--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How is a magician to exist without books?…" description: "\"How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png" --- # How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone… ![“How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of bribes or patronage.” quote by Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png) > “How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of bribes or patronage.” [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that mastery in any field—whether magic or politics—requires access to established knowledge and networks; without them, success is implausible. **In simple terms:** Expertise depends on shared resources. Key Takeaway Skill without foundations is impossible. Themes knowledge dependency power structures institutional support skill acquisition political critique Mood ironic critical thoughtful Type aphor political satire cultural commentary When to use this quote - learning a craft - entering politics - starting a career - seeking mentorship - navigating bureaucracy Key Concepts books as knowledge repositories political patronage magician as metaphor systems of advantage Practical Applications - educational curricula - political campaign strategies Questions to Reflect On - What resources are essential for mastery? - How do informal networks shape success? A Different Perspective Some argue that innovation can arise from outsider perspectives lacking formal training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribe/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [Magician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magician/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) ## Related quotes > [“is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of bribes or patronage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/is-like-asking-a-politician-to-achieve-high-office-without-the/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [I can't exist without books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-rendell/i-can-t-exist-without-books/) [Ruth Rendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-rendell/) > [“Questions What if green were really yellow, And red really white? Would the sky be blue today, And black still tonight? What if rain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia-purdy/questions-what-if-green-were-really-yellow-and-red-really-white-would/) [Alexia Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia-purdy/) > ['The Expats' would not exist without e-books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/the-expats-would-not-exist-without-e-books/) [Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/) > [Maybe the raising of millions of dollars of funds for charitable projects has become 'a racket', and the longer they remain in the test-tube…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-v-libonati/maybe-the-raising-of-millions-of-dollars-of-funds-for-charitable/) Roland V. Libonati > [The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity; but ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/the-real-object-of-the-first-amendment-was-not-to-countenance-much/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [We give ourselves to prayer. We preach a Gospel that saves to the uttermost, and witness to its power. We do not argue about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-chadwick/we-give-ourselves-to-prayer-we-preach-a-gospel-that-saves-to-the/) [Samuel Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-chadwick/) > [Literary men are being employed to praise a big business man personally, as men used to praise a king. They not only find political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/literary-men-are-being-employed-to-praise-a-big-business-man/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I've always felt that any establishment that doesn't welcome me with open arms doesn't deserve my patronage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-plum/i-ve-always-felt-that-any-establishment-that-doesn-t-welcome-me-with/) [Amy Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-plum/) > [If a patron buys from an artist who needs money (needs money to buy tools, time, food), the patron then makes himself equal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/if-a-patron-buys-from-an-artist-who-needs-money-needs-money-to-buy/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [“I used to ask myself, ‘Sergei, would you rather spend your money on drink or women?’ and thanks to the club, I spend it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melika-dannese-lux/i-used-to-ask-myself-sergei-would-you-rather-spend-your-money-on/) [Melika Dannese Lux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melika-dannese-lux/) > [I do not want any patronage, as I do not give any. I am a lover of my own liberty, and so I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-any-patronage-as-i-do-not-give-any-i-am-a-lover-of-my/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I know so well what becomes of unmarried women who aren't prepared to occupy a position. I've seen such pitiful cases in the South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-know-so-well-what-becomes-of-unmarried-women-who-aren-t-prepared-to/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [Each of the Arts whose office is to refine, purify, adorn, embellish and grace life is under the patronage of a Muse, no god…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-farnham/each-of-the-arts-whose-office-is-to-refine-purify-adorn-embellish-and/) Eliza Farnham > [We must learn to be self-reliant and independent of schools, courts, protection and patronage of a Government we seek to end, if it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-must-learn-to-be-self-reliant-and-independent-of-schools-courts/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Susanna Clarke > [you must learn to live as I do - in the face of constant criticism, opposition and censure. That, sir, is the English way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/you-must-learn-to-live-as-i-do-in-the-face-of-constant-criticism/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“Can a magician kill a man by magic?” Lord Wellington asked Strange. Strange frowned. He seemed to dislike the question. “I suppose a magician…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/can-a-magician-kill-a-man-by-magic-lord-wellington-asked-strange/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“Mr Norrell was delighted. He did not believe that anyone had ever proposed such a piece of magic before and begged Sir Walter to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/mr-norrell-was-delighted-he-did-not-believe-that-anyone-had-ever/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of Itself. It is not the means to an end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/the-house-is-valuable-because-it-is-the-house-it-is-enough-in-and-of/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“...hatching his poems..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/hatching-his-poems/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“It was as if a door had opened somewhere. Or possibly a series of doors. There was a sensation as of a breeze blowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/it-was-as-if-a-door-had-opened-somewhere-or-possibly-a-series-of/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“A gentleman in Mr Norell's position with a fine house and a large estate will always be of interest to his neighbors and, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/a-gentleman-in-mr-norell-s-position-with-a-fine-house-and-a-large/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“I have always heard that Italian women are rather fierce.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/i-have-always-heard-that-italian-women-are-rather-fierce/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“Long, long ago, (said the voice), five hundred years ago or more, on a winter's day at twilight, a young man entered the Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/long-long-ago-said-the-voice-five-hundred-years-ago-or-more-on-a/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [Well, I suppose one ought not to employ a magician and then complain that he does not behave like other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/well-i-suppose-one-ought-not-to-employ-a-magician-and-then-complain/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“Fairies do not make a strong distinction between the animate and the inanimate. They believe that stones, doors, trees, fire, clouds and so forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/fairies-do-not-make-a-strong-distinction-between-the-animate-and-the/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [There is nothing in the world so easy to explain as failure - it is, after all, what everybody does all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/there-is-nothing-in-the-world-so-easy-to-explain-as-failure-it-is/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [How quickly was every bad thing discovered to be the fault of the previous administration (an evil set of men who wedded general stupidity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-quickly-was-every-bad-thing-discovered-to-be-the-fault-of-the/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“Mr. Norrell gazed at Strange with an odd expression upon his face as though he would have been glad of a little conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/mr-norrell-gazed-at-strange-with-an-odd-expression-upon-his-face-as/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [..The argument he was conducting with his neighbor as to whether the English magician had gone mad because he was a magician, or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/the-argument-he-was-conducting-with-his-neighbor-as-to-whether-the/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) [Explore all 228 Susanna Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of bribes or patronage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susanna Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e4/susanna-clarke-1559_achieve_how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books_48793.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to…” — Susanna Clarke", "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": "Susanna Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How is a magician to exist...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/#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 } } ] } ```