"The worst thing about new books is that they keep us from reading the old ones"

In this quote, John Wooden is highlighting the value of checking out old books. He recommends that the constant increase of brand-new books can distract us from the valuable understanding and knowledge discovered in older texts. Wooden thinks that by constantly seeking out new books, we might lose out on the ageless lessons and insights that can be gained from checking out the classics. He indicates that there is a specific depth and richness in older books that can not be discovered in more recent ones. For that reason, Wooden motivates us to not neglect the worth of reading old books and to make time for them in our reading practices.