--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I…" description: "\"I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and I think that's the most effective time to read Bradbury. He built such a moral world, where ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png" --- # I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and… ![“I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and I think that's the most effective time to read Bradbury. He built such a moral world, where you have to make decisions and grow up.” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png) > “I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and I think that's the most effective time to read Bradbury. He built such a moral world, where you have to make decisions and grow up.” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading Bradbury during early teens offers a formative moral framework that guides decision‑making and growth. **In simple terms:** Teen reading builds moral foundation. Key Takeaway Read impactful literature early. Themes growth morality literature Mood reflective inspirational Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - school reading - personal development - literary clubs Key Concepts coming‑of‑age ethical development Questions to Reflect On - What moral lessons did Bradbury teach you? - How does early reading shape values? A Different Perspective May not suit all readers; personal taste varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bradbury/) [Bradbury 12](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bradbury-12-4392299/) [Bradbury Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bradbury-built-4392300/) [Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Ray bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ray-bradbury/) [Rays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rays/) [Read Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-bradbury-4392298/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Most people know that Ray Bradbury is one of my favorite authors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/most-people-know-that-ray-bradbury-is-one-of-my-favorite-authors/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [Ray Bradbury was not ahead of his time. He was perfectly of his time, and more than that: he created his time and left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/ray-bradbury-was-not-ahead-of-his-time-he-was-perfectly-of-his-time/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you don't care about science enough to be interested in it on its own, you shouldn't try to write hard science fiction. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederik-pohl/if-you-don-t-care-about-science-enough-to-be-interested-in-it-on-its/) [Frederik Pohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederik-pohl/) > [In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury raised cautions against mass media, especially the television, which dumb down human sensibilities and coerce everybody's thoughts into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasumasa-morimura/in-fahrenheit-451-ray-bradbury-raised-cautions-against-mass-media/) [Yasumasa Morimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasumasa-morimura/) > [I was warped early by Ray Bradbury and Edgar Allan Poe. I was very fond of Franz Kafka.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-was-warped-early-by-ray-bradbury-and-edgar-allan-poe-i-was-very/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Ray Bradbury is, for many reasons, the most influential writer in my life. Throughout our long friendship, Ray supplied not only his terrific stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-bear/ray-bradbury-is-for-many-reasons-the-most-influential-writer-in-my/) [Greg Bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-bear/) > [In "Faithful," Ray Bradbury is discussed a lot. The characters read "The Illustrated Man."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/in-faithful-ray-bradbury-is-discussed-a-lot-the-characters-read-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [ I have nothing from my childhood. I think you carry those books with you. It's like in \[Ray\] Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451." Books are outlawed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-have-nothing-from-my-childhood-i-think-you-carry-those-books-with/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [When I was growing up, other girls had New Kids on the Block and shit on their walls, and I had Ray Bradbury. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilarie-burton/when-i-was-growing-up-other-girls-had-new-kids-on-the-block-and-shit/) [Hilarie Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilarie-burton/) > [I've had the chance to work with Christopher Plummer, one of the great stage and film actors, a couple of times, including on 'Prototype,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morse/i-ve-had-the-chance-to-work-with-christopher-plummer-one-of-the-great/) [David Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morse/) > [“Because of what I loved at 7, I still get jobs in my 60's. Guess who got the job? Crazy Ray. Ray Bradbury”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-rabinowitz/because-of-what-i-loved-at-7-i-still-get-jobs-in-my-60-s-guess-who/) [Sherri Rabinowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-rabinowitz/) > [“This morning, Ray Bradbury is dead and there is only soy milk at my coffee shop. I do not know which to be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mundt/this-morning-ray-bradbury-is-dead-and-there-is-only-soy-milk-at-my/) [Lewis Mundt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mundt/) > [As far as fiction goes, as far as everything from Dr. Seuss to Oscar Wilde to Bret Easton Ellis. Ray Bradbury. There's just tons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/as-far-as-fiction-goes-as-far-as-everything-from-dr-seuss-to-oscar/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [Ray Bradbury is one who is contributing to the understanding of the imagination and the curiosity of the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/ray-bradbury-is-one-who-is-contributing-to-the-understanding-of-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [“You’ve got to jump off cliffs and build your wings on the way down. —Ray Bradbury”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellery-adams/you-ve-got-to-jump-off-cliffs-and-build-your-wings-on-the-way-down/) [Ellery Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellery-adams/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and I think that's the most effective time to read Bradbury. He built such a moral world, where you have to make decisions and grow up.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Hoffman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i-was-12-or-13-and-i-think/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i-was-12-or-13-and-i-think/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa3/alice-hoffman-427_books_i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i_2942319.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I read everything of Ray Bradbury when I was 12 or 13, and I think that's the most effective time to read…” — Alice Hoffman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alice Hoffman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I read everything of Ray Bradbury...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i-was-12-or-13-and-i-think/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-read-everything-of-ray-bradbury-when-i-was-12-or-13-and-i-think/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```