Prolonged, indiscriminate reviewing of books is a quite exceptionally thankless, irritating and exhausting job. It not only involves praising trash but constantly inventing reactions towards books about which one has no spontaneous feeling whatever.

Quote by George Orwell

Topics: Books Quotes

We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to...

We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to...

Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it,...

Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it,...

Many people genuinely do not want to be saints, and it is probable that some...

Many people genuinely do not want to be saints, and it is probable that some...

Throughout recorded time... there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High,...

Throughout recorded time... there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High,...

I sometimes think that the price of liberty is not so much eternal vigilance as...

I sometimes think that the price of liberty is not so much eternal vigilance as...

(Mankind) is not likely to salvage civilization unless he can evolve a system of good...

(Mankind) is not likely to salvage civilization unless he can evolve a system of good...

War is a way of shattering to pieces... materials which might otherwise be used to...

War is a way of shattering to pieces... materials which might otherwise be used to...

Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a...

Early in life I had noticed that no event is ever correctly reported in a...

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

Liberal: a power worshipper without power.

Liberal: a power worshipper without power.

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.

War is evil, but it is often the lesser evil

War is evil, but it is often the lesser evil

For the ordinary man is passive. Within a narrow circle (home life, and perhaps the...

For the ordinary man is passive. Within a narrow circle (home life, and perhaps the...

In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.

In our time political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible.

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.

If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they...

If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they...

The aim of a joke is not to degrade the human being, but to remind...

The aim of a joke is not to degrade the human being, but to remind...

The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.

The best books... are those that tell you what you know already.

I've given my memoirs far more thought than any of my marriages. You can't divorce...

I've given my memoirs far more thought than any of my marriages. You can't divorce...

Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is...

Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is...