Prominent figures and authors have spoken on the impact reading has had on their lives, shaping them into the changemakers they are today. Books are like mirrors: if a fool looks in, you cannot expect a genius to look out. – J.K. Rowling 60 If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it. – Toni Morrison 64

Real meaning: In Ancient Greece, laurel leaves were associated with high status and achievement. As a matter of fact, athletes were presented with wreaths made from laurel leaves to denote their prestige. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. – Dr. Seuss Children know perfectly well that unicorns aren’t real, but they also know that books about unicorns, if they are good books, are true books.”– Ursula K. Le Guin

2,500 English Phrases and Sayings - each one explained

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. – Oscar Wilde 33 Salvation is certainly among the reasons I read. Reading and writing have always pulled me out of the darkest experiences in my life. Stories have given me a place in which to lose myself. They have allowed me to remember. They have allowed me to forget. They have allowed me to imagine different endings and better possible worlds.” Real meaning: As old sayings go, this one is the most literal I can find. 18 th-century playwright John Dennis wanted an authentic sound of thunder to give his play more gravitas. So he invented a thunder-making machine.

Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere.” Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. – Author Unknown 9 Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled “This could change your life.” – Helen Exley A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author. – Gilbert K. Chesterton 18 One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time.”

35 Popular Old Sayings and Their Real Meanings

Real meaning: In the 19 th century, a hat was used to indicate the start of a race or a fight. A hat would be dropped or swept in a downward arc and participants would begin. Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”– Anna Quindlen in How Reading Changed My Life

Who’s your favorite famous author? What’s your favorite famous quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein The real difference, though, lies in our attitude to reading. Gilbert K. Chesterton once said: “There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read.”A minimalist and stylish visualization of Murakami’s bright thought on how reading makes us exceptional.