--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Publishers always clamour for the books…" description: "\"“Publishers always clamour for the books that no one has ever written, and turn a cold shoulder on them as soon as they're written. If St Paul were liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/saki-19236_books_publishers-always-clamour-for-the-books_637636.jpg" --- # Publishers always clamour for the books that no one has… ![“Publishers always clamour for the books that no one has ever written, and turn a cold shoulder on them as soon as they're written. If St Paul were living now they would pester him to write an Epistle to the Esquimaux, but no London publisher would dream of reading his Epistle to the Ephesians.” quote by Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/saki-19236_books_publishers-always-clamour-for-the-books_637636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/saki-19236_books_publishers-always-clamour-for-the-books_637636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/saki-19236_books_publishers-always-clamour-for-the-books_637636.jpg) > ““Publishers always clamour for the books that no one has ever written, and turn a cold shoulder on them as soon as they're written. If St Paul were living now they would pester him to write an Epistle to the Esquimaux, but no London publisher would dream of reading his Epistle to the Ephesians.”” [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He mocks publishers' paradoxical desire for novel ideas yet reluctance to publish unconventional works, using biblical satire. **In simple terms:** Publishers reject the unconventional. Key Takeaway Challenge publishing norms. Themes literature satire publishing creativity paradox Mood wry critical humorous Type literary satirical commentary When to use this quote - Literary criticism - publishing industry reform - author advocacy - creative risk-taking Key Concepts Market dynamics authorial freedom censorship innovation Questions to Reflect On - Why do publishers favor safe bets? - Can satire drive industry change? A Different Perspective Satire may overlook genuine market constraints for new ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Cold shoulder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-shoulder/) [Living now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-now/) ## Related quotes > [“Since he rose we hope that we too shall rise. He himself has paid our debt. Then Paul explains more plainly how great the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-crosby/since-he-rose-we-hope-that-we-too-shall-rise-he-himself-has-paid-our/) [Cindy Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-crosby/) > [Paul said in the second epistle...the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine...they will accumulate for themselves teachers to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/paul-said-in-the-second-epistle-the-time-is-coming-when-people-will/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [“And in every Epistle the apostle plainly testifies, that through the flesh of our Lord, and through His blood, we have been saved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/and-in-every-epistle-the-apostle-plainly-testifies-that-through-the/) The Church Fathers > [For we love not God first, to compel him to love again; but he loved us first, and gave his Son for us, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tyndale/for-we-love-not-god-first-to-compel-him-to-love-again-but-he-loved-us/) [William Tyndale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tyndale/) > [This Epistle, is therefore a legacy to the Christians of all ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-strachan/this-epistle-is-therefore-a-legacy-to-the-christians-of-all-ages/) [John Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-strachan/) > [In this Epistle, the Apostle seeks, with great earnestness, to confirm the Christian converts in the belief of that Gospel, which he had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-strachan/in-this-epistle-the-apostle-seeks-with-great-earnestness-to-confirm/) [John Strachan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-strachan/) > [“You are a living epistle. The world around you is watching how you live, how you love, how you handle loved ones and treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuella-raphaelle/you-are-a-living-epistle-the-world-around-you-is-watching-how-you/) Emmanuella Raphaelle > [“The Epistle of our being is written with letters full of blood drained from the love of God's Word.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/the-epistle-of-our-being-is-written-with-letters-full-of-blood/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“Wherefore it ought to be the first concern of every Christian to lay aside all confidence in works and increasingly to strengthen faith alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/wherefore-it-ought-to-be-the-first-concern-of-every-christian-to-lay/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“All Scripture is profitable first for "doctrine"! The same order is observed throughout the Epistles, particularly in the great doctrinal treatises of the apostle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/all-scripture-is-profitable-first-for-doctrine-the-same-order-is/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [The Epistle is a correction of profession without life, and most valuable in this respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-nelson-darby/the-epistle-is-a-correction-of-profession-without-life-and-most/) [John Nelson Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-nelson-darby/) > [“Smith Wigglesworth exhorted, “Read it through; write it down; pray it in; work it out; pass it on. The Word of God changes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown-2/smith-wigglesworth-exhorted-read-it-through-write-it-down-pray-it-in/) [Michael L Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown-2/) > [The Epistle to the Romans is an extremely important synthesis of the whole theology of St. Paul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/the-epistle-to-the-romans-is-an-extremely-important-synthesis-of-the/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) > [We should throw the Epistle of James out of this school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-should-throw-the-epistle-of-james-out-of-this-school/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“The overwhelming consensus is that the traditions contained within the epistle can confidently be traced to James the Just. That would make James’s epistle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/the-overwhelming-consensus-is-that-the-traditions-contained-within/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) ## More by Saki > [“it was decorated with Japanese fans and Chinese lanterns, which gave it a very Old English effect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/it-was-decorated-with-japanese-fans-and-chinese-lanterns-which-gave/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“In spite of everything that proverbs may say, poverty keeps together more homes than it breaks up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/in-spite-of-everything-that-proverbs-may-say-poverty-keeps-together/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“For a boy who went out to it from the dulness of some country rectory, from a neighbourhood where a flower show and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/for-a-boy-who-went-out-to-it-from-the-dulness-of-some-country-rectory/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“I did it—I who should have known better. I persuaded Reginald to go to the McKillops’ garden-party against his will. We all make mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/i-did-it-i-who-should-have-known-better-i-persuaded-reginald-to-go-to/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“Even the hooligan was probably invented in China centuries before we thought of him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/even-the-hooligan-was-probably-invented-in-china-centuries-before-we/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“The young have aspirations that never comes to pass,the old have reminiscences of what never happened. It's only the middle-aged who are really conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/the-young-have-aspirations-that-never-comes-to-pass-the-old-have/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“Romance at short notice was her specialty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/romance-at-short-notice-was-her-specialty/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“Never,” wrote Reginald to his most darling friend, “be a pioneer. It's the Early Christian that gets the fattest lion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/never-wrote-reginald-to-his-most-darling-friend-be-a-pioneer-it-s-the/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“Pluralism is a merciful narcotic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/pluralism-is-a-merciful-narcotic/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“how unfortunate that we should have had that very cold weather at a time when coal was so dear! So distressing for the poor.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/how-unfortunate-that-we-should-have-had-that-very-cold-weather-at-a/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“There is no outlet for demonstrating your feelings towards people whom you simply loathe. That is really the crying need of our modern civilisation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/there-is-no-outlet-for-demonstrating-your-feelings-towards-people/) [saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“I am not thinking in the manner of Peter Pan,” said the other. “With all reverence for the author of that masterpiece I should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/i-am-not-thinking-in-the-manner-of-peter-pan-said-the-other-with-all/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“With us," said Reginald, "a Cabinet usually gets the credit of being depraved and worthless beyond the bounds of human conception by the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/with-us-said-reginald-a-cabinet-usually-gets-the-credit-of-being/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“What she tried to label honesty in his candour was probably only a cynical defiance of the laws of right and wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/what-she-tried-to-label-honesty-in-his-candour-was-probably-only-a/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) > [“What do you think of human intelligence?" asked Mavis Pellington lamely. "Of whose intelligence in particular?" asked Tobermory coldly. "Oh, well, mine for instance,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saki/what-do-you-think-of-human-intelligence-asked-mavis-pellington-lamely/) [Saki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) [Explore all 31 Saki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saki/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Publishers always clamour for the books that no one has ever written, and turn a cold shoulder on them as soon as they're written. 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