--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Finally, while I don’t want to disparage…" description: "\"“Finally, while I don’t want to disparage the traditional novel--I still prefer Dickens’s Great Expectations over Kathy Acker’s Great Expectations, tho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/steven-moore-50296_books_finally-while-i-don-t-want-to-disparage_1028031.jpg" --- # Finally, while I don’t want to disparage the traditional… ![“Finally, while I don’t want to disparage the traditional novel--I still prefer Dickens’s Great Expectations over Kathy Acker’s Great Expectations, though I’ll take Lauren Fairbanks’s Sister Carrie over Dreiser’s any day--there’s a whole other world of novels out there most people never even hear…” quote by Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/steven-moore-50296_books_finally-while-i-don-t-want-to-disparage_1028031.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/steven-moore-50296_books_finally-while-i-don-t-want-to-disparage_1028031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31b/steven-moore-50296_books_finally-while-i-don-t-want-to-disparage_1028031.jpg) > ““Finally, while I don’t want to disparage the traditional novel--I still prefer Dickens’s Great Expectations over Kathy Acker’s Great Expectations, though I’ll take Lauren Fairbanks’s Sister Carrie over Dreiser’s any day--there’s a whole other world of novels out there most people never even hear of, much less read. Let’s go see.”” [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that mainstream literature overshadows many worthy works, urging readers to explore lesser‑known novels. **In simple terms:** Many good books are ignored; seek them out. Key Takeaway Read beyond the classics. Themes literature discovery canon reading culture Mood inquisitive encouraging Type recommendation critical When to use this quote - book clubs - library recommendations - personal reading lists - academic courses Key Concepts literary criticism canon formation cultural capital Questions to Reflect On - Which unknown novel could change your perspective? - How do you decide which books to prioritize? A Different Perspective The author’s personal taste may bias the recommendation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dickens/) [Dickens Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dickens-great-1496363/) [Great expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-expectations/) [Novel Prefer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel-prefer-2331561/) [Prefer Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-dickens-2331560/) [Traditional Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traditional-novel-525326/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I'm totally obsessed with Dickens, and 'Great Expectations' was one of the first book's I read when I was still in school in Porthcawl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rhys/i-m-totally-obsessed-with-dickens-and-great-expectations-was-one-of/) [Paul Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rhys/) > [“Whatever the word "great" means, Dickens was what it means. Even the fastidious and unhappy who cannot read his books without a continuous critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/whatever-the-word-great-means-dickens-was-what-it-means-even-the/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [After Shakespeare, Dickens is the great creator of characters, multiple characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-tomalin/after-shakespeare-dickens-is-the-great-creator-of-characters-multiple/) [Claire Tomalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-tomalin/) > [“Society.” John Forster, who would one day become Dickens’s great friend, adviser, editor, and first biographer, wrote in the Examiner that Dickens had excelled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-standiford/society-john-forster-who-would-one-day-become-dickens-s-great-friend/) [Les Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-standiford/) > [The traditional novel form continues to enlarge our experience in those very areas where the wide-angle lens and the Cinema screen tend to narrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-traditional-novel-form-continues-to-enlarge-our-experience-in/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [I've always felt that the traditional novel doesn't give you enough information about the narrator, and I think it's important to know the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-traditional-novel-doesn-t-give-you-enough/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [I realise that it is fashionable now to dismiss the traditional novel as something of an anachronism, but to me it is still a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paule-marshall/i-realise-that-it-is-fashionable-now-to-dismiss-the-traditional-novel/) [Paule Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paule-marshall/) > [“I recently discovered that a friend who was re-reading Bleak House had done no other Dickens apart from Barnaby Ridge. That's just weird. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-recently-discovered-that-a-friend-who-was-re-reading-bleak-house/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Mrs. Pocket was at home, and was in a little difficulty, on account of the baby's having been accommodated with a needle case to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-pocket-was-at-home-and-was-in-a-little-difficulty-on-account-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > ['Great Expectations' has been described as 'Dickens's harshest indictment of society.' Which it is. After all, it's about money. About not having enough money;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/great-expectations-has-been-described-as-dickens-s-harshest/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > ['Great Expectations', in short, is a more damning account of the mess Dickens himself had made of love than any denunciation on behalf of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/great-expectations-in-short-is-a-more-damning-account-of-the-mess/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [ Great Expectations \[book by Charles Dickens\] has been described as "Dickens's harshest indictment of society." Which it is. After all, it's about money. About… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/great-expectations-book-by-charles-dickens-has-been-described-as/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [ But since doing the film \["The Invisible Woman"\] I've really learned to appreciate \[Charles Dickens\], he's phenomenal. "Great Expectations" would be one of my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/but-since-doing-the-film-the-invisible-woman-i-ve-really-learned-to/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [“I snorted. “They still make you read Dickens in school? Great Expectations?” “Yeah.” “You can stay at home and hide if you want—and wind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-snorted-they-still-make-you-read-dickens-in-school-great/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Steven Moore > [“4. You've had enough of the big city and decide to return home. Waiting for a bus, you pick up a discarded copy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/4-you-ve-had-enough-of-the-big-city-and-decide-to-return-home-waiting/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) > [“...and any discussion of art vs. entertainment in the present cultural climate invites accusations of elitism and snobbery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/and-any-discussion-of-art-vs-entertainment-in-the-present-cultural/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) > [“I'faith, 'tis an Occasion of no small Satisfaction to commence this Enquiry into the Romances & Fiction of the English --& their antick Neighbors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/i-faith-tis-an-occasion-of-no-small-satisfaction-to-commence-this/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) > [“Reader, I'd marry her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/reader-i-d-marry-her/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) > [“Reading Marguerite Young's 1,200-page Miss MacIntosh, My Darling was like slipping into a luxurious opium dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/reading-marguerite-young-s-1-200-page-miss-macintosh-my-darling-was/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) > [“When I first opened this book and saw all those scholarly footnotes, my heart leapt up as though I saw a host of golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moore/when-i-first-opened-this-book-and-saw-all-those-scholarly-footnotes/) [Steven Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) [Explore all 7 Steven Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moore/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“Finally, while I don’t want to disparage the traditional novel--I still prefer Dickens’s Great Expectations over Kathy Acker’s Great Expectations, though I’ll take Lauren Fairbanks’s Sister Carrie over Dreiser’s any day--there’s a whole other world of novels out there most people never even hear of, much less read. 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