In a way, the books were protection.
An escape she would always have access to.
A sanctuary, there for when she needed it.

I have all the books I could need, and what more could I need than books?

Clearly one must read every good book at least once every ten years.

I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.

It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.

No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.