Quote#Books & Reading
The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry
Quote byCarolyn Wells · 1862–1942
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: "On Books", in Harper's Monthly Magazine, vol. 121, no. 723 (August 1910) p. 484.
English (original)
The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us — oh, they’re the worst of all!
— Carolyn Wells
More from Carolyn Wells
I love the Christmas-tide, and yet, I notice this, each year I live; I always like the gifts I get, But how I love the gifts I give!
A guilty conscience is the mother of invention.
A blunder at the right moment is better than cleverness at the wrong time.
Of two evils choose the prettier.
A cynic is a man who looks at the world with a monocle in his mind's eye.
“A noble theme!” the tyro cried; And straightway scribbled off a sonnet. “A noble theme,” the poet sighed; “I am not fit to write upon it.”