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Public libraries have been a mainstay of my life. They represent an individual's right to acquire knowledge; they are the sinews that bind civilized societies the world over. Without libraries, I would be a pauper, intellectually and spiritually.
James A. Michener
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Public libraries are essential for individual knowledge and societal development.

James A. Michener emphasizes the crucial role that public libraries play in providing individuals with access to knowledge and learning. He argues that libraries are fundamental to the cohesion and advancement of civilized societies, and without them, one's intellectual and spiritual growth would be severely impoverished.

Themes

LibrariesKnowledgeEducationSocietyIntellectualSpiritual

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech on the importance of education, one might quote Michener's reflection on libraries.

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I have never thought of myself as a good writer. Anyone who wants reassurance of that should read one of my first drafts. But I'm one of the world's great rewriters.
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If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life.
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I was brought up in the great tradition of the late nineteenth century: that a writer never complains, never explains and never disdains.
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