--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She remembered one of her boyfriends…" description: "\"“She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. \"A few hundred,\" she said. \"How do you have the time?\" he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/eleanor-brown-9492_bookish-humour_she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-ask_1336418.jpg" --- # She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly… ![“She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. "A few hundred," she said. "How do you have the time?" he asked, gobsmacked. She narrowed her eyes and considered the array of potential answers in front of her. Because I don't spend hours flipping…” quote by Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/eleanor-brown-9492_bookish-humour_she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-ask_1336418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/eleanor-brown-9492_bookish-humour_she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-ask_1336418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/663/eleanor-brown-9492_bookish-humour_she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-ask_1336418.jpg) > ““She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. "A few hundred," she said. "How do you have the time?" he asked, gobsmacked. She narrowed her eyes and considered the array of potential answers in front of her. Because I don't spend hours flipping through cable complaining there's nothing on? Because my entire Sunday is not eaten up with pre-game, in-game, and post-game talking heads? Because I do not spend every night drinking overpriced beer and engaging in dick-swinging contests with the other financirati? Because when I am waiting in line, at the gym, on the train, eating lunch, I am not complaining about the wait/staring into space/admiring myself in reflective surfaces? I am reading! "I don't know," she said, shrugging.”” [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues that reading fills idle moments, turning them into opportunities for learning and personal growth. **In simple terms:** Reading uses spare time for growth. Key Takeaway Read whenever you have a pause. Themes reading self‑improvement time management Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - commuting - gym breaks - waiting in line - lunch hour Key Concepts cognitive enrichment habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What small habit can you add to read more? - How does reading change your perspective? A Different Perspective Reading may compete with other leisure priorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) [Asked Gobsmacked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-gobsmacked-1477928/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Eating lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-lunch/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Said Shrugging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-shrugging-1432269/) [Staring into space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring-into-space/) [Time Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-asked-330662/) [Waiting in line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-in-line/) ## Related quotes > [“She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. "A few hundred," she said. "How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-asking-offhandedly-how-many/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“It hurts to say that,” he said, shrugging. “But better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/it-hurts-to-say-that-he-said-shrugging-but-better-to-get-hurt-by-the/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [“What do you care for the armies of Adarlan?” he replied. How lovely it was to hear a voice like her own—cool and articulate—even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-do-you-care-for-the-armies-of-adarlan-he-replied-how-lovely-it/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Don't worry about me babe. I've seen so many backs walking away from me that this is old hat," he said, shrugging like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/don-t-worry-about-me-babe-i-ve-seen-so-many-backs-walking-away-from/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“She shook her head. "Look. We both know life is short, Macy. Too short to waste a single second with anyone who doesn't appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/she-shook-her-head-look-we-both-know-life-is-short-macy-too-short-to/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?” she asked. My answer: “Not sure, but maybe on a beach reading a really good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/where-do-you-see-yourself-in-ten-years-time-she-asked-my-answer-not/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [“Then what’s time for?” asked Lenina in some astonishment. Apparently, for going on walks in the Lake District; for that was what he now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/then-what-s-time-for-asked-lenina-in-some-astonishment-apparently-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Once you were a child. Once you knew what inquiry was for. There was a time when you asked questions because you wanted answers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/once-you-were-a-child-once-you-knew-what-inquiry-was-for-there-was-a-2/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [One time. In 1965. August, for about an hour, I was both fine AND dandy at the same time. But nobody asked me how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/one-time-in-1965-august-for-about-an-hour-i-was-both-fine-and-dandy/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What is time? If I am not asked, I know; if I am asked, I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/what-is-time-if-i-am-not-asked-i-know-if-i-am-asked-i-don-t/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“Do we have time?" I asked. He smiled sadly. "If only," he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/do-we-have-time-i-asked-he-smiled-sadly-if-only-he-said/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Men don't even ask me out. I can't remember the last time I was asked out on a date, and I'm talking years here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-nicole-smith/men-don-t-even-ask-me-out-i-can-t-remember-the-last-time-i-was-asked/) [Anna Nicole Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-nicole-smith/) > [One of my friends continued to ask me when was I going to start the group. One particular time she asked me, someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-willis/one-of-my-friends-continued-to-ask-me-when-was-i-going-to-start-the/) [Mike Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-willis/) > [“Are you still on Minnesota time?” I asked. “I am on whatever time makes this call last longer,” he said. “What’s the next meal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/are-you-still-on-minnesota-time-i-asked-i-am-on-whatever-time-makes/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) ## More by Eleanor Brown > [There is no problem a library card can't solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/there-is-no-problem-a-library-card-can-t-solve/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“But Rose learned an important lesson: people don't always do what you tell them to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/but-rose-learned-an-important-lesson-people-don-t-always-do-what-you/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. "A few hundred," she said. "How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/she-remembered-one-of-her-boyfriends-asking-offhandedly-how-many/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Sisters keep secrets. Because sisters' secrets are swords.