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Jane Austen's books, too, are absent from this library. Just that one omission alone would make a fairly good library out of a library that hadn't a book in it.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Mark Twain humorously suggests that the lack of Jane Austen's books significantly diminishes a library's value.

In this quote, Mark Twain cleverly points out that the absence of Jane Austen's works is a major flaw in any library's collection. He implies that Austen's contributions to literature are so vital that a library lacking her books is fundamentally inadequate, highlighting the importance of certain authors in defining literary excellence.

Themes

LiteratureJane AustenLibraryBooksImportance

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about crucial authors in literary history, this quote can be used to highlight Jane Austen's significance.

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