Anyone who's a lifelong reader knows that the books we read help shape who we are and how we think. And the very best characters and stories are the ones that we love to quote, from the favorite books we read as children to the classic books we read as adults. Below are, in our humble opinion, ten of the best book quotes to guide the way you live. If we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments!
Related: Inspirational Book Quotes in the Time of Coronavirus


The Time Machine
“It sounds plausible enough tonight, but wait until tomorrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning.” —H.G. Wells, The Time Machine


Invisible Man
“Life is to be lived, not controlled; and humanity is won by continuing to play in face of certain defeat.” —Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man


Jane Eyre
"Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity or registering wrongs." —Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Related: The Re-Read: Jane Eyre


Anna Karenina
"It's much better to do good in a way that no one knows anything about it." —Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
Related: 50 Quotes for Book Lovers


East of Eden
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” —John Steinbeck, East of Eden


The Witches
"It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you." —Roald Dahl, The Witches


The Scarlet Letter
“No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true.” —Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter


The Great Gatsby
“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone … just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby


Great Expectations
“We need never be ashamed of our tears.” —Charles Dickens, Great Expectations


Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
“It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” —J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Keep Reading: 12 To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes to Make You Understand People
Featured photo via Florencia Viadana / Unsplash
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