Books are fatal: they are the curse of the human race. Nine- tenths of existing books are nonsense, and the clever books are the refutation of that nonsense. The greatest misfortune that ever befell man was the invention of printing.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author argues that most books are useless and even good ones are just reactions to bad ones.
- In plain terms
- Most books are useless or just corrections of other useless books.
- What can you take from it?
- Question the value of most written works.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a book worth reading?
Another view
Many books provide essential knowledge and history.
More from Benjamin Disraeli
When a man fell into his anecdotage, it was a sign for him to retire.
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