As the leaves float down to decorate the landscape with their beautiful hues of red, orange, and yellow, there’s an ever-increasing urge to curl up indoors and get lost in a good book.

Whether it’s the autumn chill or the days growing shorter, this time of year welcomes us to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the small things. This makes it the ideal season for exploring stories with rich historical settings, hidden truths, and profound journeys of personal growth.

I wanted to share some of my favourite literary quotes of the season. Hopefully they’ll inspire you to dive into your next read and fully embrace the cosy spirit of autumn.

So grab a warm blanket and your favourite spiced drink, and let’s get to these quotes!

1. “Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

I couldn’t put together a list of quotes without including Harry Potter! I’ve been in love with the magic of the books and films for so long and this quote is no different.

I love the sense of urgency it brings. It’s as if in the blink of an eye, summer has come to pass and autumn has already taken over in full swing. As someone who much prefers autumn to summer, I find this very appealing!

The descriptions of the morning as ‘crisp and golden as an apple’ are very powerful. They build the visual of incredibly crunchy and vibrant autumn leaves covering the landscape. My favourite thing about autumn is easily the changing colours of the leaves so this quote gets me very excited for autumn!

2. “Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.”

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

The beauty of autumn really comes across in this quote. For me, it encourages a changing of pace.

I imagine the awe and patience in the observer taking the time to appreciate each leaf’s movements. Each twist and turn and rustle is not only seen, but is understood. Each second is appreciated.

It is truly a beautiful thing to have such a deep appreciation for the small things, even as small as a leaf floating down to the ground.

3. “The sycamore leaves whispered in a little night breeze.”

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Steinbeck brings the leaves to life in this quote. Their whispers bring a sense of mystery and the unknown. This compliments the ever-increasing changes in scenery and weather that are experienced in autumn.

There’s a certain excitement and honour that comes with being let in on a secret. The whispering leaves are hidden truths that lie in plain sight but are easily dismissed. This encourages us to look a little closer at the changes around us and in nature at this time of year.

4. “Autumn came to the graveyard, bringing with it the smell of fallen leaves and the chill of an early twilight. The world seemed quieter, as if it were waiting and in that silence, anything could happen.”

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I love the feeling of peace that this quote brings when I read it. While visiting a graveyard isn’t necessarily on the top of everyone’s autumn bucket list (it certainly isn’t on mine), Gaiman does a very good job of capturing the enchanting essence of the autumn atmosphere. The smell of the leaves and feel of the cold autumn air is so vivid it transports you to the perfect chilly autumn night.

The idea of the world waiting in silence is as if it’s holding its breath for something to happen. This could easily go down a sinister route but I like to think of it as the world waiting on us to take the next step in our lives, whether big or small. I see it as an optimistic push to do whatever it is we’ve wanted to do but not done yet.

5. “Can you hear the wind, father? Remember what mother used to say about the wind? The wind cannot defeat the tree with strong roots.”

The Revenant by Michael Punke

I love this quote from The Revenant. It plays on the innocence of a child but there is plenty of wisdom in the words he speaks.

In times of change and uncertainty, it’s easy to feel scared and unprepared. By having strong roots — a strength in our beliefs, practices, and love for those we care about — we can achieve anything we wish. We, too, can flourish like the trees in autumn.

I hope these quotes bring a little extra warmth to your autumn reading.

What’s your favourite autumn book quote? Let me know in the comments!

Photo credits in order of appearance:

Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

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Photo by Dean Ricciardi on Unsplash

Photo by John Silliman on Unsplash

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

Photo by Autumn Mott Rodeheaver on Unsplash