--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An appreciation of prose is learned, not…" description: "\"An appreciation of prose is learned, not instinctive. It is an acquired taste, like Scotch whisky.\" — Abigail Padgett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/abigail-padgett-78038_acquired-taste_an-appreciation-of-prose-is-learned-not_1600194.jpg" --- # An appreciation of prose is learned, not instinctive. It… ![“An appreciation of prose is learned, not instinctive. It is an acquired taste, like Scotch whisky.” quote by Abigail Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/abigail-padgett-78038_acquired-taste_an-appreciation-of-prose-is-learned-not_1600194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/abigail-padgett-78038_acquired-taste_an-appreciation-of-prose-is-learned-not_1600194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a4/abigail-padgett-78038_acquired-taste_an-appreciation-of-prose-is-learned-not_1600194.jpg) > “An appreciation of prose is learned, not instinctive. It is an acquired taste, like Scotch whisky.” [Abigail Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-padgett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Appreciating prose requires learning and exposure, similar to developing a palate for fine spirits. **In simple terms:** Learn to value prose through practice. Key Takeaway Cultivate literary taste. Themes literature learning taste culture Mood reflective inquisitive Type literary educational When to use this quote - reading clubs - writing workshops - literary criticism - personal study Key Concepts aesthetic appreciation education sensory development Questions to Reflect On - How do you expand your literary palate? - What texts challenge your preferences? A Different Perspective Taste is subjective; not everyone enjoys complex prose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquired taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquired-taste/) [Appreciation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation/) [Appreciation Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciation-prose-6083104/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Like Scotch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-scotch-2309370/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Prose Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose-learned-3216832/) [Scotch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scotch/) [Scotch whisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scotch-whisky/) [Taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste/) [Whiskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whiskey/) [Whisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whisky/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Cuban cigars are an acquired taste, like Scotch whisky. If you're not used to them, you'll get a headache, you'll find them much too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-shanken/cuban-cigars-are-an-acquired-taste-like-scotch-whisky-if-you-re-not/) [Marvin Shanken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-shanken/) > [Scotch Whisky is about the only thing left that is guaranteed to bring comfort to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-boothby-baron-boothby/scotch-whisky-is-about-the-only-thing-left-that-is-guaranteed-to/) [Robert Boothby, Baron Boothby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-boothby-baron-boothby/) > [Scotch whisky is made from barley and the morning dew on angel's nipples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/scotch-whisky-is-made-from-barley-and-the-morning-dew-on-angel-s/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [I've been on the whisky diet - I've already lost three days!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-cooper/i-ve-been-on-the-whisky-diet-i-ve-already-lost-three-days/) [Tommy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-cooper/) > [I was brought up to believe that Scotch whisky would need a tax preference to survive in competition with Kentucky bourbon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/i-was-brought-up-to-believe-that-scotch-whisky-would-need-a-tax/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [“Scotch whisky bring out a real you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-thangaswamy/scotch-whisky-bring-out-a-real-you/) [Vivek Thangaswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-thangaswamy/) > [There is no such thing as a bad whisky. Some whiskies just happen to be better than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-bad-whisky-some-whiskies-just-happen-to/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“In addition to the smells of mince and pumpkin pies, the Sage and onions of turkey stuffing, another aroma floated in the air, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/in-addition-to-the-smells-of-mince-and-pumpkin-pies-the-sage-and/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) > [I love to sing, and I love to drink scotch. Most people would rather hear me drink scotch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/i-love-to-sing-and-i-love-to-drink-scotch-most-people-would-rather/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [The proper drinking of Scotch whisky is more than indulgence: it is a toast to civilization, a tribute to the continuity of culture, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-daiches/the-proper-drinking-of-scotch-whisky-is-more-than-indulgence-it-is-a/) [David Daiches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-daiches/) > [Happiness is having a rare steak, a bottle of whiskey, and a dog to eat the rare steak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/happiness-is-having-a-rare-steak-a-bottle-of-whiskey-and-a-dog-to-eat/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [The light music of whiskey falling into glasses made an agreeable interlude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-light-music-of-whiskey-falling-into-glasses-made-an-agreeable/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [There are two things a Highlander likes naked, and the other one is Malt Whisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-bruce-lockhart/there-are-two-things-a-highlander-likes-naked-and-the-other-one-is/) [R. H. Bruce Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-bruce-lockhart/) > [Poetry is easier to learn than prose. Once you have learned it you can use it as a light and a laser. It shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/poetry-is-easier-to-learn-than-prose-once-you-have-learned-it-you-can/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Don't people drown their sorrows in things like scotch? Not strawberry whatever-it's-called.