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)
“If something burns your soul with purpose and desire, it’s your duty to be reduced to ashes by it. Any other form of existence will be yet another dull book in the library of life.”
―
―
“First and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered By self is, of all things. the most shameful and objectionable.”
― The Republic
― The Republic
“Perché la vita, per tutte le sfacciate assurdità, piccole e grandi, di cui beatamente è piena, ha l'inestimabile privilegio di poter fare a meno di quella stupidissima verosimiglianza, a cui l'arte crede suo dovere obbedire. Le assurdità della vita non hanno bisogno di parer verosimili, perché sono vere. All'opposto di quelle dell'arte che, per parer vere, hanno bisogno d'esseri verosimili. E allora, verosimili, non sono più assurdità. Un caso della vita può essere assurdo; un'opera d'arte, se è opera d'arte, no. Ne segue che tacciare d'assurdità e d'inverosimiglianza, in nome della vita, un'opera d'arte è balordaggine. In nome dell'arte, sì; in nome della vita, no.”
― Il fu Mattia Pascal
― Il fu Mattia Pascal
“We are paper thin. We exist by chance between the percentages, temporarily. And this is the best and the worst part, the time factor. And there’s nothing you can do about it. You can sit on top of a mountain and meditate for decades and nothing will change. You can change yourself to be acceptable, but maybe this is wrong. Perhaps we think too much. Feel more, think less.”
―
―
“What do you think spies are: priests, saints, and martyrs? They’re a squalid procession of vain fools, traitors too, yes; pansies, sadists, and drunkards, people who play cowboys and Indians to brighten their rotten lives. Do you think they sit like monks in London balancing the rights and wrongs? I’d have killed Mundt if I could, I hate his guts; but not now. It so happens that they need him. They need him so that the great moronic mass that you admire can sleep soundly in their beds at night. They need him for the safety of ordinary, crummy people like you and me.”
― The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
― The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
Reading the 20th Century
— 1638 members
— last activity 2 hours, 5 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.
Favorite Genres
Polls voted on by Virginia
Lists liked by Virginia





































