Dark Academia: Quotes & Wisdom (Pocket Thoughts)

Book Synopsis: Make some tea. Light some candles. And get ready to be inspired...Dark Academia: Quotes & Wisdom (Pocket Thoughts) is a colorful pocket-sized collection of thoughtful quotes with a #darkacademia theme. Inspired by the popular subculture on IG and TikTok, this is a perfect gift for you or your "aesthetic" friends or family members.

From Edgar Allan Poe to Sylvia Plath, Donna Tartt to Dead Poets Society, this colorful treasury of ideas will make you think and feel in equal parts. The entries also make perfect prompts for reflecting, meditating or journaling. Dip into a random page when inspo strikes or when you're in a sepia-tone mood and simply want to feel understood.

Get intrigued and inspired by some of your fav contemporary writers like Madeline Miller, Haruki Murakami and J.K. Rowling alongside literary luminaries like Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Mary Shelley, and Charlotte Brontë; from Romantic and Beat poets (Byron, anyone?) to German and Greek philosophers, Russian novelists to French existentialists.

We've chosen these quotes with care, selecting ones that not only capture and accessorize the "dark" atmosphere but also offer light — i.e., "illuminating" ideas that stimulate thought and depth. Rather than simply being gloomy or nihilistic, #darkacademia literature can actually be seen as affirmational. In a world of cheery self-help and artificial influencers, these quotes affirm authentic human emotions, from sadness and confusion to wonder and bliss. And in rejecting some of today's values, it explores new (or shall we say time-old?) ones: to wit, artistic creation and inspiration; a sense of purpose and personal meaning; and a deep love of learning.

Whether you're looking for inspo on a rainy day or seeking solace on a dark and stormy night, this delightful collection will help you keep #darkacademia wisdom in your back pocket.

What is dark academia? (For newbies and gift-givers)

Welcome to Dark Academia 101. As you enter a dimly-lit library, take a moment to adjust your vintage round glasses and look around: mahogany tables lined with leather-bound books; fountain pens resting on Latin script; vintage curios; skulls. You're in Oxbridge — or is it New England? or Hogwarts? — at a dazzling unnamed university or prep school. Across stained glass windows flash shadows of falling leaves. As you wander the cavernous halls, fellow bookish scholars nod, decked in the de facto autumn/winter lineup: preppy tweed blazers, plaid skirts, black turtlenecks, argyl sweaters in muted colors, brogues.

It's official: you're in Gen Z Bohemia. You're in the storied world of Dark Academia.

Yep, it's a vibe. Part nostalgia, part fantasy, dark academia is a moody aesthetic associated with Gothic architecture, classical art, and European Romanticism. It values higher education, especially the humanities including literature and writing, as well as vintage fashion from the 1930s and 40s. The subculture emerged in the mid-2010s and gained popularity during the Covid lockdowns, with communities thriving on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Tumblr, and Pinterest.

Some call the movement reactionary, a cobblestone's throw from other social media aesthetics like #Cottagecore. In a world of 24/7 news and information, #darkacademia prizes ancient wisdom, trading in on-demand digital living for an imagined simpler, slower life 100-some years ago. In lieu of online classrooms, it envisions life amid stained-glass ivory towers. And it views education's ends not in grades and I-banker job prep but genuine intellectual curiosity and enrichment, especially in the humanities.

In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, "That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong." Read more