---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She closed the book and put her cheek…"
description: "\"She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book c..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png"
---

#  She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There…

![“She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book carrying the smell of hundreds.” quote by Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png)

> “She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book carrying the smell of hundreds.”

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She experiences the lingering scent of a library, symbolizing the deep connection to knowledge and memory.

**In simple terms:** The book smells like a library, evoking memory.

Key Takeaway

Cherish sensory details that anchor memories.

Themes

memory nostalgia books sensory literature

Mood

reflective nostalgic

Type

descriptive literary

When to use this quote

- reading
- writing
- personal reflection
- archival work

Key Concepts

olffactory memory emotional resonance

Questions to Reflect On

- How do physical sensations influence your recollection of reading?
- What sensory details make a place unforgettable?

A Different Perspective

The scent may fade, reducing impact over time.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [“I was a closed book, a rolled map, a dark territory, uncharted; I was surprised by my urgency, but after all, to be known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-heilig/i-was-a-closed-book-a-rolled-map-a-dark-territory-uncharted-i-was/)

[Heidi Heilig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-heilig/)

> [“Of course, the marvels you hoped to find might not be waiting inside the covers, so then you closed the book, sorry that its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/of-course-the-marvels-you-hoped-to-find-might-not-be-waiting-inside/)

[Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/)

> [Better a closed book, than an open newspaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-a-closed-book-than-an-open-newspaper/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Reading, she tells me, is what she does best. She loves it because it uses the whole of her, the right and the left,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-hubbard/reading-she-tells-me-is-what-she-does-best-she-loves-it-because-it/)

[Jenny Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-hubbard/)

> [“I must part with you for my whole life," she read, with horror. "I must begin a new existence amongst strange faces and strange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-must-part-with-you-for-my-whole-life-she-read-with-horror-i-must/)

[John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/)

> [“I loved it so much I was sorry to finish it. I closed the book and shocked myself by thinking, This is better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-loved-it-so-much-i-was-sorry-to-finish-it-i-closed-the-book-and/)

[Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/)

> [Well, I'm not able to work anymore as an actor and still at the level I would want to ... you start to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/well-i-m-not-able-to-work-anymore-as-an-actor-and-still-at-the-level/)

[Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/)

> [“I tried to read that book again before I went to sleep. I didn’t like that book, but I kept going for all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-tried-to-read-that-book-again-before-i-went-to-sleep-i-didn-t-like/)

[Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/)

> [I'm not able to work anymore as an actor and still at the level I would want to... you start to lose your memory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-m-not-able-to-work-anymore-as-an-actor-and-still-at-the-level-i/)

[Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/)

> [“If God does not open and explain Holy Writ, no one can understand it; it will remain a closed book, enveloped in darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-god-does-not-open-and-explain-holy-writ-no-one-can-understand-it/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [“I'm not sure what is worse, a closed mind or a closed book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/i-m-not-sure-what-is-worse-a-closed-mind-or-a-closed-book/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [“Once, she closed the book abruptly and said with annoyance, "That's enough." "Why?" "Because I've had it, it's always the same story: inside something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/once-she-closed-the-book-abruptly-and-said-with-annoyance-that-s/)

[Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/)

> [My life is an closed book.. No one ever opened it yet ... Those who opened they Neva read it ... Who read never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-life-is-an-closed-book-no-one-ever-opened-it-yet-those-who-opened/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There's a market for mysteries for adults. That feeling of opening a book and delving inside and not coming out until you've closed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/there-s-a-market-for-mysteries-for-adults-that-feeling-of-opening-a/)

[Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/)

> [A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverbs/a-closed-mind-is-like-a-closed-book-just-a-block-of-wood/)

Chinese Proverbs

## More by Shannon Hale

> [“Well, write me into the list of Those Who Don’t Mind a Bit,” said Cupid, eyeing his perfectly toned arms and chest. “My, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/well-write-me-into-the-list-of-those-who-don-t-mind-a-bit-said-cupid/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“Sometimes instinct isn't fancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/sometimes-instinct-isn-t-fancy/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [Enna leaned back her head and laughed at the sky. 'Of course he wasn't! Who could kill Razo?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/enna-leaned-back-her-head-and-laughed-at-the-sky-of-course-he-wasn-t/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“Um… I guess that’s that,” said Cerise. “That?” said Maddie. “That is never that. This is that. Or else that is this. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/um-i-guess-that-s-that-said-cerise-that-said-maddie-that-is-never/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [The book smelled dusty and old but also carried a sweet tang, a hint of something inviting. She opened to the first page and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-book-smelled-dusty-and-old-but-also-carried-a-sweet-tang-a-hint/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [Geric," she called. He turned back around. "What kind of flowers were they?" "I don't rightly know," he said. He made faltering gestures with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/geric-she-called-he-turned-back-around-what-kind-of-flowers-were-they/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [How I keep trying to force our story into a fairy tale, but from the beginning, it's been more like a nursery rhyme." "Bizarre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/how-i-keep-trying-to-force-our-story-into-a-fairy-tale-but-from-the/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“He wildly combed his hair with his fingers. “I can’t bear to be out there with you right now, all those indifferent people watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/he-wildly-combed-his-hair-with-his-fingers-i-can-t-bear-to-be-out/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [But, how do you know if an ending is truly good for the characters unless you've traveled with them through every page?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/but-how-do-you-know-if-an-ending-is-truly-good-for-the-characters/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“Sometimes it seems my identity’s a matter of opinion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/sometimes-it-seems-my-identity-s-a-matter-of-opinion/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [The snow was too light to stay, the ground too warm to keep it. And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/the-snow-was-too-light-to-stay-the-ground-too-warm-to-keep-it-and-the/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [Even the jerks earn some of our affection. We can be glad they're gone and yet still mourn the good parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/even-the-jerks-earn-some-of-our-affection-we-can-be-glad-they-re-gone/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [Smell is the voice of the soul...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/smell-is-the-voice-of-the-soul/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [“It was my jewelry!” Briar shouted after his father because he’d forgotten to ask what was stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/it-was-my-jewelry-briar-shouted-after-his-father-because-he-d/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

> [Oh, but I like my geese. Like cats, they can't be told what to do, and like dogs, they're loyal, and like people, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/oh-but-i-like-my-geese-like-cats-they-can-t-be-told-what-to-do-and/)

[Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

[Explore all 358 Shannon Hale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/)

## More Book 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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/)

[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/)

> [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/)

[Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/)

> [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

[Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust, leather, binding glue, and old paper, one book carrying the smell of hundreds.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Shannon Hale"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-against-it-there-was-still-an/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-against-it-there-was-still-an/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ce/shannon-hale-827_book_she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-ag_863753.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“She closed the book and put her cheek against it. There was still an odor of a library on it, of dust…” — Shannon Hale",
                "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": "Shannon Hale",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "She closed the book and put...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-against-it-there-was-still-an/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/she-closed-the-book-and-put-her-cheek-against-it-there-was-still-an/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