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rachman/don-t-people-drown-their-sorrows-in-things-like-scotch-not-strawberry/) [Tom Rachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rachman/) ## More by Abigail Padgett > [“The way black women say "girl" can be magical. Frankly, I have no solid beliefs about the survival of consciousness after physical death. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-padgett/the-way-black-women-say-girl-can-be-magical-frankly-i-have-no-solid/) [Abigail Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-padgett/) > [“I like having options, alternate lives unlived but always possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-padgett/i-like-having-options-alternate-lives-unlived-but-always-possible/) [Abigail Padgett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-padgett/) [Explore all 3 Abigail Padgett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-padgett/) ## More Acquired taste quotes > [“I'm an acquired taste, he assured her, displaying one dimple, but addictive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-bond/i-m-an-acquired-taste-he-assured-her-displaying-one-dimple-but/) [Stephanie Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-bond/) > [Maybe you could put it out there that I don't have a built-in dislike of ballads. 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And not everybody wants those hairy little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-know-i-m-an-acquired-taste-i-m-anchovies-and-not-everybody-wants/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [ I guess, as they say, I never acquired a taste for \[caviar\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-guess-as-they-say-i-never-acquired-a-taste-for-caviar/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [Mundus vult decipi: the world wants to be deceived. The truth is too complex and frightening; the taste for the truth is an acquired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kaufmann/mundus-vult-decipi-the-world-wants-to-be-deceived-the-truth-is-too/) [Walter Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kaufmann/) > [“I'm not a purist. Coffee drinking minus cream and sugar is an acquired taste. I'm still not sure it isn't like telling chefs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sinnott/i-m-not-a-purist-coffee-drinking-minus-cream-and-sugar-is-an-acquired/) [Kevin Sinnott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sinnott/) > [One of my favorite Japanese foods is called natto. It's fermented soybeans. I grew up in Japan eating natto. It's definitely an acquired taste.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/one-of-my-favorite-japanese-foods-is-called-natto-it-s-fermented/) [Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/) > [“Raw persimmon is an acquired taste," he said, handing me a slice, "but I have a feeling you'll like this one." I resisted the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-donohue/raw-persimmon-is-an-acquired-taste-he-said-handing-me-a-slice-but-i/) [Meg Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-donohue/) > [“I'm like kale; you know that leafy green stuff? I'm an acquired taste. You either hate me or love me. Either way, I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-callesto/i-m-like-kale-you-know-that-leafy-green-stuff-i-m-an-acquired-taste/) [Nicole Callesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-callesto/) > [At least in part, people are attracted to subjects where they can identify at a basic level with the people who do it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-geller/at-least-in-part-people-are-attracted-to-subjects-where-they-can/) [Margaret Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-geller/) > [Twombly, frankly, was an acquired taste. I was not in love with Twombly the first time I saw one of his paintings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/twombly-frankly-was-an-acquired-taste-i-was-not-in-love-with-twombly/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [money is an acquired taste that grows as it is fed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mccloy/money-is-an-acquired-taste-that-grows-as-it-is-fed/) [Helen McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mccloy/) > [“Why do we experience such difficulty even imagining a different sort of society? Why is it beyond us to conceive of a different set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/why-do-we-experience-such-difficulty-even-imagining-a-different-sort/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“I'm an acquired taste. I'm anchovies. If I was potato chips I could go more places.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-m-an-acquired-taste-i-m-anchovies-if-i-was-potato-chips-i-could-go/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) [Browse all 63 Acquired taste quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquired-taste/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An appreciation of prose is learned, not instinctive. 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