--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A book that is shut is but a block." description: "\"A book that is shut is but a block.\" — Thomas Fuller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png" --- # A book that is shut is but a block. ![“A book that is shut is but a block.” quote by Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png) > “A book that is shut is but a block.” [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A closed book is merely a barrier, preventing knowledge and growth. **In simple terms:** Closed book blocks learning. Key Takeaway Open books to grow. Themes knowledge access growth Mood curious serious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - schools - libraries - personal study - policy making Key Concepts education literacy openness Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge are you keeping hidden? - When is it right to keep information private? A Different Perspective Some closed books protect privacy or secrets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Shut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-shut-1551829/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Shut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shut/) [Shut Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shut-block-2357554/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Slamming the book shut produces a wind on the face, a weather that is copyrighted by the author, and this wind may not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/slamming-the-book-shut-produces-a-wind-on-the-face-a-weather-that-is/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [“…found the use of actual old-school books off putting, but over time, he'd learned there was something very satisfying to the turning of pages,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/found-the-use-of-actual-old-school-books-off-putting-but-over-time-he/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“I slammed the book shut and and crowed, 'And that is why you don't kick the librarian off the investigation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/i-slammed-the-book-shut-and-and-crowed-and-that-is-why-you-don-t-kick/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [“Closing the book, Winnie scowled and said, “Why do you have to be so… so…” she trailed off, unable to think of the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-rourke/closing-the-book-winnie-scowled-and-said-why-do-you-have-to-be-so-so/) [Tim O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-rourke/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) > [ Often the block \[in writing\] comes from the wall of words that keep out the simplicity of sense. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gopnik/often-the-block-in-writing-comes-from-the-wall-of-words-that-keep-out/) [Adam Gopnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gopnik/) > [Shut up,' he explained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/shut-up-he-explained/) [Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/) > [“Do something about it, or shut up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-grimes/do-something-about-it-or-shut-up/) [Nikki Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-grimes/) > [Sometimes on sets, I shut down, try to focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/sometimes-on-sets-i-shut-down-try-to-focus/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Shut up, Jacob. Oops, Im sorry I mean, shut up, most high Alpha. -Leah Clearwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn/shut-up-jacob-oops-im-sorry-i-mean-shut-up-most-high-alpha-leah/) [The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn/) > [Easy, Curious George! Get your grubby hands off of that wheel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/easy-curious-george-get-your-grubby-hands-off-of-that-wheel/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [and just like that, I shut off the switch to my brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/and-just-like-that-i-shut-off-the-switch-to-my-brain/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) ## More by Thomas Fuller > [Poor men's reasons are not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/poor-men-s-reasons-are-not-heard/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [There is a scarcity of friendship, but not of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/there-is-a-scarcity-of-friendship-but-not-of-friends/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Govern thy life and thy thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one, and read the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/govern-thy-life-and-thy-thoughts-as-if-the-whole-world-were-to-see/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he that prevents it is the safest physician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-cures-a-disease-may-be-the-skillfullest-but-he-that-prevents/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Old foxes want no tutors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/old-foxes-want-no-tutors/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Slight small injuries, and they will become none at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/slight-small-injuries-and-they-will-become-none-at-all/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who gives his heart will not deny his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-gives-his-heart-will-not-deny-his-money/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Though bachelors be the strongest stakes, married men are the best binders, in the hedge of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/though-bachelors-be-the-strongest-stakes-married-men-are-the-best/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Plain dealing is a jewel, but they that wear it are out of fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/plain-dealing-is-a-jewel-but-they-that-wear-it-are-out-of-fashion/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [We are born crying, live complaining, and die disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/we-are-born-crying-live-complaining-and-die-disappointed/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-that-falls-into-sin-is-a-man-that-grieves-at-it-is-a-saint-that/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Vows made in storms are forgotten in calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/vows-made-in-storms-are-forgotten-in-calm/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Welcome death, quoth the rat, when the trap fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/welcome-death-quoth-the-rat-when-the-trap-fell/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [A lie has no leg, but a scandal has wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-lie-has-no-leg-but-a-scandal-has-wings/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Great hopes make great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/great-hopes-make-great-men/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) [Explore all 195 Thomas Fuller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## More Block quotes > [I am told many children block out the memory of trauma. In fact, the healing process can only truly begin when we are willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-stone/i-am-told-many-children-block-out-the-memory-of-trauma-in-fact-the/) [Phoebe Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-stone/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [Stevie Wonder always smells so good... I'm like a DEA dog, I can smell people a block away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/stevie-wonder-always-smells-so-good-i-m-like-a-dea-dog-i-can-smell/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [When it comes to people I love and care about, I may condense the time, but I'm giving them every ounce of my energy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-shetty/when-it-comes-to-people-i-love-and-care-about-i-may-condense-the-time/) [Jay Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-shetty/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [The family is the building block for whatever solidarity there is in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ruckelshaus/the-family-is-the-building-block-for-whatever-solidarity-there-is-in/) [William Ruckelshaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ruckelshaus/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Americans will put up with anything provided it doesn't block traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/americans-will-put-up-with-anything-provided-it-doesn-t-block-traffic/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I think you can train yourself to block out some of that pressure and replace it with confidence. It's about preparation, and the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rodgers/i-think-you-can-train-yourself-to-block-out-some-of-that-pressure-and/) [Aaron Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rodgers/) > [Writer's block? I've never heard of a plumber complain about plumber's block.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/writer-s-block-i-ve-never-heard-of-a-plumber-complain-about-plumber-s/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) [Browse all 1,755 Block quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/block/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A book that is shut is but a block.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Fuller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Block" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fb/thomas-fuller-1956_block_a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block-18419_1841983.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A book that is shut is but a block.” — Thomas Fuller", "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": "Thomas Fuller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A book that is shut is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-book-that-is-shut-is-but-a-block/#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 } } ] } ```