topic: Book, Literary Merit, Stories

A man of letters, merely by reading a phrase, can estimate exactly the literary merit of its author.
source: Marcel Proust (2016). “Swann's Way”, p.326, Marcel Proust
topic: Reading, Men, Literary Merit
There is no test of literary merit except survival, which is itself an index to majority opinion.
source: George Orwell, Keith Gessen (2009). “All Art Is Propaganda: Critical Essays”, p.320, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
topic: Literary Merit, Survival, Majority, Majority Opinion
topic: Character, Literary Merit, Fiction
The book trade invented literary prizes to stimulate sales, not to reward merit.
topic: Book, Rewards, Merit, Literary Merit
Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.
topic: Inspirational, Motivational, Time, Imposition, Literary Merit
topic: Believe, Greatness, Ideas, Literary Merit, Access