--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it was smell that carried memory." description: "\"But it was smell that carried memory.\" — Ann Brashares" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/ann-brashares-572_carried_but-it-was-smell-that-carried-memory-289_2896053.png" --- # But it was smell that carried memory. ![“But it was smell that carried memory.” quote by Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/ann-brashares-572_carried_but-it-was-smell-that-carried-memory-289_2896053.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/ann-brashares-572_carried_but-it-was-smell-that-carried-memory-289_2896053.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f18/ann-brashares-572_carried_but-it-was-smell-that-carried-memory-289_2896053.png) > “But it was smell that carried memory.” [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Smell triggers memories, linking sensory experience to recollection. **In simple terms:** Smell evokes memory. Key Takeaway Use senses to recall past experiences. Themes memory smell nostalgia sensory Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type psychological observational When to use this quote - travel - food - personal history Key Concepts association psychology Questions to Reflect On - What memories does a scent bring? - How reliable are sensory cues? A Different Perspective Smell can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carried/) [Carried Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carried-memory-4093006/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Smell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell/) [Smell Carried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smell-carried-4000167/) ## Related quotes > [“The seamen had whitewashed the smoky ceilings of the ward, and that dear homely smell carried the vividness of thatch and lumpy walls and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-carey/the-seamen-had-whitewashed-the-smoky-ceilings-of-the-ward-and-that/) [Peter Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-carey/) > [Hit a tripwire of smell and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/hit-a-tripwire-of-smell-and-memories-explode-all-at-once-a-complex/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [But what is memory if not the language of feeling, a dictionary of faces and days and smells which repeat themselves like the verbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/but-what-is-memory-if-not-the-language-of-feeling-a-dictionary-of/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [Smells, like music, hold memories. She breathed deep, and bottled it up for posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/smells-like-music-hold-memories-she-breathed-deep-and-bottled-it-up/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Scents bring memories, and many memories bring nostalgic pleasure. We would be wise to plan for this when we plant a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thalassa-cruso/scents-bring-memories-and-many-memories-bring-nostalgic-pleasure-we/) [Thalassa Cruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thalassa-cruso/) > [Taking walks sometimes bring back memories of my childhood because a smell might trigger a memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-diamond/taking-walks-sometimes-bring-back-memories-of-my-childhood-because-a/) [King Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-diamond/) > [“There are things without explanation, moments when life will become arranged in such odd ways that you imagine a whole vocabulary of meaning inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/there-are-things-without-explanation-moments-when-life-will-become/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. 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Don't get carried away, man. One thaw is not the summer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-levy/no-no-no-no-don-t-get-carried-away-man-one-thaw-is-not-the-summer/) [Andrea Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-levy/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“With a boot on his chest, she used her free hand to search for the syringe he surely carried. Found it. Jabbed it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-stevens/with-a-boot-on-his-chest-she-used-her-free-hand-to-search-for-the/) [Taylor Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-stevens/) ## More by Ann Brashares > [“Because the truth wouldn't be comforting and wouldn't bring them closer again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/because-the-truth-wouldn-t-be-comforting-and-wouldn-t-bring-them/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“It’s by living that you live more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/it-s-by-living-that-you-live-more/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“¿Iban a sumirla en la tristeza antes de hacerla feliz? No, por favor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/iban-a-sumirla-en-la-tristeza-antes-de-hacerla-feliz-no-por-favor/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“When she made her way to the big picture window that framed the dining room table she froze. She stopped breathing. The anger was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/when-she-made-her-way-to-the-big-picture-window-that-framed-the/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“Lena remembered herself in all the old familiar things they said. She existed in her friends; there she was. All the parts of herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/lena-remembered-herself-in-all-the-old-familiar-things-they-said-she/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Everyone is fragile. Everything beautiful is fragile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/everyone-is-fragile-everything-beautiful-is-fragile/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“but it was hard to give the real world much notice when he was this close.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/but-it-was-hard-to-give-the-real-world-much-notice-when-he-was-this/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“You don't have time, Len. That is the most bitter and the most beautiful piece of advice I can offer. 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Or at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/gestating-characters-feels-something-like-the-mental-equivalent-of/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“He could take happiness from her, but could he give any?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/he-could-take-happiness-from-her-but-could-he-give-any/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [The weather turned. Her skin seemed to grow a million extra pores, and all of them opened to take in the warmth and tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/the-weather-turned-her-skin-seemed-to-grow-a-million-extra-pores-and/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [She wanted him to notice her so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/she-wanted-him-to-notice-her-so-much/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [“No matter how it felt to be near him, she had to keep her swollen heart in check.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/no-matter-how-it-felt-to-be-near-him-she-had-to-keep-her-swollen/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) > [Maybe happiness was just a matter of the little upticks- the traffic signal that said "Walk" the second you go there- and downticks- the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-brashares/maybe-happiness-was-just-a-matter-of-the-little-upticks-the-traffic/) [Ann Brashares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) [Explore all 465 Ann Brashares quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-brashares/) ## More Carried quotes > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. 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One thaw is not the summer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-levy/no-no-no-no-don-t-get-carried-away-man-one-thaw-is-not-the-summer/) [Andrea Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-levy/) > [It took me a long time to make that leap to being a grown-up and responsible adult because I carried on being a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-fletcher/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-make-that-leap-to-being-a-grown-up-and/) [Dexter Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-fletcher/) > [As many of the riders before me had been held up and robbed of their packages, mail and money that they carried, for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calamity-jane/as-many-of-the-riders-before-me-had-been-held-up-and-robbed-of-their/) [Calamity Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calamity-jane/) > [“With a boot on his chest, she used her free hand to search for the syringe he surely carried. Found it. Jabbed it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-stevens/with-a-boot-on-his-chest-she-used-her-free-hand-to-search-for-the/) [Taylor Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-stevens/) > [“A mapping of discovery should be carried out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/a-mapping-of-discovery-should-be-carried-out/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [The whole tax code should be looked at, all the way from farm subsidies to carried interest to - to corporate loopholes, because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-pagliuca/the-whole-tax-code-should-be-looked-at-all-the-way-from-farm/) [Stephen Pagliuca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-pagliuca/) > [The perpetuation of slavery, the exile and extermination of American Indians, and the passage of Jim Crow laws weren't carried out at the bidding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-perpetuation-of-slavery-the-exile-and-extermination-of-american/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It didn't matter what you looked like. It was how you carried yourself, how you saw yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/it-didn-t-matter-what-you-looked-like-it-was-how-you-carried-yourself/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [I still like to get carried away - but passively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-still-like-to-get-carried-away-but-passively/) [Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/) > [When I began modelling I was completely unprepared for the onslaught of curiosity it carried with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/when-i-began-modelling-i-was-completely-unprepared-for-the-onslaught/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) > [You cannot trust 25 guys in a locker room to have the same respect and training as I do with a weapon. 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