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Admirable Quote by Virginia Woolf

“Few people ask from books what books can give us. Most commonly we come to books with blurred and divided minds, asking of fiction that it shall be true, of poetry that it shall be false, of biography that it shall be flattering, of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices. If we could…” quote by Virginia Woolf
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“Few people ask from books what books can give us. Most commonly we come to books with blurred and divided minds, asking of fiction that it shall be true, of poetry that it shall be false, of biography that it shall be flattering, of history that it shall enforce our own prejudices. If we could banish all such preconceptions when we read, that would be an admirable beginning.”

Virginia Woolf

About This Quote

Source Essay: “The Death of the Moth”, 1922

Preconceptions limit reading; approaching texts without bias allows true engagement with fiction, poetry, biography, and history.

In simple terms: Read without preconceptions.

Key Takeaway

Approach books openly, without bias.

Themes

reading bias learning

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

literary educational

When to use this quote

  • education
  • book clubs
  • personal development
  • research methodology

Key Concepts

critical thinking open‑mindedness literary analysis

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we recognize our reading biases?
  • What steps foster open‑minded reading?
A Different Perspective

Changing deep‑seated biases is difficult.

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