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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 start 'The Code Book' with the story of Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington Plot, which was foiled when Mary’s enciphered messages fell into the hands of Elizabeth I’s codebreakers.

Quotes by Simon Singh

My colleague Bill Keegan has written a very short book ('Saving the World?') on an unlikely topic - he is the first economist to try to rehabilitate Gordon Brown.

Quotes by Simon Hoggart

One of the pleasures of staying with friends is that you get to browse their shelves. I always arrive with a book, but I almost never read it. It would be like sitting at their dinner table and opening a...

Quotes by Simon Hoggart

There are too many good comic book writers out there. I'd rather remain a fanboy.

Quotes by Simon Kinberg

People who read poetry, for example, like the feel, the heft and the smell of a book.

Quotes by Simon Armitage

The book shows Clinton in the presidency as a profile in growth.

Quotes by Sidney Blumenthal

It was the biggest suppression of voting rights in our country's history since Jim Crow. And the thread of race runs from the beginning to the end of my book.

Quotes by Sidney Blumenthal

Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write a book so when the reader gets to the end of the chapter, he or she must turn one...

Quotes by Sidney Sheldon

In my first story, 'Mr. Mysterious & Company'... I was asked to take out some of the humor because editors were afraid reviewers would dismiss the book as a joke. Today, humor is enjoyed and no longer regarded as literary...

Quotes by Sid Fleischman

As an adult, I'll give a writer 50 pages. If the book doesn't interest me in 50 pages, I'll say the heck with it - there are just too many other things to read. A child won't give you 50...

Quotes by Sid Fleischman

About seven years later I was given a book about the periodic table of the elements. For the first time I saw the elegance of scientific theory and its predictive power.

Quotes by Sidney Altman

But I can tell you that the issue, on one side, boils down to money - a lot of money. And it boils down to people and their connections with this money, and that's the portion that, even with this...

Quotes by Sibel Edmonds

I have also written a book about the Giving of the Torah, and a book on the Days of Awe, and a book on the books of Israel that have been written since the day the Torah was given to...

Quotes by Shmuel Yosef Agnon

When I first began to combine letters other than Hebrew, I read every book in German that came my way, and from these I certainly received according to the nature of my soul.

Quotes by Shmuel Yosef Agnon

I'm writing a book and working on my one-woman show, Learning To Be Human.

Quotes by Shirley Knight

When I need to decompress, I grab a glass of wine, some popcorn, and a great book.

Quotes by Shira Goodman

I give each book however long it needs to be the best I can make it.

Quotes by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I take time with each person and try to remember them, especially if they're a repeater from another event. I know a lot of authors just sign a book and keep their heads down, but I'm not like that.

Quotes by Sherrilyn Kenyon

If you really want to know yourself, start by writing a book.

Quotes by Shereen El Feki

It may be important to write a book that doesn't come up to what I would like to have rather than to write no book at all.

Quotes by Sheri S. Tepper

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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.