There is no Frigate like a Book Quotes
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There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry—
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll—
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears the Human soul.
Context
This short poem has one main message: reading is the bomb dot com. (Dickinson's words, not ours.)
Each part of the poem compares reading to some mode of transportation; in this first line, it's a frigate, a.k.a. a big ol' ship. The idea is that reading allows us to hitch rides with all kinds of different characters and travel far and wide with them—in our imaginations, of course. Although, reading on a big ship also sounds cool.
Where you've heard it
Unless you have a really poetic speaker in your book club, you've probably only seen this one on bookmarks and Goodreads forums.
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
We love reading too much to call this one pretentious.