--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can still remember. I was ill, and I…" description: "\"I can still remember. I was ill, and I was seven, and my father didn't want me to just read children's books. He came with Conan Doyle. I tried, and I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/henning-mankell-2068_book_i-can-still-remember-i-was-ill-and-i-was_294386.jpg" --- # I can still remember. I was ill, and I was seven, and my… ![“I can still remember. I was ill, and I was seven, and my father didn't want me to just read children's books. He came with Conan Doyle. I tried, and I liked it. I think the first I read was 'The Sign of the Four'; 'Study in Scarlet' was the next one. Then I guess I stayed home a few extra days…” quote by Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/henning-mankell-2068_book_i-can-still-remember-i-was-ill-and-i-was_294386.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/henning-mankell-2068_book_i-can-still-remember-i-was-ill-and-i-was_294386.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/047/henning-mankell-2068_book_i-can-still-remember-i-was-ill-and-i-was_294386.jpg) > “I can still remember. I was ill, and I was seven, and my father didn't want me to just read children's books. He came with Conan Doyle. I tried, and I liked it. I think the first I read was 'The Sign of the Four'; 'Study in Scarlet' was the next one. Then I guess I stayed home a few extra days from school to read.” [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s early exposure to classic detective stories sparked a lifelong love of reading and curiosity. **In simple terms:** Early reading shaped a love for mystery books Key Takeaway Encourage kids to explore diverse books early. Themes reading curiosity growth Mood nostalgic inspired Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - parental guidance - school libraries - home schooling - book clubs Key Concepts literature imagination learning Questions to Reflect On - What book first opened your mind? - How can parents balance guidance and freedom? A Different Perspective Not all children respond similarly to forced reading; interests vary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children 's books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-books/) [Children'S Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-s-books-2/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I love Sherlock Holmes. There's still an awful lot to steal from Conan Doyle. But within a tradition you can work in many different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/i-love-sherlock-holmes-there-s-still-an-awful-lot-to-steal-from-conan/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“I had no idea that such individuals existed outside of stories. A STUDY IN SCARLET, SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-cavallaro/i-had-no-idea-that-such-individuals-existed-outside-of-stories-a/) [Brittany Cavallaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-cavallaro/) > [Professor Challenger, Conan Doyle's science hero, was a sort of irascible man constantly bellowing at people, so he was a little bit of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/professor-challenger-conan-doyle-s-science-hero-was-a-sort-of/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [In a way Poe was a big influence for Conan Doyle to create Sherlock Holmes. I think he really did influence many artist of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/in-a-way-poe-was-a-big-influence-for-conan-doyle-to-create-sherlock/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [I suppose I'm the only person who remembers one of the most exciting of his ballets-it's the fruit of an unlikely collaboration between Nijinsky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/i-suppose-i-m-the-only-person-who-remembers-one-of-the-most-exciting/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Steel True, Blade Straight \*In 1955, Doyle's family sold Windlesham, which was turned into a hotel. The bodies of Conan Doyle and his wife,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/steel-true-blade-straight-in-1955-doyle-s-family-sold-windlesham/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Prescription: 'Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. Take ten pages, twice a day, til end of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-setterfield/prescription-sir-arthur-conan-doyle-the-case-book-of-sherlock-holmes/) [Diane Setterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-setterfield/) > [It’s impossible to read The Poison Belt, written in 1913, and not see in its exterminating vision a shadow of the coming war that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-dahlquist/it-s-impossible-to-read-the-poison-belt-written-in-1913-and-not-see/) [Gordon Dahlquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-dahlquist/) > [ That's what makes characters interesting. If Sherlock \[Holmes\] had started out being a straightforward man, we wouldn't be talking about him now. If he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-gatiss/that-s-what-makes-characters-interesting-if-sherlock-holmes-had/) [Mark Gatiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-gatiss/) > [Arthur Conan Doyle had to be Sherlock Holmes in order to envision how Sherlock Holmes would unravel a mystery. He had to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/arthur-conan-doyle-had-to-be-sherlock-holmes-in-order-to-envision-how/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Conan Doyle is amazing in the way he has Watson describe Sherlock’s posture, mood swings, his hand gestures, and so forth in the novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/conan-doyle-is-amazing-in-the-way-he-has-watson-describe-sherlock-s/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [The (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) stories were great, for one. The thing that makes him a remarkable character is how he can withstand all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-linney/the-sir-arthur-conan-doyle-stories-were-great-for-one-the-thing-that/) [Laura Linney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-linney/) > [ We made our Moriarty very different to \[Conan\] Doyle's. He's Irish, and he brings all his charm, his twinkle and his humor to it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-gatiss/we-made-our-moriarty-very-different-to-conan-doyle-s-he-s-irish-and/) [Mark Gatiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-gatiss/) > [I remember when I was a kid, I loved Sherlock Holmes. I thought Arthur Conan Doyle was one of the greatest writers, because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-remember-when-i-was-a-kid-i-loved-sherlock-holmes-i-thought-arthur/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I think I read too much Arthur Conan Doyle when I was young, and got this idea that a gentleman should know a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-think-i-read-too-much-arthur-conan-doyle-when-i-was-young-and-got/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) ## More by Henning Mankell > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“If a policeman is serious about his profession but says he has time, he lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/if-a-policeman-is-serious-about-his-profession-but-says-he-has-time/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“There is a silence in empty houses that is unique... People have left and taken all the noise with them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/there-is-a-silence-in-empty-houses-that-is-unique-people-have-left/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [My father thought, and now I think too, that the system of democracy is entirely based upon the system of justice. If we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/my-father-thought-and-now-i-think-too-that-the-system-of-democracy-is/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [I still have a photo on my wall of the greatest idol I will ever have in my life, and it's myself at eight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/i-still-have-a-photo-on-my-wall-of-the-greatest-idol-i-will-ever-have/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“The experience he'd gained during his years in the police force had given him this unambiguous answer: there are no murderers. Only ordinary people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/the-experience-he-d-gained-during-his-years-in-the-police-force-had/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [We used to send whole flocks of birds shooting out of our mouths and never managed to grab them by their wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/we-used-to-send-whole-flocks-of-birds-shooting-out-of-our-mouths-and/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [He was so excessively polite that Wallendar suspected he had endured many humiliations in his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/he-was-so-excessively-polite-that-wallendar-suspected-he-had-endured/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“This is what Sweden is - quiet people leaning over the newspapers and coffee cups, each one with his own thoughts and destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/this-is-what-sweden-is-quiet-people-leaning-over-the-newspapers-and/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“Working with keys is always meaningful. Locking and opening is, in a sense, man's very purpose on this earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/working-with-keys-is-always-meaningful-locking-and-opening-is-in-a/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“La plupart des voyages dont on rêve n'ont jamais lieu. Ou alors on les accomplit intérieurement. L'avantage, quand on emprunte ces vols intérieurs, c'est…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/la-plupart-des-voyages-dont-on-r-ve-n-ont-jamais-lieu-ou-alors-on-les/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [Our exile organizations have been our way of replacing the cities and villages we have lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/our-exile-organizations-have-been-our-way-of-replacing-the-cities-and/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [What annoys a person who suicides? The life itself. Boredom. Tiredness that descends on every morning when you look at yourself at the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/what-annoys-a-person-who-suicides-the-life-itself-boredom-tiredness/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“Your memories will be a flock of birds, silently flying in the sky. You will see them flying in and see them flying away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/your-memories-will-be-a-flock-of-birds-silently-flying-in-the-sky-you/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“In the biological world children are the sole purpose. Nothing else matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/in-the-biological-world-children-are-the-sole-purpose-nothing-else/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Explore all 175 Henning Mankell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) ## More Book 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can still remember. 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