--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men, at any rate, never fulfilled…" description: "\"“Men, at any rate, never fulfilled expectations. They might, upon acquaintance, turn out more entertaining than they appeared; but almost always taking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ford-madox-ford-3409_books_men-at-any-rate-never-fulfilled-expectat_3185950.jpg" --- # Men, at any rate, never fulfilled expectations. They… ![“Men, at any rate, never fulfilled expectations. They might, upon acquaintance, turn out more entertaining than they appeared; but almost always taking up with a man was like reading a book you had read when you had forgotten that you had read it. You had not been for ten minutes in any sort of…” quote by Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ford-madox-ford-3409_books_men-at-any-rate-never-fulfilled-expectat_3185950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ford-madox-ford-3409_books_men-at-any-rate-never-fulfilled-expectat_3185950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ef/ford-madox-ford-3409_books_men-at-any-rate-never-fulfilled-expectat_3185950.jpg) > ““Men, at any rate, never fulfilled expectations. They might, upon acquaintance, turn out more entertaining than they appeared; but almost always taking up with a man was like reading a book you had read when you had forgotten that you had read it. You had not been for ten minutes in any sort of intimacy with any man before you had said: “But I’ve read all this before…” You knew the opening, you were already bored by the middle, and, especially, you knew the end….”” [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often repeat familiar patterns in relationships, leading to boredom and predictability despite initial excitement. **In simple terms:** Relationships can become predictable and boring. Key Takeaway Seek novelty and deeper connection. Themes relationships repetition expectations human nature Mood thoughtful introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - dating - long‑term partnerships - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology habit novelty seeking Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep relationships fresh? - How can you recognize and break repetitive cycles? A Different Perspective Changing patterns may be difficult without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Reading A Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-a-book/) [Romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romance/) ## Related quotes > [“(in which, along with Montaigne, we raise the question of whether a book you have read and completely forgotten, and which you have even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-bayard/in-which-along-with-montaigne-we-raise-the-question-of-whether-a-book/) [Pierre Bayard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-bayard/) > [“But I found out then, and never have forgotten since, that we never read the dull explanatory surroundings of marvelously exciting things when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/but-i-found-out-then-and-never-have-forgotten-since-that-we-never/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Never go back to an old love. Because it's like reading a book over and over again when you already know how it ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-go-back-to-an-old-love-because-it-s-like-reading-a-book-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You never know what you're in for when you take a role. When you're reading the script, you're in some café in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-george/you-never-know-what-you-re-in-for-when-you-take-a-role-when-you-re/) [Melissa George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-george/) > [Never go back into an old love, no matter how strong it is, because it's like reading a book over and over again when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/never-go-back-into-an-old-love-no-matter-how-strong-it-is-because-it/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [When I wake up in the morning and I turn that film on, it's like reading a book and it's exciting. I don't read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-miles/when-i-wake-up-in-the-morning-and-i-turn-that-film-on-it-s-like/) [Les Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-miles/) > [“Life is like reading a book... Sometimes when you need to move forward you just have to start the next chapter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-cote/life-is-like-reading-a-book-sometimes-when-you-need-to-move-forward/) [Christie Cote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-cote/) > [Never go back to an old love no matter how strong it is beause it's like reading a book over & over when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-go-back-to-an-old-love-no-matter-how-strong-it-is-beause-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He nods, his eyes on her like he's reading a book he's just getting to the end of and can't be interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-bell/he-nods-his-eyes-on-her-like-he-s-reading-a-book-he-s-just-getting-to/) [Alden Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-bell/) > [It's best to be happy do your favorite thing to do like,reading a book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-angelica-zabala/it-s-best-to-be-happy-do-your-favorite-thing-to-do-like-reading-a-book/) Maria Angelica Zabala > [“Thinking about her is like reading a book with the last couple chapters missing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-joshua-shaw/thinking-about-her-is-like-reading-a-book-with-the-last-couple/) [Mr. Joshua Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-joshua-shaw/) > [It's like reading a book about a life that you will never occupy, but that's the beauty of being transported.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/it-s-like-reading-a-book-about-a-life-that-you-will-never-occupy-but/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [“You’ll get so tired of Blair Water — you’ll know all the people in it — what they are and can be — it’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/you-ll-get-so-tired-of-blair-water-you-ll-know-all-the-people-in-it/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [Going back to a person in the past, is like reading a book you have already read, you already know how it will end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bless-tom/going-back-to-a-person-in-the-past-is-like-reading-a-book-you-have/) Bless Tom > [Going back to your ex is like reading a book you have already read. The outcome will always be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-donnell/going-back-to-your-ex-is-like-reading-a-book-you-have-already-read/) Matthew Donnell ## More by Ford Madox Ford > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“You can't kill a minuet de la coeur. You may shut up the music book... but surely the minuet-- the minuet itself is dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/you-can-t-kill-a-minuet-de-la-coeur-you-may-shut-up-the-music-book/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“You see in such a world as this, an idealist -or perhaps it's only a sentimentalist-must be stoned to death. He makes the others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/you-see-in-such-a-world-as-this-an-idealist-or-perhaps-it-s-only-a/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“A gentleman in those days consulted his heirs about tree planting. Should you plant a group of copper beeches against a group of white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/a-gentleman-in-those-days-consulted-his-heirs-about-tree-planting/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“How was it possible that the most honourable man she knew should be so overwhelmed by foul and baseless rumours? It made you suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/how-was-it-possible-that-the-most-honourable-man-she-knew-should-be/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [It is not merely that people must die and people must suffer, if not here, then there. But what is dreadful is that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/it-is-not-merely-that-people-must-die-and-people-must-suffer-if-not/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“But upon my word, I don't know how we put in our time. How does one put in one's time? How is it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/but-upon-my-word-i-don-t-know-how-we-put-in-our-time-how-does-one-put/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [In every man there are two minds that work side by side, the one checking the other; thus emotion stands against reason, intellect corrects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/in-every-man-there-are-two-minds-that-work-side-by-side-the-one/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“No, by God, it is false! It wasn't a minuet that we stepped; it was a prison - a prison full of screaming hysterics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/no-by-god-it-is-false-it-wasn-t-a-minuet-that-we-stepped-it-was-a/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [Damn it all, it's the first duty of a soldier - it's the first duty of all Englishmen - to be able to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/damn-it-all-it-s-the-first-duty-of-a-soldier-it-s-the-first-duty-of/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“Yes, society must go on; it must breed, like rabbits. That is what we are here for. But then, I don't like society—much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/yes-society-must-go-on-it-must-breed-like-rabbits-that-is-what-we-are/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“The signal for the train's departure was a very bright red; that is about as passionate a statement as I can get into that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/the-signal-for-the-train-s-departure-was-a-very-bright-red-that-is/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [The world is full of places to which I want to return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/the-world-is-full-of-places-to-which-i-want-to-return/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [...she had always known under her mind and now she confessed it: her agony had been, half of it, because one day he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/she-had-always-known-under-her-mind-and-now-she-confessed-it-her/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [“I like the slow, smooth roll of the great big trains—and they are the best trains in the world! I like being drawn through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/i-like-the-slow-smooth-roll-of-the-great-big-trains-and-they-are-the/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) [Explore all 124 Ford Madox Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) ## 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. 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