--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Literature has guided me through my whole…" description: "\"Literature has guided me through my whole life.\" — Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg" --- # Literature has guided me through my whole life. ![“Literature has guided me through my whole life.” quote by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg) > “Literature has guided me through my whole life.” [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literature shapes worldview and guides decisions throughout life. **In simple terms:** Books guide life choices. Key Takeaway Read widely. Themes growth education storytelling Mood reflective thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - self‑reflection - creative writing Key Concepts literature personal development Questions to Reflect On - Which book changed your path? - How do stories influence values? A Different Perspective May overstate influence of books. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Guided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guided/) [Guided Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guided-life-1232762/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature/) [Literature Guided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literature-guided-4135317/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-life/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Margaret Atwood was the author who took me out of children's literature and guided me towards adult literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/margaret-atwood-was-the-author-who-took-me-out-of-children-s/) [Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/) > [The goal of every yoga is to lead a guided life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-tweedie/the-goal-of-every-yoga-is-to-lead-a-guided-life/) [Irina Tweedie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-tweedie/) > [My demons, inner strengths and physical battles have guided me through life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gg-allin/my-demons-inner-strengths-and-physical-battles-have-guided-me-through/) [GG Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gg-allin/) > [I never accepted the idea that I had to be guided by some pattern or blueprint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-richard/i-never-accepted-the-idea-that-i-had-to-be-guided-by-some-pattern-or/) [Little Richard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-richard/) > [He who is his own guide is guided by a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/he-who-is-his-own-guide-is-guided-by-a-fool/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [We should be guided by theory, not by numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-should-be-guided-by-theory-not-by-numbers/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We can't be guided - because we're so far from it. We've so destroyed it. We're so far from that that we can't use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-powter/we-can-t-be-guided-because-we-re-so-far-from-it-we-ve-so-destroyed-it/) [Susan Powter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-powter/) > [A guided missile corrects its trajectory as it flies, homing in, say, on the heat of a jet plane's exhaust. A great improvement on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/a-guided-missile-corrects-its-trajectory-as-it-flies-homing-in-say-on/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [We understand and promote the notion that while children need to be guided they also have an entrenched right to be whatever they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-understand-and-promote-the-notion-that-while-children-need-to-be/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [My Christian faith has guided me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adebayo-akinfenwa/my-christian-faith-has-guided-me/) [Adebayo Akinfenwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adebayo-akinfenwa/) > [I had the benefit of being guided by Lew Wasserman. I think part of being a mentor is you have to have confidence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheinberg/i-had-the-benefit-of-being-guided-by-lew-wasserman-i-think-part-of/) [Sidney Sheinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheinberg/) > [Writing is only a guided dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/writing-is-only-a-guided-dream/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Fret not for all of your trials and tribulations have not been in vain, you are one of the chosen! You are divinely guided!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-delores-burrell/fret-not-for-all-of-your-trials-and-tribulations-have-not-been-in/) [Constance Delores Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-delores-burrell/) > [Dad's easy to get along with. He always has suggestions, and I'm more than happy to be guided by him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-deol/dad-s-easy-to-get-along-with-he-always-has-suggestions-and-i-m-more/) [Bobby Deol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-deol/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) ## More by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi > [As a director, people are trusting you with their lives, with their stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/as-a-director-people-are-trusting-you-with-their-lives-with-their/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I wish I could say I've been following Youssou N'Dour all my life. I haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-wish-i-could-say-i-ve-been-following-youssou-n-dour-all-my-life-i/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [My love was always in books. I was just one of those avid readers. Films came later, but the stories were always present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/my-love-was-always-in-books-i-was-just-one-of-those-avid-readers/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [Growing up biracial and speaking four languages - French, Chinese, Portuguese, and English - gave me a different lens. I was always very acutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/growing-up-biracial-and-speaking-four-languages-french-chinese/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [My father filmed me all the time as a kid, and that's how I was first exposed to a camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/my-father-filmed-me-all-the-time-as-a-kid-and-that-s-how-i-was-first/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I've always sought to give opportunities to women, to people who come from a different background, to add diversity to the mix - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-ve-always-sought-to-give-opportunities-to-women-to-people-who-come/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I always wonder about the word 'intense.' 'Intense' is used to describe women. Guys are intense, but they don't get described that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-always-wonder-about-the-word-intense-intense-is-used-to-describe/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I was no stranger to risk myself, having made documentaries in dangerous conditions in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-was-no-stranger-to-risk-myself-having-made-documentaries-in/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I went to Princeton to major in comparative literature. I never went to film school, but I studied storytelling across mediums - poems, literature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-went-to-princeton-to-major-in-comparative-literature-i-never-went/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [Color is everything. It's another piece of the visual language to express what you're trying to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/color-is-everything-it-s-another-piece-of-the-visual-language-to/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I was fortunate to come from a family that supported my dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/i-was-fortunate-to-come-from-a-family-that-supported-my-dreams/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [The cinematography and the conditions in which 'Meru' was filmed drew me to the project. It's remarkable to think that everything in the film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/the-cinematography-and-the-conditions-in-which-meru-was-filmed-drew/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [Parenthood has made me more cautious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/parenthood-has-made-me-more-cautious/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [As a documentary filmmaker, 'Meru' was an irresistible challenge. You can spend years searching for the right story, but this one had all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/as-a-documentary-filmmaker-meru-was-an-irresistible-challenge-you-can/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [Professionally, I made my first film at 20 in a war zone in Kosovo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/professionally-i-made-my-first-film-at-20-in-a-war-zone-in-kosovo/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) [Explore all 33 Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Literature has guided me through my whole life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whole-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whole-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5c3/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi-1911_books_literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whol_2116586.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Literature has guided me through my whole life.” — Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi", "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": "Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Literature has guided me through my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whole-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/literature-has-guided-me-through-my-whole-life/#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 } } ] } ```