Over the course of history, literature has been humanity’s most enduring mirror, reflecting our values, struggles and aspirations.
Words have the power to enlighten, transform and connect us across time and place.
“Literature and Wisdom” is a tribute to the written word, featuring quotations that capture the essence of the human experience and provide guidance for navigating life’s complexities.
In this chapter, you will find reflections from poets, novelists and philosophers whose works have stood the test of time. These reflections remind us of the importance of storytelling, the beauty of language and the insights that only literature can offer.
Whether it is learning lessons from a classic novel or finding comfort in a simple verse, this section celebrates the power of literature to inspire us to think, feel, and grow.
As you read, may these words encourage you to embrace the richness of human thought and the infinite possibilities of wisdom.
“O, time, thou fleeting tyrant, who shall restore Those seasons lost, when days were as glass and sand? Who shall reclaim the passion and the gesture bold, The women and the songs that once my heart did hold? The friends I lost, the books I devoured with zeal, The joy of appetites that once did … Read more
“Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love – they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.” Harry Lime (Orson … Read more
“Reflect upon your present blessings – of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” (Charles Dickens)
“He who hath the power to do the deed, Hath no desire to e’er proceed; He who hath desire, yet lacketh might, Hath not the skill to bring it to light; He who doth know the truth, doth not act, And he who acteth, knoweth not the fact; Thus fares the world, in woe and … Read more
“Die Gedankenfreiheit haben wir. Nun müssen wir uns nur noch die Gedanken beschaffen.” (Karl Kraus) Which literally translates from German into English as: “We have the freedom of thought. Now, we just need to acquire the thoughts themselves.” Another translation that partially preserves the original irony would be: “We have freedom of thought; what we … Read more
“A man who cultivates his garden, as Voltaire wished. Someone who is pleased that music exists on earth. Someone who delightfully discovers an etymology. Two employees silently playing chess in a café in the South. A potter who premeditates a color and a shape. A typesetter who composes this page well, which perhaps he doesn’t … Read more
“Misanthropy is born when excessive trust is placed in someone without knowing them well, considering them a loyal, sincere, and faithful friend, only to discover gradually that they are wicked and unfaithful, a completely different being. When this experience is repeated several times, especially with those we considered most trusted and friendly, one ends up, … Read more
“’tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.” (William Shakespeare, King Lear)
“Reading furnishes the mind with materials of knowledge; it is thinking that makes what we read ours.” John Locke “Essay Concerning Human Understanding”.
“I am more interested in my own conscience than in the opinion of others.” (Cicero)
“We often share our inner world with the pretence that a mass of illiterates can read it.” (Goethe)
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.” (Voltaire, circa 1750)
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.” (T.S. Eliot)
“Though I may not have wings to fly, the dark falls have shown me How to rise from the shadows, and reach for the sky.” (Franco Battiato, Aforismi per una Nuova Umanità)
“While the future torments us and the past holds us back… the present slips away from us in the meantime.” (Gustave Flaubert)
“The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.” (Alexandre Dumas, fils)
“Think not of the books you have bought as a “to be read” pile. Instead, think of your bookcase as a wine cellar. You collect books to be read at the right time, the right place, and the right mood.” (Luc van Donkersgoed)
“If you pursue your star, you cannot fail to reach a splendid harbor,if in fair life, I judged you properly …” (Dante Alighieri Divine Comedy Canto XV of Hell)
Love all, trust a few, Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy Rather in power than use; and keep thy friend Under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence, But never tax’d for speech. (William Shakespeare,All’s well that ends well)
April, come she will When streams are ripe and swelled with rain May, she will stay Resting in my arms again June, she’ll change her tune In restless walks, she’ll prowl the night July, she will fly And give no warning of her flight August, die she must The autumn winds blow chilly and cold … Read more