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Book Quotes

Why books work the way they do.

This page highlights what books can do that film can't, including slower pacing and quiet stretches, alongside a reminder that some things simply translate poorly to screen. For a companion collection, see Books.

I had quite a bit of experience doing things that had been adapted from a book and playing real-life characters and playing the younger version of actors. That's kind of my thing.

Quotes by Ella Purnell

I'll read any anthologies or collection I can get my hands on. If I find a book mentioned in 'Publisher's Weekly,' and it looks like it will be dark, I'll track it down.

Quotes by Ellen Datlow

I do reread, kind of obsessively, partly for the surprise of how the same book reads at a different point in life, and partly to have the sense of returning to an old friend.

Quotes by Elizabeth Strout

I don't think there was a particular book that made me want to write. They all did. I always wanted to write.

Quotes by Elizabeth Strout

'Pnin' by Vladimir Nabokov, which is a literally small book, fit right in my common law book. I would sit in class and read it.

Quotes by Elizabeth Strout

I'd really like to write a book about Timothy McVeigh, but it would only work if he cooperated.

Quotes by Elizabeth Wurtzel

I like seeing my physical progress through a volume, particularly if it's a big book.

Quotes by Elizabeth McCracken

'The Sun Also Rises' by Ernest Hemingway is my favorite book. You feel manly reading it.

Quotes by Elizabeth Olsen

I read '1984' at a precocious age, like 8, and when I did the math, I realized that Julia, Winston Smith's lover, was born the same year I was, 1957. I read that book over and over again with the...

Quotes by Elizabeth Hand

I've always wanted to write an airport book.

Quotes by Elizabeth Hand

Every writer hopes his or her book will be its own thing.

Quotes by Elizabeth Kostova

No book that is written for an external purpose is going to be a passionately felt book for the writer or the reader. I don't see the point in doing that.

Quotes by Elizabeth Kostova

I cannot read on a Kindle. I love the physical experience of holding a book, cracking it open, and the process of making the right half weigh less than the left half. I only read hardcover books because I like...

Quotes by Elizabeth Diller

When I write a book, I don't have an idea of what I'm doing. I just go where it leads.

Quotes by Elizabeth Berg

It feels like my books come true. I write these things, and then they kind of end up happening. I wasn't divorced, for example, when I wrote a book about divorce.

Quotes by Elizabeth Berg

Every book is its own experience, the writing of it.

Quotes by Elizabeth Berg

The process is different for every book, but there are similarities. I always draw from the inside out. I don't plot them ahead of time, and I'm always surprised by things that happen in my books.

Quotes by Elizabeth Berg

It usually takes about a year to write each book. I don't plan it that way. I don't set deadlines. If a book wants to take longer, it can.

Quotes by Elizabeth Berg

After I was cast, I decided to read 'Sharp Objects'. I ended up drowning it in sticky notes, highlighter and pen. It became my little diary I could refer to. I took little quotes out of the book and transferred...

Quotes by Eliza Scanlen

I do not recall a Jewish home without a book on the table.

Quotes by Elie Wiesel

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about pacing in books versus other media?
Yes. One quote observes: "In a book, you can kind of take time and have lulls in places." It highlights something books can do that faster-paced formats often can't.
Is there a quote about the difference between books and movies?
Yes - one quote notes that things that might work in a book just do not work in the visual medium of movies. It's a useful reminder that not every story translates directly from page to screen. For more on the reading side of storytelling, browse Books quotes.
Is there a quote about why books offer escapism?
Yes. One quote calls a great book "escapism" and says the artistry and the creativity in a story are better than any drugs. It's a strong statement about the emotional pull of good writing. For more on the community side of reading, see Book Club quotes.
Is there a quote about literature guiding how kids grow up?
Yes - one quote reflects that what sort of person you grow into shouldn't happen by default, which is often exactly what happens to kids, and describes seeing literature as a method of guidance, information, and contemplation. It's a thoughtful take on the role books can play in shaping character. For more on where to find these books, check out Bookstore quotes.
What different things do these "book" quotes celebrate?
The slower pacing only a book allows, the limits of adapting books into movies, books as a form of escapism, and literature's role in shaping how people grow up. If you're touring or exploring more book-related content, Book Tour quotes round things out.

One entry treats a great book as pure escapism, while another argues literature plays a real role in guiding how young people grow up. Explore further with Book Club or Bookstore.