---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have to say I do read partly for…"
description: "\"I have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I escape and learn something?\" — Christopher Bollen"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg"
---

#  I have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I…

![“I have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I escape and learn something?” quote by Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg)

> “I have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I escape and learn something?”

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reads partly for escapism but questions why he can’t also learn from it.

**In simple terms:** He reads to escape yet wonders why he can’t learn too.

Key Takeaway

Seek both escape and insight.

Themes

reading escapism learning self‑reflection

Mood

thoughtful inquisitive

Type

literary personal

When to use this quote

- book clubs
- educational reading
- personal development

Key Concepts

literary analysis personal growth cognitive benefit

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you gain from reading?
- How can you blend escape with learning?

A Different Perspective

Escapism may avoid confronting issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Escapism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapism/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/)

## Related quotes

> [“Why d’you read then?” “Partly for pleasure, because it’s a habit and I’m just as uncomfortable if I don’t read as if I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/why-d-you-read-then-partly-for-pleasure-because-it-s-a-habit-and-i-m/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [“Why do you read then?' Partly for pleasure, because it's a habit and I'm just as uncomfortable if I don't read as if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/why-do-you-read-then-partly-for-pleasure-because-it-s-a-habit-and-i-m/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [“I don't see the use of reading the same thing over and over again,' said Phillip. 'That's only a laborious form of idleness.' But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-don-t-see-the-use-of-reading-the-same-thing-over-and-over-again/)

[W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/)

> [“Time spent doing whatever it is you do to escape your daily life would be better spent acquiring a life that needs no escape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-hick/time-spent-doing-whatever-it-is-you-do-to-escape-your-daily-life/)

[Shaun Hick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-hick/)

> [Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/expeditions-are-escapism-the-stuff-that-we-re-normally-concerned/)

[Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/)

> [A great book provides escapism for me. The artistry and the creativity in a story are better than any drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/a-great-book-provides-escapism-for-me-the-artistry-and-the-creativity/)

[Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/)

> [I think everybody wants to feel validated in some way, and when you're looking for leisure activities or if you're looking for escapism or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/i-think-everybody-wants-to-feel-validated-in-some-way-and-when-you-re/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [Fashion is, after all, a form of escapism, and in fact people are buying more special things than ever, nowadays. They deny and deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/fashion-is-after-all-a-form-of-escapism-and-in-fact-people-are-buying/)

[Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/)

> [Everything we do is escapism, because we'll all be dead and everything we do is completely meaningless. Why brush your teeth? Why not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/everything-we-do-is-escapism-because-we-ll-all-be-dead-and-everything/)

[T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/)

> [“Often the most tricky questions are the ones we secretly know the answers of. What are you running from? What are you waiting for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/often-the-most-tricky-questions-are-the-ones-we-secretly-know-the/)

[Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/)

> [“We both knew no bounds to our escapism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-lillith-assadi/we-both-knew-no-bounds-to-our-escapism/)

[Hannah Lillith Assadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-lillith-assadi/)

> [I loved underground comics and psychedelic art. I did like some supernatural horror, but mainly fantasy. I was into escapism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arik-roper/i-loved-underground-comics-and-psychedelic-art-i-did-like-some/)

[Arik Roper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arik-roper/)

> [The young man shivered. He rolled the stock themes of fantasy over in his mind: cars and stockbrokers and commuters, housewives and police, agony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-young-man-shivered-he-rolled-the-stock-themes-of-fantasy-over-in/)

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

> [What 'Escapism' did, of course I'm over the moon about that - but if that's the biggest moment that I ever get then so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/what-escapism-did-of-course-i-m-over-the-moon-about-that-but-if-that/)

[Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/)

> [Music is escapism from the grim realities of life. But then as soon as you escape into the music, from my point of view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/music-is-escapism-from-the-grim-realities-of-life-but-then-as-soon-as/)

[John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/)

## More by Christopher Bollen

> [Safety, reputation, their lives, their friends, and their world. Writers typically try to avoid that because it's not expedient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/safety-reputation-their-lives-their-friends-and-their-world-writers/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [There's something about fear and aesthetic that go hand in hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-something-about-fear-and-aesthetic-that-go-hand-in-hand/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [You find when you're writing a detective story that you're actually not trying to solve anything. You're trying to stop the reader from solving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/you-find-when-you-re-writing-a-detective-story-that-you-re-actually/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [ I'm convinced I was the only kid ever who had a Death on the Nile \[1978\] movie poster and a Murder on the Orient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-m-convinced-i-was-the-only-kid-ever-who-had-a-death-on-the-nile/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [The death drive is parasitic. It runs off of other drives, leeching off of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-death-drive-is-parasitic-it-runs-off-of-other-drives-leeching-off/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [It's hard for me to figure out where I want to be. But it's definitely in New York. I feel like New York throws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-s-hard-for-me-to-figure-out-where-i-want-to-be-but-it-s-definitely/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [There's also something sexual about watching the nubile girl in terror. But you do take on her fear as your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-s-also-something-sexual-about-watching-the-nubile-girl-in/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [I've never had a mentor. I've always wanted one. I'm actually really disappointed that nobody took my under their wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-ve-never-had-a-mentor-i-ve-always-wanted-one-i-m-actually-really/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [The Greeks really believed in history. They believed that the past had consequences and that you might be punished for the sins of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/the-greeks-really-believed-in-history-they-believed-that-the-past-had/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [I was never afraid on stage. That's where I was the least afraid. I could just do what I do and I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-was-never-afraid-on-stage-that-s-where-i-was-the-least-afraid-i/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [One day I want to write a full-on horror book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/one-day-i-want-to-write-a-full-on-horror-book/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [When you create a fence, you keep people out, but you also limit your mobility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/when-you-create-a-fence-you-keep-people-out-but-you-also-limit-your/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [I just think, as writers, especially with a book that takes years to write, you sort of wake up every morning hoping and praying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-just-think-as-writers-especially-with-a-book-that-takes-years-to/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [There is something very romantic about the orphan figure in American literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/there-is-something-very-romantic-about-the-orphan-figure-in-american/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

> [It is a little out of touch to presume that someone wants to follow your every observation and insight over the course of hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/it-is-a-little-out-of-touch-to-presume-that-someone-wants-to-follow/)

[Christopher Bollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

[Explore all 72 Christopher Bollen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/)

## 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 have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I escape and learn something?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Bollen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escapism-why-can-t-i-escape-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escapism-why-can-t-i-escape-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/christopher-bollen-9436_books_i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escap_2735861.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have to say I do read partly for escapism. Why can't I escape and learn something?” — Christopher Bollen",
                "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": "Christopher Bollen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bollen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have to say I do...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escapism-why-can-t-i-escape-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bollen/i-have-to-say-i-do-read-partly-for-escapism-why-can-t-i-escape-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
