Standards are always out of date. That's what makes them standards.
Alan BennettRead
To begin with, it's true, she read with trepidation and some unease. The sheer endlessness of books outfaced her and she had no idea how to go on; there was no system to her reading, with one book leading to another, and often she had two or three on the go at the same time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the overwhelming experience of navigating through a vast world of literature and the challenges that come with it.
In this quote, Alan Bennett captures the anxiety and trepidation one may feel when confronted with the infinite possibilities of reading. The mention of reading with unease signifies not just a lack of direction in her literary journey, but also the joy and chaos that come from simultaneously exploring multiple narratives, highlighting the rich yet daunting nature of literary exploration.
Themes
ReadingBooksLiteratureEducationExploration
In practice
Example use cases
In a book club discussion about the joys and struggles of reading.
More from Alan Bennett
All quotes →A book is a device to ignite the imagination.
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Those who have known the famous are publicly debriefed of their memories, knowing as their own dusk falls that they will only be remembered for remembering someone else.
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To read is to withdraw.To make oneself unavailable. One would feel easier about it if the pursuit inself were less...selfish.
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The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours
Alan BennettRead
...she felt about reading what some writers felt about writing: that it was impossible not to do it and that at this late stage of her life she had been chosen to read as others were chosen to write.
Alan BennettRead
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