None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Books, not which afford us a cowering enjoyment, but in which each thought is of unusual daring; such as an idle man cannot read, and a timid one would not be entertained by, which even make us dangerous to existing institution - such call I good books.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Good books challenge our thinking and provoke us to question societal norms.
Henry David Thoreau's quote emphasizes the importance of engaging with literature that stimulates bold and critical thinking. He suggests that true good books are those that provoke the reader to challenge existing beliefs and institutions, stirring a sense of danger in complacency and promoting intellectual courage. They are not merely for passive enjoyment; rather, they require active engagement and a willingness to confront difficult ideas.
Themes
BooksReadingChallengeThoughtIntellectCourage
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of literature on society.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
Henry David ThoreauRead
That grand old poem called Winter
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