David Tennant (as Hamlet) performs in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet,” which features one of the best book quotes.
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The most memorable popular book quotes pack a lot of power into just a sentence or two. Good book lines set the stage for the entire book, creating expectations for what themes will be explored, which type of language will be used, and who the narrator is. You may be inspired by good quotes from famous books, or you may find the best book sentences remind you of something important in your own life. The best sayings from books often become indelible parts of culture, phrases quoted so much that they become a type of shorthand for a feeling. This list of inspiring lines from books hits on classic and contemporary examples to provide lots of new reading material.
Great Lines From Literature
A good book quote speaks to a universal truth, uses original and concise language and offers insights you know to be true. The best quotes make you think, too. Some of the most frequently quoted writers include William Shakespeare, Dr. Seuss, Toni Morrison and Jane Austen.
These rankings are based on popularity of the quotes, enduring wisdom of what they convey, beauty of the language and how frequently they show up in pop culture.
15. “Congratulations!/Today is your day./You’re off to Great Places!/You’re off and away!”—Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss (1990)
One of the most famous Dr. Seuss lines opens the last book published during the author’s lifetime. It conveys the excitement of starting on a new journey, one reason this book is frequently gifted to recent graduates. Seuss simplifies the act of moving on while also deftly building anticipation for what’s to come.
This book is best for people entering new phases of life. Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
14. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”―Autumn Leaves by André Gide (1950)
French intellectual André Gide’s heralded essay collection drops this singular truth about being true to oneself. Better that people dislike you for your true self than like you for something you are not. Most people learn this lesson the hard way; if they’d only listen to Gide.
This book is best for those trying to find themselves. André Gide’s Autumn Leaves is available from publisher Philosophical Library.
13. “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”―Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)
The folly of youth has value, as Louisa May Alcott shows in her acclaimed novel. So many of life’s lessons can only be learned through experience—and not every day will be smooth sailing, which Amy March wisely embraces. Such insights are one reason this classic has remained popular for more than a century.
This book is best for young people looking for coming-of-age insights. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
12. “Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt.”—Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)
The phrase “comfortably numb” comes to mind when considering this quote, an epitaph of sorts for protagonist Billy Pilgrim. The former soldier, whose war trauma comes back to haunt him, slowly accepts the absurdity of life and how history painfully repeats itself. This phrase is certainly disconnected from Billy’s actual experience.
This book is best for anyone trying to make sense of history. Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five is available from Penguin Random House.
11. “True sorrow is as rare as true love.”—Carrie by Stephen King (1974)
Calling the word “sorry” the “Kool-Aid of human emotions,” Stephen King defines the difference between saying something and feeling something. People claim to be sorry but rarely feel actual sorrow, he argues—and his supernatural protagonist makes those people pay when she takes revenge on them for their terrible bullying.
This book is best for horror fans. Stephen King’s Carrie is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
Author Stephen King, whose book “Carrie” includes one of the most memorable book quotes.
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10. “Friendship … is born at the moment when one man says to another ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself…’”―The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis (1960)
Everyone is unique, yes, but friendships are based on commonalities—and there is no better way to feel connected than to realize that someone else shares your weird thought, hobby or obsession. It makes you feel less alone, C.S. Lewis argues in this treatise on the nature of love.
This book is best for those who want to understand the underpinnings of love. C.S. Lewis’s The Four Loves is available from publisher HarperCollins.
9. “Who controls the past controls the future.”—Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (1949)
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it—unless they rewrite it. In George Orwell’s dystopian novel, Big Brother is always watching over this totalitarian state, and the Ministry of Truth rewrites the past to match its version of events. When a Ministry employee begins to question the wisdom of this, everything could unravel.
This book is best for fans of dystopian or classic novels. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is available from publisher HarperCollins.
8. “What’s the point of having a voice if you’re gonna be silent in those moments you shouldn’t be?”—The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas (2017)
Teenager Starr Carter must decide whether to call out—at great personal risk to herself and her family—the racist actions of the police who shot and killed her friend. She slowly realizes that no one can afford to keep their mouth closed if they want things to change, even when they risk harm themselves.
This book is best for anyone struggling with a tough decision. Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give is available from publisher HarperCollins.
7. “Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience―or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”―Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (1811)
Happiness is not the same for everyone. You may be told by society that something will make you happy, but it’s not always the case—and understanding that can save you a lot of heartache, as Jane Austen so elegantly explains in Sense and Sensibility, a passionate “opposites attract” love story.
This book is best for fans of romance novels. Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is available from publisher Penguin Random House.
6. “We accept the love we think we deserve.”―The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (1999)
Has there ever been a better way to describe the concept of “settling?” Stephen Chbosky gorgeously sums up why so many people with low self-esteem accept the bare minimum in life—whether in romance, friendships or family. Protagonist Charlie slowly learns that he deserves so much more in this YA novel.