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/sisters-keep-secrets-because-sisters-secrets-are-swords/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Instead, we'd do what we always did, the only thing we'd ever been dependably stellar at: we'd read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/instead-we-d-do-what-we-always-did-the-only-thing-we-d-ever-been/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Here's one of the problems with communicating in the words of a man who is not around to explain himself: it's damn hard sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/here-s-one-of-the-problems-with-communicating-in-the-words-of-a-man/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Yes, you'd make a great partner for him. What with the embezzling and the adultery and the drinking. That's what every man wants in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/yes-you-d-make-a-great-partner-for-him-what-with-the-embezzling-and/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Oh honey, we’re all fuckups in our own special ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/oh-honey-we-re-all-fuckups-in-our-own-special-ways/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“This conversation, you will not be surprised to know, was the impetus for their breakup, given that it caused her to realize the emotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/this-conversation-you-will-not-be-surprised-to-know-was-the-impetus/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“We don't just come from the womb bearing our talents. They grow from all the things we learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/we-don-t-just-come-from-the-womb-bearing-our-talents-they-grow-from/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“Despite his money and his looks and all the good-on-paper attributes he possessed, he was not a reader, and, well, let's just say that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/despite-his-money-and-his-looks-and-all-the-good-on-paper-attributes/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“And the baby would never know what it meant to hate Barnwell so deeply that she couldn't help but return to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/and-the-baby-would-never-know-what-it-meant-to-hate-barnwell-so/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“We've all done foolish, foolish things, dear. In my experience, good people punish themselves far more than any external body can manage. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/we-ve-all-done-foolish-foolish-things-dear-in-my-experience-good/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [“We all have stories we tell ourselves. We tell ourselves we are too fat, or too ugly, or too old, or too foolish. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/we-all-have-stories-we-tell-ourselves-we-tell-ourselves-we-are-too/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) > [Every room has a mood or personality...and it is this that one desires to develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-brown/every-room-has-a-mood-or-personality-and-it-is-this-that-one-desires/) [Eleanor Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) [Explore all 67 Eleanor Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-brown/) ## More Asked quotes > [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Who tricked me into this whole thing and leaves me standing here? Who am I? How did I get into the world? Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [“The best questions are ones never asked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cory-molloy/the-best-questions-are-ones-never-asked/) [Robert Cory Molloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cory-molloy/) > [A lot of people think I'm snotty. So what? They never asked me out when I was serving cheeseburgers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-moriarty/a-lot-of-people-think-i-m-snotty-so-what-they-never-asked-me-out-when/) [Cathy Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-moriarty/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [For me to even be talking about bikini confidence is crazy. If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I probably would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/for-me-to-even-be-talking-about-bikini-confidence-is-crazy-if-you-had/) [Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/) > [Only once have I been made mute. It was when a man asked me, 'Who are you?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/only-once-have-i-been-made-mute-it-was-when-a-man-asked-me-who-are-you/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [The only thing Steve Jobs has ever asked me in all the years we've been together and have been partners, the only thing he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/the-only-thing-steve-jobs-has-ever-asked-me-in-all-the-years-we-ve/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [“A girl likes to be asked, dumbass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/a-girl-likes-to-be-asked-dumbass/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [I've been asked to school dances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/i-ve-been-asked-to-school-dances/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [“Which to you have?' Mel asked, blocking the entry with his body. 'Talent or issues?' 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Then I thought, Why not me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/at-first-i-asked-why-me-then-i-thought-why-not-me/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/when-scientists-are-asked-what-they-are-working-on-their-response-is/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Browse all 2,259 Asked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She remembered one of her boyfriends asking, offhandedly, how many books she read in a year. \"A few hundred,\" she said. \"How do you have the time?\" he asked, gobsmacked. She narrowed her eyes and considered the array of potential answers in front of her. Because I don't spend hours flipping through cable complaining there's nothing on? Because my entire Sunday is not eaten up with pre-game, in-game, and post-game talking heads? Because I do not spend every night drinking overpriced beer and engaging in dick-swinging contests with the other financirati? Because when I am waiting in line, at the gym, on the train, eating lunch, I am not complaining about the wait/staring into space/admiring myself in reflective surfaces? 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