What does it mean, "Books speak even when they stand unopened on the shelf?

I'm thinking about a time that I visited an aquaintence and noticed that a bookshelf within my view had books on certain subjects. They "spoke" to me about what this person's beliefs, interests and values were. I only had to read the titles, not the books.

They spoke volumes about the person who thought them valuable enough to keep on their shelf.

I don't actually know, but I'm willing to guess. I think it's a metaphor for memory recollection. I could read a book, and (unless I forget everything I just read every 18 seconds) remember what it was about, even after I put it back on the shelf.In the middle of a conversation, I can pull a good quote out of my noggin.

In reality the book is doing the speaking, although I'd be translating the knowledge into noise.

I think it is referring to the many possibilities that a book can offer, even if it's not being used at the time. I love books and I'm very particular about who I lend them to. I would say that me offering one of my favorite books to someone is as big a gesture of trust as letting them live in my house for a year.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.