Quotes about books

Most critics don't realize that a novel like One Hundred Years of Solitude is a bit of a joke, full of signals to close friends; and so, with some pre-ordained right to pontificate they take on the responsibility of decoding the book and risk making terrible fools of themselves.

I was just on the edge of getting married, and I was frenzied at the prospect of this great step in my life after having been a bachelor for so long. And I really wanted to take my mind off of the agony, and so I decided to sit down and write a book.

An Active mind didn't need distraction in its physical environment. It needed a collection of outstanding books and a good lamp. Maybe some cheese and crackers.

Most people don't walk around the tools to process pain and fear, that kind of discomfort. In most cases, it's unbearable to look at it, feel it, and/or address it. It's why I'm such a fan of self-help books.

Sadly I don't sing. I missed it for a long time, but my daughter Emma said something wonderful when I was feeling blue one day: "Mom, you've just found a different way of using your voice, and that's with your books." In a way, she's right. It's just a different way of expressing what I feel about music, individuality, art and all the things I've always loved.

I love book signings: kids waiting in line for you to scribble on their new books, haha!

I wasn't a very outgoing child. I read a lot of books and the characters in each of the books became like imaginary friends - I immersed myself in the different worlds. I always hated finishing books that I really loved for that reason.

My only dream is to get old and finally have time to read all the books that I'm collecting.

When I was a child - in wartime, pre-television - books were my life.

A good story should make you laugh, and a moment later break your heart.

Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read.

Reading has given me more satisfaction than really anything else.

In the end all books are written for your friends. The problem after writing One Hundred Years of Solitude was that now I no longer know whom of the millions of readers I am writing for; this upsets and inhibits me. It's like a million eyes are looking at you and you don't really know what they think.

Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again for, like true friends, they will never fail us - never cease to instruct - never cloy.