13,166 books
—
80,258 voters
Ruaidhri
https://www.goodreads.com/ruaidhrithelion
“If you are too careful, you are so occupied in being careful that you are sure to stumble over something.”
―
―
“Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.'
'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit.
'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'
'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'
'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
― The Velveteen Rabbit
'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit.
'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'
'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'
'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.”
― The Velveteen Rabbit
“One describes a tale best by telling the tale. You see? The way one describes a story, to oneself or to the world, is by telling the story. It is a balancing act and it is a dream. The more accurate the map, the more it resembles the territory. The most accurate map possible would be the territory, and thus would be perfectly accurate and perfectly useless.
The tale is the map that is the territory.
You must remember this.”
― American Gods
The tale is the map that is the territory.
You must remember this.”
― American Gods
Little Black Cart
— 183 members
— last activity Sep 27, 2022 01:28PM
Our mission is the total transformation of society into one that is stateless and classless, a society of mutual aid, voluntary cooperation, and the l ...more
Social Change & Activism
— 1669 members
— last activity Jul 13, 2025 12:04AM
People interested in progressive social change for advancing social justice and the environment. Exploring issues, ideas, solutions, organizing, metho ...more
Banned Books
— 5173 members
— last activity Mar 08, 2026 05:00PM
To celebrate our love of reading books that people see fit to ban throughout the world. We abhor censorship and promote freedom of speech.
Ruaidhri’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Ruaidhri’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
Polls voted on by Ruaidhri
Lists liked by Ruaidhri




























