'No, but one can feel desperate at any age, don't you think? The young are eternally desperate,' he said frankly. 'And books, they offer one hope - that a whole universe might open up from between the covers, and falling into that universe, one is saved.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Despair is a human constant felt at any age, though youth suffers it most acutely. Books provide hope by offering an immersive escape into a new universe.
- In plain terms
- Young people feel desperate forever, but reading gives them hope and salvation.
- What can you take from it?
- Reading can save you by opening up new worlds when you feel desperate.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When did you last feel saved by a book?
- Is despair more common in youth or old age?
Another view
The quote assumes all young people are desperate, which may not be universally true.
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