This book is best for anyone looking for a deep young adult read. Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.
5. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”―A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. (1986)
Martin Luther King Jr. maintained a hopeful viewpoint even during the darkest days of his activism. He continually made a choice to embrace the light and encourage others to do so as well. In A Testament of Hope, the Reverend explains the principles that guide him and his humanitarian ethos.
This book is best for everyone, really, as it speaks to so many universal concerns. Martin Luther King Jr.’s A Testament of Hope is available from publisher HarperCollins.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr. speaking before crowd of 25,000 civil rights marchers in front of Montgomery, Alabama state capitol building.
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4. “That’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.”—The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (2003)
Book lovers also love quotes about books, and this is one of the best. It sums up the sublime experience of reading—hopping into another dimension without actually moving. Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel emphasizes the importance of maintaining ties to your heritage while embracing a new country, and books play a critical role in that story.
This book is perfect for anyone who has felt the push and pull of two cultural identities. Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake is available from publisher HarperCollins.
3. “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”―Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)
Catch-22 is one of the best satires ever written, and this line is a classic example of why. It is often repeated in popular culture, which doesn’t make it any less true. Sometimes there is a reason for odd behavior, and this takedown of war and war culture does an exceptional job of showing that.
This book is best for anyone looking for laughs as well as philosophical questions. Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.
2. “Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.”― Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)
How fitting that a novel about human enslavement so perfectly sums up the issue with power dynamics. Formerly enslaved woman Sethe is tortured by memories of her daughter, whom she believes has been reincarnated. Sethe recognizes that even post-Civil War, she cannot fully determine how people see her.
This book is best for fans of exceptional prose and storytelling. Toni Morrison’s Beloved is available from Penguin Random House.
1. “To be, or not to be, that is the question:/Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/And by opposing end them. To die—to sleep,/No more.”—Hamlet, William Shakespeare (1623)
William Shakespeare’s works have stood the test of time for a reason. His wit, unflinching observations and outstanding characterization are all on display in Hamlet, about the Danish prince mourning his father and questioning everything else in his life. His soliloquy weighing life and death is poignant yet beautiful.
This book is best for anyone who has trouble taking action. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is available from publisher Simon & Schuster.
Bottom Line
Great books generate great quotes, and all the works on this list are worth your time beyond those inspiring, memorable lines. Pick one up to see the power of words on full display.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are Great Quotes From Harry Potter?
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series is one of the most popular collections of all time, and it has some fantastic quotes. Here are two standouts:
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999), Dumbledore says to Harry, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” This quote speaks to the importance of your own attitude in navigating tough times.
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Dumbledore drops a similarly insightful nugget to Harry, telling him: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities,” reminding the boy that greatness comes from who we choose to be and not who is the most powerful.
What Are Great Shakespeare Quotes?
Shakespeare’s wisdom has endured for centuries. Here are two oft-repeated quotes from his plays:
In As You Like It (1623), Jaques says, “All the world’s a stage,/And all the men and women merely players.” Human nature is to put on a performance rather than show our true selves, according to Shakespeare.
In Romeo and Juliet (1597), Juliet says, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” She’s urging Romeo to forget his own name (their families’ blood feud is why they can’t be together) and realize their love would be just as strong without it.
What Are Great Dr. Seuss Quotes?
Gifted children’s author Dr. Seuss wrote dozens of books, many of which remain popular. Here are two of his most enduring quotes:
In The Lorax (1971), the line “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” reminds everyone that all it takes is one person to make a difference.
In Horton Hears a Who (1954), Horton says, “A person’s a person, no matter how small,” underscoring how everyone is equally important, whatever their physical stature.
What Are Great Quotes From Biographies?
Biographies tell the stories of great people whose legacies endure. Here are two excellent quotes from a pair of bestselling biographies:
Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken (2010) quotes Olympian and former prisoner of war Louis Zamperini as saying, “That’s one thing you learn in sports. You don’t give up; you fight to the finish,” which he certainly did in his races and in life.
Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton (2005) sums up the reason for the success of the American Revolution nicely: “The American Revolution was to succeed because it was undertaken by skeptical men who knew that the same passions that toppled tyrannies could be applied to destructive ends.”
What Are Great Quotes From Romance Novels?
A bon mot that perfectly captures true love—that’s what the greatest quotes from romance novels accomplish, including these two:
In Nicholas Sparks’s The Notebook (1996), Allie tells Noah, “You are, and always have been, my dream.” Nothing else matters, in other words—only love.
In Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847), Cathy says of the brooding Heathcliff, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” She doesn’t know the science of it, but she knows her heart’s desire.