--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are other books in a man's library…" description: "\"There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and after dawdling ever so long at a woman's knee, one day he gets up and is free. We have all b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_book_there-are-other-books-in-a-man-s-library_1858402.jpg" --- # There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and… ![“There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and after dawdling ever so long at a woman's knee, one day he gets up and is free. We have all been there; we have all had the fever--the strongest and the smallest, from Samson, Hercules, Rinaldo, downward: but it burns out, and you get well.” quote by William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_book_there-are-other-books-in-a-man-s-library_1858402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_book_there-are-other-books-in-a-man-s-library_1858402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b43/william-makepeace-thackeray-74_book_there-are-other-books-in-a-man-s-library_1858402.jpg) > “There are other books in a man's library besides Ovid, and after dawdling ever so long at a woman's knee, one day he gets up and is free. We have all been there; we have all had the fever--the strongest and the smallest, from Samson, Hercules, Rinaldo, downward: but it burns out, and you get well.” [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## 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 reflects on the fleeting nature of obsessive passion, comparing it to mythic fervor that eventually fades, leading to recovery and freedom. **In simple terms:** Passions burn intensely then fade, leaving recovery. Key Takeaway Recognize and let go of obsessive fixations. Themes passion recovery mythology human nature growth Mood reflective melancholic hopeful Type literary philosophical psychological When to use this quote - relationships - creative pursuits - personal crises - health setbacks Key Concepts obsessive desire mythic analogy psychological burnout Questions to Reflect On - What passions are you clinging to? - How can you channel intense energy productively? A Different Perspective Intense fixations can cause lasting damage if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-man-1428329/) [Burn out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn-out/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Fever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever/) [Fever Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever-strongest-2486380/) [Free Fever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-fever-2486381/) [Get up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-up/) [Get well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-well/) [Knees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knees/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Library Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library-ovid-2486379/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Man Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-library-1867502/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [Samson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/samson/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Strongest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strongest/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“There is a class whose value I should designate as Favorites: such as Froissart's Chronicles; Southey's Chronicle of the Cid ; Cervantes ; Sully's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-a-class-whose-value-i-should-designate-as-favorites-such-as/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [But what can a man see of a library being one day in it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/but-what-can-a-man-see-of-a-library-being-one-day-in-it/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [“Nothing is so intimately a part of a man as his library. 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