When you head to the National Library (in the Civic District) the automatic receptionist is asking for the book or author name.
In Chinatown Detective Agency you are supposed to figure out these clues using resources outside the game. So, searching in the Internet.
The quote was: "Of all men's miseries, the bitterest is this: to know so much and to have control over nothing."
Try to search the Internet with that quote. Always start your search with "-chinatown" to remove all direct answers for this game.
This is the low-spoiler guide for "Book passage" puzzle in Chinatown Detective Agency. Unlike in normal walkthrough, you get gradual hints on how to solve the puzzle. Click the big button below to see your first hint. If the hint contains a spoiler, you will be warned about it before clicking.