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Great Literature Quotes

Great writing changes the person reading it.

These quotes reach for what actually separates great literature from a simple plot: surprise, delight, and provocation rather than boy-meets-girl mechanics. One goes further, arguing great literature transforms the reader toward the condition of the person who wrote it.

Last Updated on May 30, 2021

Great
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Nov 07, 2020

I get upset about what is taken as great literature and what is cute and exotic.

Quotes by Rabih Alameddine

Girl
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Nov 07, 2020

The idea behind a dish - the delight and the surprise - makes a difference. Great literature surprises and delights, and provokes us. It isn't just 'Here's the facts - boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl.' It's how you tell it.

Quotes by Nathan Myhrvold

Literature
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Nov 07, 2020

I think you can find all the elements that you can find in great literature in mundane experiences.

Quotes by Harvey Pekar

Man
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Nov 07, 2020

What is wonderful about great literature is that it transforms the man who reads it towards the condition of the man who wrote.

Quotes by E. M. Forster

Life
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Nov 07, 2020

No one bothered reading the books and understanding - and again, I'm not being high-falutin' about it - but I think our books are great literature with great metaphors of real life dealing with fears and hopes.

Quotes by Avi Arad

There's also a democratic streak here, with one writer insisting the elements of great literature can be found in mundane, everyday experience. See our Depth and Culture collections for related reflections.

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