--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a wonderful experience to be reading…" description: "\"It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then suddenly, it all goes upside-down on you.\" — Fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg" --- # It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and… ![“It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then suddenly, it all goes upside-down on you.” quote by Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg) > “It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then suddenly, it all goes upside-down on you.” [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A reader feels confident while reading, only to have their assumptions shattered unexpectedly. **In simple terms:** Confidence shattered by surprise. Key Takeaway Stay open to change. Themes learning humility unexpectedness Mood thoughtful curious Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - reading - personal growth - critical thinking Key Concepts cognitive bias epiphany Questions to Reflect On - When have you been surprised? - What can you learn from sudden shifts? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind us to new insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Experience Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-reading-244448/) [Figured Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figured-suddenly-3041413/) [Goes Upside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-upside-975685/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-story-464941/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Story Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-think/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-experience/) ## Related quotes > [I was so excited to play Will. He goes into the Upside Down, and he has some pretty crazy experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-schnapp/i-was-so-excited-to-play-will-he-goes-into-the-upside-down-and-he-has/) [Noah Schnapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-schnapp/) > [“Despereaux was reading the story out loud to himself. He was reading from the beginning so that he could get to the end...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/despereaux-was-reading-the-story-out-loud-to-himself-he-was-reading/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [It's so many years of reading story. You leave work and it goes away till you see it air on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-young/it-s-so-many-years-of-reading-story-you-leave-work-and-it-goes-away/) [Jacob Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-young/) > [I hate being too serious about anything. If I'm with my friend, I want to be having fun with him or her. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-hate-being-too-serious-about-anything-if-i-m-with-my-friend-i-want/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [But an experienced reader is also a self-aware and critical reader. I can't remember ever reading a story without judging it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/but-an-experienced-reader-is-also-a-self-aware-and-critical-reader-i/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [The act of reading a story is sacred, and people build images and all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/the-act-of-reading-a-story-is-sacred-and-people-build-images-and-all/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace-up shoes. The object of fiction isn't grammatical correctness but to make the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/language-does-not-always-have-to-wear-a-tie-and-lace-up-shoes-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“There’s just something about reading a story that makes me happier than anything else in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-booke/there-s-just-something-about-reading-a-story-that-makes-me-happier/) [Vanessa Booke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-booke/) > [“How strange it was to...watch her walk round the table and the chairs by the fire, pick up my shells from the shore along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-gifford/how-strange-it-was-to-watch-her-walk-round-the-table-and-the-chairs/) [Elisabeth Gifford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-gifford/) > [All over the country, they're reading about me, and the story doesn't center on me being gay. It's just about a gay person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-milk/all-over-the-country-they-re-reading-about-me-and-the-story-doesn-t/) [Harvey Milk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-milk/) > [“But really, that is kind of silly,' Abigail tried to explain. 'I mean, a book is much less personal than a programmed screen that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sleator/but-really-that-is-kind-of-silly-abigail-tried-to-explain-i-mean-a/) [William Sleator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sleator/) > [“Our understanding of the universe is like a story without a beginning or end where the reader is creating the plot as he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-figueroa-otero/our-understanding-of-the-universe-is-like-a-story-without-a-beginning/) [Ivan Figueroa-Otero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-figueroa-otero/) > [A man who tells secrets or stories must think of who is hearing or reading, for a story has as many versions as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/a-man-who-tells-secrets-or-stories-must-think-of-who-is-hearing-or/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“No time is more precious and well rewarded than those few moments you spend reading a story to a child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-harris/no-time-is-more-precious-and-well-rewarded-than-those-few-moments-you/) [Robert D. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-harris/) > [Reading a story should be a fabulous, wonderful thing. The most important thing that parents can do for kids is to read with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/reading-a-story-should-be-a-fabulous-wonderful-thing-the-most/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) ## More by Fiona Barton > [The emotions, responsibilities - and the pain - of motherhood are unique to each of us with children. Ask any woman, and she will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-emotions-responsibilities-and-the-pain-of-motherhood-are-unique/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [When you start writing fiction, you have to learn to invent, and it's very hard at the beginning to stop relying on facts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/when-you-start-writing-fiction-you-have-to-learn-to-invent-and-it-s/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [For most of us, our protective lies or omissions are so insignificant that being found out would be only mildly embarrassing. But for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/for-most-of-us-our-protective-lies-or-omissions-are-so-insignificant/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [As a journalist, your words are regularly read by lots of people, but they're not your words: they're someone else's. You're quoting people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/as-a-journalist-your-words-are-regularly-read-by-lots-of-people-but/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [When you are a journalist, you are always looking for the next story. It might come from a phone call from a contact or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/when-you-are-a-journalist-you-are-always-looking-for-the-next-story/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Garrison Keillor's 'Lake Wobegon' books create a world I can immerse myself in over and over. I love the deadpan humour, the warmth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/garrison-keillor-s-lake-wobegon-books-create-a-world-i-can-immerse/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [The success of 'The Widow' meant there were expectations for the second book from the first word, and it has created a completely different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-success-of-the-widow-meant-there-were-expectations-for-the-second/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [I know I love a novel with an unreliable narrator, and I think many readers do as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/i-know-i-love-a-novel-with-an-unreliable-narrator-and-i-think-many/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Over the years, I've interviewed the victims, the guilty, the famous, the important, and the ordinary people affected by tragedy or good fortune. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/over-the-years-i-ve-interviewed-the-victims-the-guilty-the-famous-the/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Yes, there are bad apples, but I do feel journalists do a good job, often in very difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/yes-there-are-bad-apples-but-i-do-feel-journalists-do-a-good-job/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Mental health is something that I'm very interested in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/mental-health-is-something-that-i-m-very-interested-in/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [I like my villains clever, deep, and driven by pure evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/i-like-my-villains-clever-deep-and-driven-by-pure-evil/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [A lot of people think journalists are criminals, and there are some who haven't helped us. But the media is essential for democratic society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/a-lot-of-people-think-journalists-are-criminals-and-there-are-some/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [The righting of historic wrongs has chimed with something fundamental in me since I was a young reader. I love the forensic skills, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/the-righting-of-historic-wrongs-has-chimed-with-something-fundamental/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [Since reading 'Sophie's Choice,' I have been haunted by the agonizing idea of choosing between two children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/since-reading-sophie-s-choice-i-have-been-haunted-by-the-agonizing/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) [Explore all 45 Fiona Barton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then suddenly, it all goes upside-down on you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fiona Barton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-reading-a-story-and-think-you-ve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-reading-a-story-and-think-you-ve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/fiona-barton-14833_experience_it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-readin_323169.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a wonderful experience to be reading a story and think you've got things all figured out, and then…” — Fiona Barton", "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": "Fiona Barton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's a wonderful experience to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-reading-a-story-and-think-you-ve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/it-s-a-wonderful-experience-to-be-reading-a-story-and-think-you-ve/#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 } } ] } ```