledge told me the inner meaning of the 139th Psalm. He called my attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/one-day-a-clergyman-with-a-deep-store-of-psychological-knowledge-told/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [A book is meant not only to be read, but to haunt you, to importune you like a lover or a parent, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-broyard/a-book-is-meant-not-only-to-be-read-but-to-haunt-you-to-importune-you/) [Anatole Broyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-broyard/) > [The book that meant most to me was 'The Wind in the Willows.' It sounds ridiculous, but that was my vision of England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/the-book-that-meant-most-to-me-was-the-wind-in-the-willows-it-sounds/) [Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/) > [I was not trying to write some sort of serious meditation on war and peace. 'The Grace of Kings' is meant to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/i-was-not-trying-to-write-some-sort-of-serious-meditation-on-war-and/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [“it didn’t really matter what that book was about. It was what it meant that was more important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-didn-t-really-matter-what-that-book-was-about-it-was-what-it-meant/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Kids can amuse themselves with almost anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-klein/kids-can-amuse-themselves-with-almost-anything/) [Allen Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-klein/) > [We must be contented to amuse, when we cannot inform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-must-be-contented-to-amuse-when-we-cannot-inform/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit: it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/to-design-is-much-more-than-simply-to-assemble-to-order-or-even-to/) [Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/) ## More by Richard Wagner > [Joy is not in things; it is in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/joy-is-not-in-things-it-is-in-us/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [My destiny is solitude, and my life is work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/my-destiny-is-solitude-and-my-life-is-work/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [In contrast to reincarnation and karma, all other views seem petty and narrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/in-contrast-to-reincarnation-and-karma-all-other-views-seem-petty-and/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [The oldest, truest, most beautiful organ of music, the origin to which alone our music owes its being, is the human voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/the-oldest-truest-most-beautiful-organ-of-music-the-origin-to-which/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [Any so-called stimulus program is a ruse. The government can increase its spending only by reducing private spending equivalently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/any-so-called-stimulus-program-is-a-ruse-the-government-can-increase/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [I hate this fast growing tendency to chain men to machines in big factories and deprive them of all joy in their efforts -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/i-hate-this-fast-growing-tendency-to-chain-men-to-machines-in-big/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [What a wonderful work Wagner has done for humanity in translating the toil of life into the readable script of music! For those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/what-a-wonderful-work-wagner-has-done-for-humanity-in-translating-the/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [Here, everything is tragic through and through, and the will, that fain would shape a world according to its wish, at last can reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/here-everything-is-tragic-through-and-through-and-the-will-that-fain/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [The error in the art-genre of Opera consists herein: a Means of expression (Music) has been made the end, while the End of expression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/the-error-in-the-art-genre-of-opera-consists-herein-a-means-of/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [I have only a mind to live, to enjoy - i.e., to work as an artist, and produce my works; but not for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/i-have-only-a-mind-to-live-to-enjoy-i-e-to-work-as-an-artist-and/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [Richard Wagner, a musician who wrote music which is better than it sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/richard-wagner-a-musician-who-wrote-music-which-is-better-than-it/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [...you know my faithfulness to you, never can another own my heart, never - never - never...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/you-know-my-faithfulness-to-you-never-can-another-own-my-heart-never/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [From its first faint glimmerings, History shews Man's constant progress as a beast of prey. As such he conquers every land, subdues the fruit-fed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/from-its-first-faint-glimmerings-history-shews-man-s-constant/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [When religion becomes artificial, art has a duty to rescue it. Art can show that the symbols which religions would have us believe literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/when-religion-becomes-artificial-art-has-a-duty-to-rescue-it-art-can/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) > [The measures and acts which show us violently disposed towards the outer world can never stay without a violent reaction on ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/the-measures-and-acts-which-show-us-violently-disposed-towards-the/) [Richard Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) [Explore all 83 Richard Wagner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/) ## More Amuse quotes > [To design is much more than simply to assemble, to order, or even to edit: it is to add value and meaning, to illuminate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rand/to-design-is-much-more-than-simply-to-assemble-to-order-or-even-to/) [Paul Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rand/) > [We must be contented to amuse, when we cannot inform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/we-must-be-contented-to-amuse-when-we-cannot-inform/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Kids can amuse themselves with almost anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-klein/kids-can-amuse-themselves-with-almost-anything/) [Allen Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-klein/) > [Fashion and decor should amuse you and your friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-santo-domingo/fashion-and-decor-should-amuse-you-and-your-friends/) [Lauren Santo Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-santo-domingo/) > [“The situation always amuse you unless you don't go through it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikunj-shukla/the-situation-always-amuse-you-unless-you-don-t-go-through-it/) [Nikunj shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikunj-shukla/) > [...do you think God made the world to amuse himself because he was bored? Because if so he would have to be mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/do-you-think-god-made-the-world-to-amuse-himself-because-he-was-bored/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [With all due respect for the wondrous ways people have invented to amuse themselves and one another on paved surfaces, I find that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/with-all-due-respect-for-the-wondrous-ways-people-have-invented-to/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I do films that amuse me and I can enjoy watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nani/i-do-films-that-amuse-me-and-i-can-enjoy-watching/) [Nani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nani/) > [ They \[the English\] amuse themselves sadly as in the custom of their country. \[Fr., Ils s'amusaient tristement selon la contume de leur pays.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-froissart/they-the-english-amuse-themselves-sadly-as-in-the-custom-of-their/) [Jean Froissart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-froissart/) > [I certainly know all about the Jersey jokes that amuse the rest of the country. You've probably heard them. Our state bird is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-certainly-know-all-about-the-jersey-jokes-that-amuse-the-rest-of/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [Now, all writing - all the arts - are a form of 'Pay attention to me,' but there's also the flip side. Like, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/now-all-writing-all-the-arts-are-a-form-of-pay-attention-to-me-but/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [ “\[O\]ur relationship with nature has become warped. You see, nature has acquired a purpose where we are concerned. Its task is to amuse us.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-roth/o-ur-relationship-with-nature-has-become-warped-you-see-nature-has/) [Joseph Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-roth/) > ['The Truth About Lorin Jones' will undoubtedly shock and offend as many readers as it will amuse, since it dares to make fun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-truth-about-lorin-jones-will-undoubtedly-shock-and-offend-as-many/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“I don't live to amuse you, you know." "One, are you sure? Because you do. And two, we don't make fun of you. Very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-don-t-live-to-amuse-you-you-know-one-are-you-sure-because-you-do/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Scandinavia is boring. People living there apparently have little to do. And as European history teaches, when there is nothing much to do, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/scandinavia-is-boring-people-living-there-apparently-have-little-to/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) [Browse all 60 Amuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Wagner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-meant-to-amuse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-meant-to-amuse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/richard-wagner-7708_book_but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-mean_1189662.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But then such a book as this is not meant to amuse.” — Richard Wagner", "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": "Richard Wagner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-wagner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But then such a book as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-meant-to-amuse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-wagner/but-then-such-a-book-as-this-is-not-meant-to-amuse/#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 } } ] } ```