--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am rather more apt to read old books…" description: "\"I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.\" — Theodore Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg" --- # I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones. ![“I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg) > “I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prefers timeless wisdom of classic literature over fleeting trends of modern works. **In simple terms:** Old books teach lasting lessons. Key Takeaway Read classics for deeper insight. Themes learning tradition wisdom literature Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - personal development - library visits - book clubs Key Concepts philosophy history culture Questions to Reflect On - Which classic book changed your life? - How can I blend old and new ideas? A Different Perspective Modern works can also offer valuable perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Age appears to be best in some things Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorna-grace/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-age-appears-to-be-best-in-some/) [Lorna Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorna-grace/) > [You know what it's like: you don't want to read your old books again. All you can see are the flaws, what you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/you-know-what-it-s-like-you-don-t-want-to-read-your-old-books-again/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-good-rule-after-reading-a-new-book-never-to-allow-yourself-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I drank coffee and read old books and waited for the year to end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/i-drank-coffee-and-read-old-books-and-waited-for-the-year-to-end/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [Age appears to be best in some things. Old wood best to burn. Old books best to read. Old rice best to eat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/age-appears-to-be-best-in-some-things-old-wood-best-to-burn-old-books/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some will read only old books, as if there were no valuable truths to be discovered in modern publications: others will only read new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/some-will-read-only-old-books-as-if-there-were-no-valuable-truths-to/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Read two old books for every new one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/read-two-old-books-for-every-new-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-are-three-things-that-grow-more-precious-with-age-old-wood-to/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“The passions have been sufficiently interpreted; the point now is to discover new ones. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-debord/the-passions-have-been-sufficiently-interpreted-the-point-now-is-to/) [Guy Debord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-debord/) > [Never make the same mistake twice, There are so many new ones, Try a different one each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-make-the-same-mistake-twice-there-are-so-many-new-ones-try-a-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sam's light-cycle, the car, and the jets are new of course, and other stuff. The new ones are sleeker and so contemporary, that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-simon/sam-s-light-cycle-the-car-and-the-jets-are-new-of-course-and-other/) [Daniel Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-simon/) > [We break promises to make new ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-solomon/we-break-promises-to-make-new-ones/) [Shaquille Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-solomon/) > [Never make the same mistake twice. There are so many new ones to make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lav-april/never-make-the-same-mistake-twice-there-are-so-many-new-ones-to-make/) Lav\_april > [There are a few really fantastic stories left, and that kind of gives you some inspiration to find even new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-bendjelloul/there-are-a-few-really-fantastic-stories-left-and-that-kind-of-gives/) [Malik Bendjelloul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-bendjelloul/) > [Sometimes you lose some friends and you get new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-charles-de-castelbajac/sometimes-you-lose-some-friends-and-you-get-new-ones/) [Jean-Charles de Castelbajac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-charles-de-castelbajac/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## 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": "I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-than-new-ones/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-than-new-ones/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a3/theodore-roosevelt-218_book_i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-t_2470085.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am rather more apt to read old books than new ones.” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am rather more apt to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-than-new-ones/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-rather-more-apt-to-read-old-books-than-new-ones/#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 } } ] } ```