“The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us, oh, they're the worst of all.”
Cite this quote
APA
Wells, C. (n.d.). The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us, oh, they're the worst of all. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3874-the-books-we-think-we-ought-to-read/
MLA
Wells, Carolyn. “The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us, oh, they're the worst of all.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3874-the-books-we-think-we-ought-to-read/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Wells, Carolyn. “The books we think we ought to read are poky, dull, and dry; The books that we would like to read we are ashamed to buy; The books that people talk about we never can recall; And the books that people give us, oh, they're the worst of all.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/3874-the-books-we-think-we-ought-to-read/.