---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live and breathe words. It was books…"
description: "\"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 again. It was bo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg"
---

#  We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from…

![“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 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.” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg)

> “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 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.”

[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 serve as lifelines, offering companionship, honesty, and a sense of belonging that can prevent despair and foster love.

**In simple terms:** Reading provides comfort and connection when feeling isolated.

Key Takeaway

Read regularly to find solace and perspective.

Themes

literature mental health solace

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

inspirational therapeutic

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- book clubs
- personal journaling
- support groups

Key Concepts

bibliotherapy emotional honesty self‑discovery community building

Questions to Reflect On

- What book has saved you in a dark time?
- How can you share that comfort with others?

A Different Perspective

Reading alone may not replace professional help for severe depression.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Tessa gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tessa-gray/) [Will herondale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will-herondale/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [“We live and breathe words. (...) It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-made-me-feel-that-perhaps-2/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-was-books-that-made-me-feel-that-perhaps-i-was-not-completely/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [There is a coldness to the Clave, it is true. We are dust and shadows. But you are like the heroes of ancient times,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-a-coldness-to-the-clave-it-is-true-we-are-dust-and-shadows/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“You're the shape-changer aren't you?" he said. "Magnus Bane told me about you. No mark on you at all, they say." Tessa swallowed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-re-the-shape-changer-aren-t-you-he-said-magnus-bane-told-me-about/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Will." Her hands pulled at his shirt, and it came away, the buttons tearing, his head shaking free of the fabric, all wild dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/will-her-hands-pulled-at-his-shirt-and-it-came-away-the-buttons/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Marry me," he said. "Marry me, Tess. Marry me and be Tessa Herondale. Or be Tessa Grey, or be whatever you wish to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/marry-me-he-said-marry-me-tess-marry-me-and-be-tessa-herondale-or-be/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Will. For a moment her heart hesitated. She remembered when Will had died, her agony, the long nights alone, reaching across the bed every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/will-for-a-moment-her-heart-hesitated-she-remembered-when-will-had/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I am not the one of us who has no heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-am-not-the-one-of-us-who-has-no-heart/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I feel like you can look inside me and see all the places I am odd or unusual and fit your heart around them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-feel-like-you-can-look-inside-me-and-see-all-the-places-i-am-odd-or/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [He was Will, in all his perfect imperfection; Will, whose heart was as easy to break as it was carefully guarded; Will, who loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-was-will-in-all-his-perfect-imperfection-will-whose-heart-was-as/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [He played of love and loss and years of silence, words unsaid and vows unspoken, and all the spaces between his heart and theirs;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-played-of-love-and-loss-and-years-of-silence-words-unsaid-and-vows/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Will!” He turned at the familiar voice and saw Tessa. There was a small path cut along the side of the hill, lined with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/will-he-turned-at-the-familiar-voice-and-saw-tessa-there-was-a-small/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Miss Cecily," she gasped, and then her eyes went to Will. She clapped a hand over her mouth, turned, and bolted back into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/miss-cecily-she-gasped-and-then-her-eyes-went-to-will-she-clapped-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Of course you can have a true Shadowhunter name," Will said. "You can have mine." Tessa stared at him, all black and white against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/of-course-you-can-have-a-true-shadowhunter-name-will-said-you-can/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [One must always be careful of books,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/one-must-always-be-careful-of-books/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

## 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 Being honest quotes

> [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/)

[Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/)

> [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/)

[Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/)

> [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

> [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/)

[Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/)

> [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/)

[Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/)

> [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/)

[Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/)

> [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/)

[Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/)

> [I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz'... it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-ferguson/i-m-a-person-of-change-and-i-must-be-honest-to-my-artistry-and-my/)

Maynard Ferguson

> [I'm going to be honest, I would love for Flava Flav to be president. It would bring a lot of excitement to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-m-going-to-be-honest-i-would-love-for-flava-flav-to-be-president-it/)

[DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/)

> [The buildings that were in question, they said in the same report, which was - actually, it wasn't even a bad story, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-buildings-that-were-in-question-they-said-in-the-same-report/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/)

[Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/)

> [ The opening for solid waste is very small \[in the space ship\]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/the-opening-for-solid-waste-is-very-small-in-the-space-ship-it-s-not/)

[Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/)

> [We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-had-90-percent-rates-but-nobody-paid-them-and-so-you-had-all-these/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

> [I think, as a filmmaker, it's important to be honest with yourself at all times in terms of what's working and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-wingard/i-think-as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-be-honest-with-yourself-at/)

[Adam Wingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-wingard/)

> [We live in a world in which the only utopian visions arrive in commercial breaks: magical visions of an impossibly hospitable world, peopled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-the-only-utopian-visions-arrive-in/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

[Browse all 1,333 Being honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "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 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.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Cassandra Clare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-kept-me-from-taking-my/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being honest"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-kept-me-from-taking-my/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d2/cassandra-clare-9_being-honest_we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-t_412819.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never…” — 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": "We live and breathe words. It...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-kept-me-from-taking-my/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-live-and-breathe-words-it-was-books-that-kept-me-from-taking-my/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
