A reader seldom peruses a book with pleasure until he knows whether the writer of it be a black man or a fair man, of a mild or choleric disposition, married or a bachelor.

-Addison,Joseph
  In The Spectator, no.1,1 Mar.

Omnis mundi creatura Quasi liber et pictura Nobis est, et speculum. Each creature of the world Is as a book, a picture, And a mirror to us.

-Alan of Lille also known as  'Alanus de Insulis'
c.1170  De Incarnatione Christi (Rhythmus  Alter), l.1^3.

[The translator] will find one English book and one only, where, as in the Iliad itself, perfect plainness of speech is allied with perfect nobleness; and that book isthe Bible.

-Arnold, Matthew
On Translating Homer, lecture 3.

Publishing a book is often very much like being put on trial for some offence which is quite other than the one you know in your heart you've committed.

-Atwood, Margaret Eleanor
  Negotiating with the Dead:  A Writer on Writing.

Remember that cookery writers are no different from other writers: many have only one book in them (and some shouldn't have let it out in the first place).

-Barnes,Julian Patrick
  The Pedant in the Kitchen.

Child! do not throw this book about; Refrain from the unholy pleasure Of cutting all the pictures out! Preserve it as your chiefest treasure.

-Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire Pierre
  The Bad Child's Book of Beasts, dedication.

Behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

-Bible (Old Testament)
Job 31:35.

   I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

-Bible (Old Testament)
Psalms139:14^16.

   And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as thestarsforeverand ever.Butthou,ODaniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

-Bible (Old Testament)
Daniel12:3^4.

Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

-Bible (NewTestament)
Revelation 5:2^3.

Itook thelittlebookout of theangel'shand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

-Bible (NewTestament)
Revelation10:9^10.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And thesea gave up the dead whichwere in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And deathand hell were cast intothelake of fire.

-Bible (NewTestament)
Revelation 20:11^14.

There they are, my fifty men and women Naming me the fifty poems finished! Take them, Love, the book and me together. Where the heart lies, let the brain lie also.

-Browning, Robert
  Men and Women,'One Word More. To E.B.B.', stanza1.

The possession of a book becomes a substitute for reading it.

-Wilson
  In the NewYork Times Book Review, 4 Dec.

Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the yard and shot it.

-Capote,Truman
Quoted in Linda Botts (ed) Loose Talk (1980).

'That's not a regular rule: you invented it just now.' 'It's the oldest rule in the book,'said the King. 'Then it ought to be Number One,'said Alice.

-Dodgson
  Alice's  Adventures in Wonderland, ch.12, 'Alice's Evidence'.

   Cui dono lepidum novum libellum arida modo pumice expolitum? Corneli, tibi. Who shall I give my nice new little book to, my little book polished with dry pumice? To you, Cornelius.

-Catiline full name Lucius Sergius Catilina
Dedication to Cornelius Nepos, the biographer. Carmina, no.1.

The Louvre is the book in which we learn to read.

-Ce¤  zanne, Paul
  Letter to EŁ   mile Bernard.

I have a little black book with two players in it, and if Iget a chanceto dothem Iwill.Iwill makethemsuffer before I pack this game in. If I can kick them four years over the touch-line, I will.

-Charlton,Jack (John)
  Remark to reporters, which led to severe trouble with the soccer authorities. Quoted in Colin  Jarman The Guinness Dictionary of Sports Quotations (1990).

I should like to see the custom introduced of readers who are pleased with a book sending the author some small cash token† Not more than a hundred poundsöthat would be bad for my characterönot less than half a crownöthat would do no good to yours.

-Connolly, Cyril Vernon
  Enemies of Promise, ch.13.