I will try and keep this updated with more and more great books quotes.
Below are 9 great books quotes (some from famous books) with my reflections underneath.
I am a great believer in the power of words, especially when masterfully crafted by a great storyteller. I love when I stumble upon a quote which very beautifully summarizes a point of view on life that I also find relevant.
These book quotes about life are precisely this: they explore themes such as freedom and constraint, in and out, soul and society, future and present.
1984 by George Orwell
Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.
Most of the reviews on Orwell’s masterpiece 1984 focus on all the ways it applies to our distorted reality of fake news, algorithms, and crises in every aspect of human life, from politics to climate to health. And yes, it is true how scarily prolific it is. However, I want to focus on a more psychological aspect of the book and on what we can take from it as individuals.
Personally, I feel like we live in an era of extreme over-rationalization. Our brains are overwhelmed by information, choices, and a multitude of meta-realities. Everywhere we look, we’re taught how we ought to live our lives by people of questionable intentions. No one seems to say that we know best.
For me, a big part of the therapeutic journey was learning to read myself better. The part that goes beyond my brain: how to tune into my emotions, feelings, senses, what feels right and what feels wrong, and then have the courage to trust it.
Psychologists say 95% of our lives are dictated by the subconscious, which speaks through exactly what we’ve been taught to ignore: our emotions, feelings, insights, idle thoughts, and our bodies.
To me, one of the key messages of Orwell’s masterpiece is that the brain is easily manipulated. Give it a conundrum, and it can produce detailed arguments for both sides, debating endlessly until it leaves you exhausted.
But there is something deeper, an inner truth, an internal compass spoken through an inarticulate language, that always knows best.
That is not to say that we should vilify the brain, but just to say that it's only a part of the full picture.
PS: The movie Lucy (2014) contains a brilliant scene toward the end that shows what would happen to someone if they rely fully on the brain.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four.
Here, Orwell reminds us of the freedom to stay authentic and truthful— the ability to share our reality as it is, to the extent that feels right and safe.
Even today, many people in parts of the world are denied basic freedoms, and our digitised world still struggles to define the limits of “censorship” in the name of safety. Even beneath the surface, we’re often bound by societal expectations and the limitations we place on ourselves. So, it’s never been more important to become aware of everything that holds us back and to live more consciously. And with that, we can fight for a better, freer world.
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
But imagining what might happen if one’s circumstances were different was the only sure route to madness.
This quote is a wonderful reflection on how sometimes we are “imprisoned” by our circumstances. Usually, our first natural reaction is to resist and deny. However, there are cases when these circumstances are either impossible to change (as in the case of Count Rostov) or will take time to change. In my experience, the best route of action is to accept things as they are now, take conscious action to change if possible, and if not, work with what we’ve got.
What matters in life is not whether we receive a round of applause, what matters is whether we have the courage to venture forth despite the uncertainty of acclaim.
Another one by Towles which highlights the importance of doing things from a place of authenticity, not with the main aim of gaining external recognition. A lot of us, especially in the era of hustle culture and social media, try to achieve this ideal image of self that often doesn't correspond to what we truly value or need. We grit our teeth to embody someone else’s ideas—often contradictory—and end up frustrated, burned out, and empty. Self-love begins with self-acceptance. And a big part of it is acting when it feels right, without any expectations. If the applause comes, well, that's fine, but if it doesn't, that's fine too. Because ultimately, the only applause we actually need is from our own selves.If you are ever in doubt, just remember that unlike adults, children want to be happy. So they still have the ability to take the greatest pleasure in the simplest things.
Remember your inner child? Remember the ability to experience joy in small pleasures…like a gorgeous view or a delicious pastry * yummm * . I feel like growing up, society pushes us to forget about our sense of delight and play in order to become “grown-up,” “serious,” and “accomplished.” Then, we become disheartened, tired, joyless. And on this soulful search, we end up going back precisely to this child, teaching ourselves how to enjoy, indulge, play, laugh, excite.
Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Though her soul requires seeing, the culture around her requires sightlessness. Though her soul wishes to speak its truth, she is pressured to be silent.
This highlights the importance of nurturing our soul and expressing its authenticity in a world where silencing is often the norm. Without that expression, the soul’s voice grows quieter and quieter until it’s just a muffled echo, leaving us disconnected from our bodies, feeling lost, confused, unsettled, and powerless. I wrote about this in a poem recently: to me, there's no bigger poison than long systematic silence. Sometimes silence is needed when it's an act of self-preservation, of course.
However, we are often taught to see silence—whether literal or the act of ignoring our own needs and limits—as something honorable in every situation. But speaking out, respecting our needs, and accepting our limits is often much braver in our hustle culture. Whether it’s in small moments, like admitting a friend hurt you, recognizing you don’t have the strength to help, or acknowledging the gym isn’t your thing…or in more serious situations.
Unfortunately, as with everything in life, there’s no single formula or guideline. Everyone’s norms, needs, and resources are different, and you know best what feels right.
If you have attempted to fit whatever mold and failed to do so, you are probably lucky. You may be an exile of some sort, but you have sheltered your soul.
Similar to my thoughts above, this speaks profoundly to those fortunate enough to speak out and know this very subtle balance. The price is high, because those who don't fit and are brave enough to express themselves often trigger those who aren't brave enough. We see that everywhere on the internet, which gives freedom of speech to everyone who wishes it, and unfortunately, sometimes the people who do use it only to attack others so they can feel better about themselves—perhaps because they don't have the same courage.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
At the end of the day, whether one returns to the past or travels to the future, the present doesn't change
...If you could go back,
who would you want to meet?
Very relevant to today's world that seems stuck in anxiously calculating the present or cozily hiding in the nostalgia of the past. The past can be very useful, because our models of behavior, our belief systems, and life-shaping events happened there. So if we drag a lot of unprocessed emotions, it can be very difficult not to feel weighed down by them. In this sense, to me, the travel in this book is a bit like therapy. You go back to feel, resolve, forgive, let go. And the future? Well, I guess it shows that as much as we try to plan it, it might turn out completely differently. What matters is to have good intentions for the future now, do your best, and trust life to do its job.
Sometimes life is stranger than fiction, but sometimes it's incomparable in other ways. Sometimes it's heaven that the false fire of imagination could never capture.
This, to me, means that as much as we try to predict life, sweating long anxious hours about the could-be would-be’s, it tends to have its own way of arranging things, often braver than our more imaginative ideas. This is why I’ve learned to think less and trust more, at least in the direction of the future.
Hope you enjoyed these quotes in books about life, with my reflections and thoughts.
These quotes from books templates are taken from my Reading Journal
Designed with love for a greater reading experience.
