Emerson on Reading

"Wisdom comes after information and knowledge. Books provide the scaffolding that allows us to build our own system of thought." "We are too civil to books," writes Emerson." For a few golden sentences we read 400 to 500 pages." Still he opened every new book with anticipation. He spent his life searching for sentences. Most, of course, came from within. The original thoughts of an original thinker. But he was always ready for any person or book …

…had dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book. Perhaps not so much from reading a new book but from coming upon a person who sees life in a slightly different way-and that way a sudden opening to your own hidden or unexpressed thoughts on the matter. We must be civil to books. It is worth reading 400-500 pages to find a few golden sentences that can change our lives.