The shelf was filled with books that were hard to read, that could devastate and remake one's soul, and that, when they were finished, had a kick like a mule.

Mark Helprin
The shelf was filled with books that were hard to...
The shelf was filled with books that were hard to...
The shelf was filled with books that were hard to...
The shelf was filled with books that were hard to...
About This Quote

The shelf was filled with books that were hard to read, that could devastate and remake one's soul, and that, when they were finished, had a kick like a mule. This is a description of how he felt the book was like the experience of reading. He found it difficult to read some books because they had too much information or were boring. The words he chose to describe an interesting book are very interesting.

He used the word "kick" to describe the experience of reading which made him feel like he had gone through something exciting. Also, the fact that the shelf was full of books it made him feel like he had done something productive with his time by getting to read all of them.

Source: Winters Tale

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