People
Books? My books destroyed me. Books are the bane of mankind, I tell myself at least once a day.
— John Updike · In the Beauty of the Lilies
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker blames books for personal ruin and expands that accusation to all humanity. Repeating the judgment to himself every day suggests a grievance that remains active. The sweeping language conveys bitterness, while leaving the exact damage and his continuing relationship with books unstated.
Context reviewed