Books are more than stories—they’re vessels of truth, wisdom, and emotional resonance that can shift the way you see the world.

Here are 10 powerful book quotes that will change your life and the way you think:

1.

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

– Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

2.

“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.”

– Chuck Palahniuk, Diary

3.

“It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”

– Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

4.

“‘Why did you do all this for me?’ he asked. ‘I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.’ ‘You have been my friend,’ replied Charlotte. ‘That in itself is a tremendous thing.’”

– E. B. White, Charlotte’s Web

5.

“Saying yes doesn’t mean I don’t know how to say no, and saying please doesn’t mean I am waiting for permission. ‘Yes, please’ sounds powerful and concise; it’s a response and a request. It’s not about being a ‘good girl.’ It’s about being a real woman.”

– Amy Poehler, Yes Please

6.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

– Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

7.

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

– Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

8.

“You forget what you want to remember, and you remember what you want to forget.”

– Cormac McCarthy, The Road

9.

“Now I think it’s one of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child – What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite. As if at some point you become something and that’s the end.”

– Michelle Obama, Becoming

10.

“Where does it all lead? What will become of us? These were our young questions, and young answers were revealed. It leads to each other. We become ourselves.”

– Patti Smith, Just Kids