--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I read a book, I want you to be…" description: "\"“When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I want to know what would Amelia think of it. I want you to be mine. I can promise y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png" --- # When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the… ![“When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I want to know what would Amelia think of it. I want you to be mine. I can promise you books and conversation and all my heart, Amy.” quote by Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png) > ““When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I want to know what would Amelia think of it. I want you to be mine. I can promise you books and conversation and all my heart, Amy.”” [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker longs to share reading experiences with a loved one, seeking intimacy through shared imagination and emotional connection. **In simple terms:** Wants shared reading and emotional bond. Key Takeaway Share books, deepen connection. Themes love reading intimacy Mood romantic thoughtful Type literary personal When to use this quote - date night - book club - long-distance relationship - gift of a book - co‑reading sessions Key Concepts shared imagination emotional intimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can shared reading deepen intimacy? - What challenges arise when partners read differently? A Different Perspective May not work if tastes differ or reading speed varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“All I can say is . . . All I can say is we’ll figure it out, I swear. When I read a book,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/all-i-can-say-is-all-i-can-say-is-we-ll-figure-it-out-i-swear-when-i/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-reading-it-at-the-same-time-i/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I can promise you books and conversation and all my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-can-promise-you-books-and-conversation-and-all-my-heart/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“How soon could you be ready to go?” She tilted her head, and her smile turned into a grin. “Is fifteen minutes soon enough?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/how-soon-could-you-be-ready-to-go-she-tilted-her-head-and-her-smile/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“People wandered in for books and conversation. They brought their stories to her, some bound, and some known by heart. She recognized some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/people-wandered-in-for-books-and-conversation-they-brought-their/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If your reading life and your friendships overlap, that's just a nice coincidence - a case where the conversation you're having with books and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brockmeier/if-your-reading-life-and-your-friendships-overlap-that-s-just-a-nice/) [Kevin Brockmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brockmeier/) > [Besides one should not believe that the people only want reading that is easy to absorb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/besides-one-should-not-believe-that-the-people-only-want-reading-that/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [I'm not even speaking to people any more; I just want to be reading my Kindle the whole time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-mcshera/i-m-not-even-speaking-to-people-any-more-i-just-want-to-be-reading-my/) [Sophie McShera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-mcshera/) > [I love to read. I wish I could advise more people to read. There’s a whole new world in books. If you can’t afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-love-to-read-i-wish-i-could-advise-more-people-to-read-there-s-a/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [My easiest judgment for a script is 'do I want to keep reading it?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-blum/my-easiest-judgment-for-a-script-is-do-i-want-to-keep-reading-it/) [Jason Blum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-blum/) > [I'm not going to make judgments about what people are reading. I just want them to be reading. And I think reading one book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/i-m-not-going-to-make-judgments-about-what-people-are-reading-i-just/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [“IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single reader in proximity to a good bookstore, must be in want of a reading recommendation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-erwin/it-is-a-truth-universally-acknowledged-that-a-single-reader-in/) Sherri Erwin > [One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/one-rainy-sunday-when-i-was-in-the-third-grade-i-picked-up-a-book-to/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [People want to find out what happens to the characters, and want to keep reading, and turning the pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-b-jenkins/people-want-to-find-out-what-happens-to-the-characters-and-want-to/) [Jerry B. Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-b-jenkins/) > [“To know things, for us to know things, is bad for them. We get to wanting and when we get to wanting it's bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/to-know-things-for-us-to-know-things-is-bad-for-them-we-get-to/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) ## More by Gabrielle Zevin > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [People are capable of great, great change during the span of one lifetime. And women even more than men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/people-are-capable-of-great-great-change-during-the-span-of-one/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [That Woman is in love with her own grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/that-woman-is-in-love-with-her-own-grief/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [He kissed me, though not in a sexy way. Gentle. Tender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-kissed-me-though-not-in-a-sexy-way-gentle-tender/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“I am repulsed by ghostwritten novels by reality television stars, celebrity picture books, sports memoirs, movie tie-in editions, novelty items, and—I imagine this goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-am-repulsed-by-ghostwritten-novels-by-reality-television-stars/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wish I could tell you to always follow your heart, but I think it is bad advice. You have a heart, yes, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wish-i-could-tell-you-to-always-follow-your-heart-but-i-think-it-is/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is a lie that you should only speak from your heart- you ought to let your brain play a part too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-a-lie-that-you-should-only-speak-from-your-heart-you-ought-to/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [I wondered if the person who really loves you is the person who knows all your stories, the person who WANTS to know all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-wondered-if-the-person-who-really-loves-you-is-the-person-who-knows/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Most people's problems would be solved if they would only give more things a chance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/most-people-s-problems-would-be-solved-if-they-would-only-give-more/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“It is lucky, she thinks, that we don’t feel all the love inside us every moment. We couldn’t breathe or walk or eat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-is-lucky-she-thinks-that-we-don-t-feel-all-the-love-inside-us/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Real love' is not just instinct, but intent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/real-love-is-not-just-instinct-but-intent/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Hi there," squeaked a precocious little voice, "you are speaking to Chloe Fusakawa, and I have just learned how to answer the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/hi-there-squeaked-a-precocious-little-voice-you-are-speaking-to-chloe/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“Well, I’m warning you. I could be a bad book with a good jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/well-i-m-warning-you-i-could-be-a-bad-book-with-a-good-jacket/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“A place ain’t a place without a bookstore,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/a-place-ain-t-a-place-without-a-bookstore/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) [Explore all 425 Gabrielle Zevin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) ## 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": "“When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I want to know what would Amelia think of it. I want you to be mine. I can promise you books and conversation and all my heart, Amy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gabrielle Zevin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-reading-it-at-the-same-time-i-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-reading-it-at-the-same-time-i-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c69/gabrielle-zevin-626_books_when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-read_3026073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I read a book, I want you to be reading it at the same time. I want to know what would Amelia think of…” — Gabrielle Zevin", "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": "Gabrielle Zevin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When I read a book, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-reading-it-at-the-same-time-i-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-read-a-book-i-want-you-to-be-reading-it-at-the-same-time-i-2/#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 } } ] } ```