--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I pulled them out of the fire myself. I…" description: "\"“I pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all. Every word you wrote. You and I, Tess, we're alike. We live and breathe words. It was books tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg" --- # I pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all… ![“I pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all. Every word you wrote. You and I, Tess, we're alike. We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone, never be loved by anyone again. It was books that made me feel that…” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg) > ““I pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all. Every word you wrote. You and I, Tess, we're alike. We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone, never be loved by anyone again. It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt-I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamed. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted-and then I realized that truly I just wanted you. The girl behind the scrawled letters. I loved you from the moment I read them. I love you still.”” [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Books saved the narrator from despair, offering companionship, honesty, and a sense of not being alone. **In simple terms:** Books helped the narrator survive loneliness. Key Takeaway Seek solace in reading during hardship. Themes loneliness healing literature Mood hopeful intimate Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - mental health coping - reading groups - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts emotional support identity connection Questions to Reflect On - What role can literature play in emotional recovery? - How do fictional bonds compare to real ones? A Different Perspective Reliance on books may not replace real human interaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“Will gave a short, disbelieving laugh. "It's true," he said. "I am no hero." "No," Tessa said. "You are a person, just like me."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/will-gave-a-short-disbelieving-laugh-it-s-true-he-said-i-am-no-hero/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I loved you from the moment I read them. I love you still.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-loved-you-from-the-moment-i-read-them-i-love-you-still/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-kept-me-from-taking-my/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I've been writing as long as I've been able to form words. I never wrote with an idea of publishing anything until I began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-ve-been-writing-as-long-as-i-ve-been-able-to-form-words-i-never/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Were the last words that I wrote for you, enough to tell you. That in my death, the light that shone through my painful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alesana/were-the-last-words-that-i-wrote-for-you-enough-to-tell-you-that-in-2/) [Alesana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alesana/) > [“A brick could be used as a paperweight, if the words you wrote weren’t weighty enough to hold it down. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-as-a-paperweight-if-the-words-you-wrote-weren-t/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I get the biggest kick out of it, to hear words that I wrote and chords that I wrote being sung by somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-goldsmith/i-get-the-biggest-kick-out-of-it-to-hear-words-that-i-wrote-and/) [Taylor Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-goldsmith/) > [Actors are magical people. They can take words you wrote and say them in a way that, although you thought the line was good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-barris/actors-are-magical-people-they-can-take-words-you-wrote-and-say-them/) [Kenya Barris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-barris/) > [“Your letter has drawn me from the solitude in which I had shut myself up for nearly nine months, and from which I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/your-letter-has-drawn-me-from-the-solitude-in-which-i-had-shut-myself/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [I've always just wished that maybe someday people would care about the words that I wrote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-always-just-wished-that-maybe-someday-people-would-care-about/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [With 'More Than Words,' we wrote that, so we are that. I'm just happy people can connect with any of our songs. If that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nuno-bettencourt/with-more-than-words-we-wrote-that-so-we-are-that-i-m-just-happy/) [Nuno Bettencourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nuno-bettencourt/) > [“Though I remember, sharply, last things. The last book she read. The last play (and film, and concert, and opera, and art exhibition) that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/though-i-remember-sharply-last-things-the-last-book-she-read-the-last/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [For me, writing never gets easier. It's always hard work. It doesn't matter how many words you wrote the day before, or how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-child/for-me-writing-never-gets-easier-it-s-always-hard-work-it-doesn-t/) [Lincoln Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-child/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [I love to read, and I love to write. I love to read. You have no idea how many books I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mouser/i-love-to-read-and-i-love-to-write-i-love-to-read-you-have-no-idea/) [Mary Mouser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mouser/) ## More by Cassandra Clare > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." "Who's Magnus?" Max inquired. "He's a warlock," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-re-texting-magnus-to-say-i-think-u-r-kewl-i-m-going-to-kill/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“We work through this together, remember? No shutting me out. No epic sulks.” “I was figuring I could sulk for Idris in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-work-through-this-together-remember-no-shutting-me-out-no-epic/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/lex-malla-lex-nulla-said-julian-with-a-regretful-wave-of-his-hand-it/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm memorable, its true." -Magnus, pg.229-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-m-memorable-its-true-magnus-pg-229/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“There is more to living than not dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-more-to-living-than-not-dying/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Unless there was a reason for me to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/unless-there-was-a-reason-for-me-to-stay/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Love didn't make you weak, it made you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/love-didn-t-make-you-weak-it-made-you-stronger/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I wasn’t just worried about him; I was worried about you, too. There’s something so . . . reassuring about you. And Jace is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-wasn-t-just-worried-about-him-i-was-worried-about-you-too-there-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) [Explore all 4,049 Cassandra Clare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## 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 > [“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 > [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 pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all. Every word you wrote. You and I, Tess, we're alike. We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone, never be loved by anyone again. It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt-I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamed. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted-and then I realized that truly I just wanted you. The girl behind the scrawled letters. I loved you from the moment I read them. I love you still.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cassandra Clare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-read-them-all-every-word-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-read-them-all-every-word-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d11/cassandra-clare-9_books_i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-r_1687193.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I pulled them out of the fire myself. I read them all. Every word you wrote. You and I, Tess, we're alike…” — Cassandra Clare", "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": "Cassandra Clare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I pulled them out of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-read-them-all-every-word-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-pulled-them-out-of-the-fire-myself-i-read-them-all-every-word-you/#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 } } ] } ```