Books are personal, passionate. They stir emotions and spark thoughts in a manner all their own, and I'm convinced that the shattered world has less hope for repair if reading becomes an ever smaller part of it.
Interpretation
Books evoke deep emotions and thoughts, playing a crucial role in society's hope for improvement.
This quote emphasizes the profound impact that books have on individuals and society. Frank Bruni suggests that literature not only sparks emotions and thoughts but also holds the power to foster hope and repair in a fragmented world. The dwindling presence of reading threatens this potential for growth and understanding, pointing to the critical need for literature in our lives.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of education, I quoted Bruni to reinforce the value of reading.
The tragedy is that society (your school, your boss, your government, your family) keeps drumming the genius part out. The problem is that our culture has engaged in a Faustian bargain, in which we trade our genius and artistry for apparent stability.
I always read. You know how sharks have to keep swimming or they die? I’m like that. If I stop reading, I die.
A quality education grants us the ability to fight the war on ignorance and poverty.
I've got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby.
Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and all the nooks.
Acquire new knowledge whilst thinking over the old, and you may become a teacher of others.
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