Importance of Reading Books

As a kid, I remember, I loved going to the libraries. The musty smell of an old book never ceased to enchant me. Sometimes I issued books with popular names, sometimes the one which had an attractive cover, sometimes the name of the author struck a chord somewhere. I guess I always was a book lover.

Since, I believe learning vicariously is as important as learning from your own experiences I decided to collect some quotes on reading. Here goes:

“The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.” ~ Mark Twain It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it. ~Oscar Wilde

 “I’ve gotten paid a lot over the years for reading through the newspapers.”~ Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett’s business partner)

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past centuries.” – Descartes

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.”   - Joseph Brodsky

I believe in the transformative power of reading - the ability of an author to transport you to knew worlds, introduce you to knew people, and even alter your perspective. Reading is important.
- Jeff Bezos, Founder, Amazon 

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”   - Groucho Marx

“Read, read, read.” - William Faulkner

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject area) who didn’t read all the time – none, zero. You’d be amazed at how much Warren [Buffett] reads – and how much I read.”~ Charlie Munger (Warren Buffett’s business partner. Warren Buffett generally reads five newspapers a day -- the Journal, the Financial Times, the New York Times, USA Today and the Omaha World-Herald. Make that six -- he reads the American Banker every day too.)

“A capacity and taste for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.” - Abraham Lincoln

“Some people will lie, cheat, steal and back-stab to get ahead... and to think, all they have to do is READ. “ – Fortune
“Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” - Margaret Fuller “I read Economist and India Today, which I read cover to cover every week. In the Economist, I read the entire business section and the science and technology section. These are my constant reads. Then I read broker reports and go through balance sheets…. I was a voracious reader before 35.” ~ Rakesh Jhunjhunwala