“Fast reading of a great novel will get us the plot. It will get us names, a shadowy idea of characters, a sketch of settings. It will not get us subtleties, small differentiations, depth of emotion and observation, multilayered human experience, the appreciation of simile and metaphor, any sense of context, any comparison with other novels, other writers. Fast reading will not get us cadence and complexities of style and language. It will not get us anything that enters not just the conscious mind but the unconscious. It will not allow the book to burrow down into our memory and become part of ourselves, the accumulation of knowledge and wisdom and vicarious experience which helps to form us as complete human beings. It will not develop our awareness or add to the sum of our knowledge and intelligence. Read parts of a newspaper quickly or an encyclopaedia entry, or a fast-food thriller, but do not insult yourself or a book which has been created with its author's painstakingly acquired skill and effort, by seeing how fast you can dispose of it.”
Quote by Susan Hill
Work
This book is a compilation of personal essays that explore the author's reading journey during a year spent at home. It delves into the impact of reading on the individual's life, the connection between books and personal growth, and the unique experiences that arise from reading in a domestic setting. more
Author
Susan Hill is a renowned British author, born on February 5, 1942. She is best known for her suspense and thriller novels, with works like 'The Woman in Black' and 'The House on the Edge of the Water' gaining widespread acclaim. more
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“Reading is solitude. One reads alone, even in another's presence.”
“A book is a mirror; if an ass peers into it, you can't expect an apostle to peer out.”
“Denn ich ohne Bücher bin nicht ich.”
“Maybe Heaven will be a library and then I might get to finish my ‘to-read’ list.”
“Where are you going on vacation?” “Nowhere. I’m going to read. I love reading.”