“My alma mater was books, a good library… I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity.”
This quote by African American revolutionary and civil rights activist Malcolm X from The Autobiography of Malcolm X emphasizes the importance of books in one’s life. It suggests how books carried a significant meaning in Malcolm X’s life as his main source of information, showing his deep love for learning and the power of self-education.
As the world today stays absorbed in mobile phones, constantly consuming a variety of content, the importance of books has quietly diminished. Everything you want to know now is just a Google away.
Unlike the content we consume on social media, which offers fleeting attention, books offer something that performative digital material that focuses on clicks and likes cannot – depth.
What it means
The quote by Malcolm X may signify that while institutions and classrooms are sources of knowledge, a book has the power to become a true teacher.
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The quote underscores curiosity and the significance of reaching out to the vast knowledge which even a 100-page book can impart. Knowledge taken from books can be lifelong and self-directed – where learning is not confined to grades or degrees but is an ongoing journey of discovery, fueled by curiosity.
They offer freedom to explore any topic, allowing the readers to form one’s own understanding of the world.
Where does it come from?
The quote “My alma mater was books, a good library… I could spend the rest of my life reading, just satisfying my curiosity” comes from Malcolm X, taken from Chapter 11 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published in 1965.
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How to apply it today?
Takeaway 1: In a world of quick and short content, books offer deep knowledge that will stay.
Takeaway 2: When the world feels overwhelming and uncertain, books remain a constant source of comfort and clarity – take your pick from Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse to Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility to Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns.
Takeaway 3: In this fast-paced world, books teach us patience and focus. When you read a book, you slow down, you pay attention – just what everyone needs today.
Related readings
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Literary Theory by Terry Eagleton
The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
An Autobiography by Jawaharlal Nehru
