I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we're reading doesn't wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. That is my belief.

Reading books that challenge us emotionally and intellectually is essential for personal growth and self-discovery. It is through these profound and impactful books that we truly confront our innermost thoughts and feelings, allowing us to break through the barriers that hold us back. Embracing the discomfort and pain that some books may bring is a testament to their power to transform us from within.