Literature differs from life in that life is amorphously full of detail, and rarely directs us toward it, wheras literature teaches us to notice. Literature makes us better noticers of life; we get to practice on life itself; which in turn makes us better readers of detail in literature; which in turn makes us better readers of life.

James Wood or Jim Wood may refer to:
James Wood (composer) (born 1953) British composer and percussionist
James Wood (critic) (born 1965) British literary critic and novelist
James Wood (encyclopaedist) (fl. late 20th century) State Auditor of Arkansas
Jim Wood (California) mayor of Oceanside California
Jim Wood (fiddler) (born 1964) American fiddler
Jimmy Wood (1842–1927) American baseball player and manager. late 19th century) British editor of The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
James Wood (footballer) (born 1893) professional footballer who played for South Shields Huddersfield Town and Blackpool
James Wood (governor) (1747–1813) Governor of Virginia and officer in the American Revolutionary War
James Wood (mathematician) (1760–1839) Dean of Ely 1820–1839
James Wood (minister) (1672–1759) Presbyterian minister of Atherton and Chowbent Chapels in Atherton Greater Manchester England
James Wood (New York state senator) New York politician and Union Army general
James Wood (politician) Member of Parliament for East Down 1902–1906
James Wood Lord Irwin (born 1977) British courtesy peer
James Athol Wood (1756–1829) British rear-admiral
James Frederick Wood (1813–1883) Archbishop of Philadelphia
James N.