--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most…" description: "\"Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most comprehensive reports humans can deliver, of their private experiences, to other humans. In these terms there i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/tao-lin-3279_books_novels-and-memoirs-are-perhaps-the-most_664356.jpg" --- # Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most comprehensive… ![“Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most comprehensive reports humans can deliver, of their private experiences, to other humans. In these terms there is only one kind of novel: a human attempt to transfer or convey some part or version of their world of noumenon to another’s world of noumenon.” quote by Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/tao-lin-3279_books_novels-and-memoirs-are-perhaps-the-most_664356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/tao-lin-3279_books_novels-and-memoirs-are-perhaps-the-most_664356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/325/tao-lin-3279_books_novels-and-memoirs-are-perhaps-the-most_664356.jpg) > “Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most comprehensive reports humans can deliver, of their private experiences, to other humans. In these terms there is only one kind of novel: a human attempt to transfer or convey some part or version of their world of noumenon to another’s world of noumenon.” [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Novels and memoirs aim to convey personal inner experiences to others, acting as detailed reports of subjective reality. **In simple terms:** Novels share personal experiences. Key Takeaway Use storytelling to bridge inner and outer worlds. Themes storytelling subjectivity communication Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - personal essays - literary criticism - teaching creative writing Key Concepts phenomenology subjective reality narrative empathy Questions to Reflect On - How can writers balance personal truth with universal relevance? - What responsibilities do authors have when representing others' inner worlds? A Different Perspective May overlook broader social contexts beyond personal experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Memoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoir/) [Memoirs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memoirs/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novels/) [Reports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reports/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I like the freedom of novels. With the memoirs, I always had to keep to the facts. I like that with novels, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/i-like-the-freedom-of-novels-with-the-memoirs-i-always-had-to-keep-to/) [Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/) > [Although I still think of myself as an actress, most of my time is spent writing novels or memoirs about my adventures and travels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-drinkwater/although-i-still-think-of-myself-as-an-actress-most-of-my-time-is/) [Carol Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-drinkwater/) > [The most obvious difference between writing novels and memoirs is that my memoirs are true stories, and explore certain experiences I've lived, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-trussoni/the-most-obvious-difference-between-writing-novels-and-memoirs-is/) [Danielle Trussoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-trussoni/) > [“You don’t propose marriage after one date. You don’t decide on a career after one article or class session. You don’t cast your vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/you-don-t-propose-marriage-after-one-date-you-don-t-decide-on-a/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [The memoir industry is, what's the word? Under regulated. I think it needs to be pruned. If there are too many books right now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-phillips/the-memoir-industry-is-what-s-the-word-under-regulated-i-think-it/) [Arthur Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-phillips/) > [My memoirs are full of humor, I had to change jokes because it was a little too dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/my-memoirs-are-full-of-humor-i-had-to-change-jokes-because-it-was-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I think the secret of memoirs is keeping those parts of yourself off the page, which makes what you do share more valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-barr/i-think-the-secret-of-memoirs-is-keeping-those-parts-of-yourself-off/) [Damian Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-barr/) > [ “They \[his readers, whom he asks to be his friends\] will find that I have always loved truth so passionately that I have often… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casanova/they-his-readers-whom-he-asks-to-be-his-friends-will-find-that-i-have/) [Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casanova/) > [We have so many great memoirs from women in front of the camera, from Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and Amy Schumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/we-have-so-many-great-memoirs-from-women-in-front-of-the-camera-from/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [“Oh I'm sure you're right," Auntie said. "Probably she's just as you say. But she looks to me like a very clever girl, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/oh-i-m-sure-you-re-right-auntie-said-probably-she-s-just-as-you-say/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [The memoirs of the Grand Duchess Olga are an entertaining record for anyone interested in the imperial family's home life during the last years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sebag-montefiore/the-memoirs-of-the-grand-duchess-olga-are-an-entertaining-record-for/) [Simon Sebag Montefiore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sebag-montefiore/) > [I put off writing the first Left Behind book for a year because I got invited to assist Billy Graham in his memoirs, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-b-jenkins/i-put-off-writing-the-first-left-behind-book-for-a-year-because-i-got/) [Jerry B. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-b-jenkins/) > [“My China Diary and Walking With Lions, were memoirs of his diplomatic and political experiences. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/my-china-diary-and-walking-with-lions-were-memoirs-of-his-diplomatic/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“...what draws us into a story and keeps us there is the firing of our dopamine neurons, signaling that intriguing information is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-cron/what-draws-us-into-a-story-and-keeps-us-there-is-the-firing-of-our/) [Lisa Cron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-cron/) > [Memoirs are going to be problematic sells for a while, though, because even if memoir means "based in memory," right now, in the collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-monroe/memoirs-are-going-to-be-problematic-sells-for-a-while-though-because/) [Debra Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-monroe/) ## More by Tao Lin > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“i recommend the phrase 'pineapple ass”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-recommend-the-phrase-pineapple-ass/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I actually don't have...opinions. I'm not being secretive about anything. I just actually don't have opinions about society. I can discern that certain things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-actually-don-t-have-opinions-i-m-not-being-secretive-about-anything/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Sara would call one of those cops on horses a motherfucker. The cop would avert his eyes. Sara would ask directions for the wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/sara-would-call-one-of-those-cops-on-horses-a-motherfucker-the-cop/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [Do you sometimes look up from the computer and look around the room and know you are alone, I mean really know it, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/do-you-sometimes-look-up-from-the-computer-and-look-around-the-room/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I think mostly the commodifying comes after I've done something that has some other value to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-think-mostly-the-commodifying-comes-after-i-ve-done-something-that/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“The hamster friend said being able to do front rolls didn't make the hamster as good as Bruce Lee, which was not a true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/the-hamster-friend-said-being-able-to-do-front-rolls-didn-t-make-the/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“As a teenager, he made screaming noises at night in his room, like a deranged person. He threw his electrical pencil sharpener at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/as-a-teenager-he-made-screaming-noises-at-night-in-his-room-like-a/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Don't be stupid and awkward," the dolphin says. "You want to walk together or not?" "You are a stupid piece of shit. Go away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/don-t-be-stupid-and-awkward-the-dolphin-says-you-want-to-walk/) [tao lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I was delivering pizzas at Domino's. I was 17 maybe. I liked it a lot. Just driving in the nice weather and listening to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/i-was-delivering-pizzas-at-domino-s-i-was-17-maybe-i-liked-it-a-lot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [loneliness can fly a helicopter through a cut-out shape of a helicopter the same size as the helicopter and that's it's only skill and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/loneliness-can-fly-a-helicopter-through-a-cut-out-shape-of-a/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [Life has never died, which is something that I think people ignore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/life-has-never-died-which-is-something-that-i-think-people-ignore/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“Amoeba ass is so hot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/amoeba-ass-is-so-hot/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“After untangling a cord, then moving the MacBook to the floor, Paul lay beside Erin and meekly pawed her forearm three times, then briefly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/after-untangling-a-cord-then-moving-the-macbook-to-the-floor-paul-lay/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [“It was a face that said, “Fuck the world,” but said it reluctantly, and tonelessly, and then apologized, said “Sorry,” but said all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/it-was-a-face-that-said-fuck-the-world-but-said-it-reluctantly-and/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) [Explore all 133 Tao Lin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) ## 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": "Novels–and memoirs–are perhaps the most comprehensive reports humans can deliver, of their private experiences, to other humans. 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