Optina Elders on Reading

“Read books in the morning from the fourth hour until work, and then chew the whole day on what you have read, like a sheep with its cud”. -St. Ambrose

“You may copy books as you like, but you must assimilate it; read what is comprehensible to you. You should read less but understand it”-St. Ambrose

“What profit will books bring us if we only read them and are not roused to do anything.”- St. Macarius

“The best guide for you will be the reading of the Lives of the Saints”- St. Barsanuphius