Sign in with Facebook
to-read
(513)
currently-reading (7)
read (198)
did-not-finish (1)
something-new (110)
english-literature (80)
italian-literature (57)
writing (54)
american-literature (44)
biografie (42)
poetry (35)
short-stories (34)
currently-reading (7)
read (198)
did-not-finish (1)
something-new (110)
english-literature (80)
italian-literature (57)
writing (54)
american-literature (44)
biografie (42)
poetry (35)
short-stories (34)
politics
(29)
non-fiction (25)
french-literature (19)
russian-literature (16)
gothic (15)
photography (15)
consigli-di-scrittori (14)
bloomsbury (13)
latin-and-greek (12)
art (10)
london (9)
children (8)
non-fiction (25)
french-literature (19)
russian-literature (16)
gothic (15)
photography (15)
consigli-di-scrittori (14)
bloomsbury (13)
latin-and-greek (12)
art (10)
london (9)
children (8)
“Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.”
―
Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.”
―
“Second-hand books are wild books, homeless books; they have come together in vast flocks of variegated feather, and have a charm which the domesticated volumes of the library lack. Besides, in this random miscellaneous company we may rub against some complete stranger who will, with luck, turn into the best friend we have in the world.”
― Street Haunting
― Street Haunting
“If the book we are reading does not wake us, as with a fist hammering on our skulls, then why do we read it? Good God, we also would be happy if we had no books and such books that make us happy we could, if need be, write ourselves. What we must have are those books that come on us like ill fortune, like the death of one we love better than ourselves, like suicide. A book must be an ice axe to break the sea frozen inside us.
What we need are books that hit us like a most painful misfortune, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, that make us feel as though we had been banished to the woods, far from any human presence, like a suicide. A book must be the ax for the frozen sea within us.”
―
What we need are books that hit us like a most painful misfortune, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, that make us feel as though we had been banished to the woods, far from any human presence, like a suicide. A book must be the ax for the frozen sea within us.”
―
“Pestis eram vivus ... moriens tua mors ero - "Living, I was your plague ... dying, I shall be your death.”
―
―
“It is in vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquillity: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it. Millions are condemned to a stiller doom than mine, and millions are in silent revolt against their lot. Nobody knows how many rebellions besides political rebellions ferment in the masses of life which people earth. Women are supposed to be very calm generally: but women feel just as men feel; they need exercise for their faculties, and a field for their efforts, as much as their brothers do; they suffer from too rigid a restraint, to absolute a stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex.”
― Jane Eyre
― Jane Eyre
Reading the 20th Century
— 1639 members
— last activity 1 hour, 41 min ago
Welcome to 'Reading the 20th Century', a friendly and inclusive group that explores and discusses the literature, history, culture and music of the ye ...more
Virginia’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Virginia’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
3,483 books
|
2,795 friends
458 books
|
57 friends
773 books
|
3,954 friends
1,165 books
|
5,689 friends
3 books
|
1,264 friends
291 books
|
436 friends
59 books
|
1 friend
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Virginia
Lists liked by Virginia
