Cette citation est attribuée à Marguerite Yourcenar, tirée de son essai 'Les Yeux ouverts' (1980), où elle réfléchit sur l'écriture, la mortalité et la condition humaine.
"Man builds houses because he is alive, but he writes books because he knows he is mortal. He lives in groups because he is gregarious, but he reads because he knows he is alone."