--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I read mostly historical fiction - lots…" description: "\"I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. I also liked sci-fi and fantasy: David Gemmell, Raymond E. Fei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/henry-cavill-4603_ancient_i-read-mostly-historical-fiction-lots-of_3116674.jpg" --- # I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in… ![“I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. I also liked sci-fi and fantasy: David Gemmell, Raymond E. Feist. It's a nice escape from the world. As much as I do love real-life stories, they can often make you hurt in a way I'd rather not hurt.” quote by Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/henry-cavill-4603_ancient_i-read-mostly-historical-fiction-lots-of_3116674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/henry-cavill-4603_ancient_i-read-mostly-historical-fiction-lots-of_3116674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/henry-cavill-4603_ancient_i-read-mostly-historical-fiction-lots-of_3116674.jpg) > “I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. I also liked sci-fi and fantasy: David Gemmell, Raymond E. Feist. It's a nice escape from the world. As much as I do love real-life stories, they can often make you hurt in a way I'd rather not hurt.” [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) ## 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 prefers escapist fiction set in ancient settings and fantasy to avoid emotional pain from real stories. **In simple terms:** Escapist fiction offers emotional safety. Key Takeaway Choose stories that protect your feelings. Themes escapism fiction emotional safety Mood reflective comforting Type personal literary When to use this quote - reading for relaxation - avoiding trauma - seeking inspiration Key Concepts historical settings fantasy psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - What genres help you unwind? - How do you balance escape and reality? A Different Perspective Escapism may limit real-world empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient greece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-greece/) [Ancient rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-rome/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Greece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greece/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [Historical fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-fiction/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurt/) [Life story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-story/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Read Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-historical-1211826/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rome/) [Sci fi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sci-fi/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [S.F. Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-f-chandler/) > [After all, that's why we read historical fiction-to be transported to another time, and to be astonished at ancient people's lives and traditions, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-moran/after-all-that-s-why-we-read-historical-fiction-to-be-transported-to/) [Michelle Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-moran/) > [What really disconcerts commentators, I suspect, is that when they read historical fiction, they feel their own lack of education may be exposed; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/what-really-disconcerts-commentators-i-suspect-is-that-when-they-read/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [When I lived in China, there were no libraries. My mother bought books for me, and they were mostly the classics. I read 'Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-fritz/when-i-lived-in-china-there-were-no-libraries-my-mother-bought-books/) [Jean Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-fritz/) > [But, ancient Greece and ancient Rome - people did not happen to believe that creativity came from human beings back then, OK? People believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-ancient-greece-and-ancient-rome-people-did-not-happen-to-believe/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [When a rapidly rising power rivals an established ruling power, trouble ensues. In 11 of 15 cases in which this has occurred in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-t-allison/when-a-rapidly-rising-power-rivals-an-established-ruling-power/) [Graham T. Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-t-allison/) > [“When the travesties scattered throughout our modern art museums are set alongside the glories of ancient Greece, the Christian heart should swell with pride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/when-the-travesties-scattered-throughout-our-modern-art-museums-are/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [Philosophy is best practised by people in general and not by philosophers alone. Philosophy is too often a luxury now, but in ancient Greece,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-onfray/philosophy-is-best-practised-by-people-in-general-and-not-by/) [Michel Onfray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-onfray/) > [I have a long view of history - my orientation is archaeological because I'm always thinking in terms of ancient Greece and Rome, ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-have-a-long-view-of-history-my-orientation-is-archaeological/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [What is remarkable about the Greeks - even pre-philosophically - is that despite the salience of religious rituals in their lives, when it came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/what-is-remarkable-about-the-greeks-even-pre-philosophically-is-that/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [In English the expression 'ancient Greece' includes the meaning of 'finished,' whereas for us Greece goes on living, for better or for worse; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/budd-schulberg/in-english-the-expression-ancient-greece-includes-the-meaning-of/) [Budd Schulberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/budd-schulberg/) > [Christianity enhanced the notion of political and social accountability by providing a new model: that of servant leadership. In ancient Greece and Rome no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-d-souza/christianity-enhanced-the-notion-of-political-and-social/) [Dinesh D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinesh-d-souza/) > [No civilisation, not even that of ancient Greece, has ever undergone such a continuous and profound process of change as Western Europe has done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-civilisation-not-even-that-of-ancient-greece-has-ever-undergone/) [Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/) > [America did not need to be discovered because quite simply America had the American-Indians. There were whole groups of people that already lived there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-castro-espin/america-did-not-need-to-be-discovered-because-quite-simply-america/) [Alejandro Castro Espin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-castro-espin/) > [In my Pantheon, Pan still reigns in his pristine glory, with his ruddy face, his flowing beard, and his shaggy body, his pipe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-my-pantheon-pan-still-reigns-in-his-pristine-glory-with-his-ruddy/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Henry Cavill > [I'm a serious geek. I mean I seriously want to own a unicorn when I'm older . . . or a Pegasus . . . yeah Pegasus sounds better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-m-a-serious-geek-i-mean-i-seriously-want-to-own-a-unicorn-when-i-m/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I'm not really into fancying people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-m-not-really-into-fancying-people/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I know there are a lot of people who like to get very involved in their characters, but I, personally, find it too involved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-know-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-like-to-get-very-involved-in/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I like to go full bore into something. If you have a backup plan, then you've already admitted defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-like-to-go-full-bore-into-something-if-you-have-a-backup-plan-then/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [This acting job - it pays very well and you get to live a wonderful lifestyle, but it's something that I love doing, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/this-acting-job-it-pays-very-well-and-you-get-to-live-a-wonderful/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I know I can't make everyone happy, but I know I can do the most justice I can possibly do to a character, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-know-i-can-t-make-everyone-happy-but-i-know-i-can-do-the-most/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I love Dublin. I lived here for awhile when we were shooting, so I know it fairly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-love-dublin-i-lived-here-for-awhile-when-we-were-shooting-so-i-know/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I think in this day and age it's all part and parcel. There are people taking photographs of us working all the time. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-think-in-this-day-and-age-it-s-all-part-and-parcel-there-are-people/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I go to work, I do a job, I play a role, and then I go home. I don't wear a cape at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-go-to-work-i-do-a-job-i-play-a-role-and-then-i-go-home-i-don-t-wear/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I was running to get to an audition when I first starting acting and when crossing the road with traffic stopped everywhere I slipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-was-running-to-get-to-an-audition-when-i-first-starting-acting-and/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [I've traveled enough on planes to realize it's not about how you look it's about how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/i-ve-traveled-enough-on-planes-to-realize-it-s-not-about-how-you-look/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > ['Immortals' was very much a martial arts based training program - a lot of body weight stuff, very little in the way of actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/immortals-was-very-much-a-martial-arts-based-training-program-a-lot/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [Finding the physical aspect is important to me because that is often how we read people in everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/finding-the-physical-aspect-is-important-to-me-because-that-is-often/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [In prep school, I really learned to love the stage. When you step out from the wings and into the lights, there's this incredible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/in-prep-school-i-really-learned-to-love-the-stage-when-you-step-out/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) > [The hardest part of acting is not being guaranteed work. Every job could be your last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cavill/the-hardest-part-of-acting-is-not-being-guaranteed-work-every-job/) [Henry Cavill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) [Explore all 108 Henry Cavill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cavill/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I read mostly historical fiction - lots of stuff set in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. I also liked sci-fi and fantasy: David Gemmell, Raymond E. Feist. It's a nice escape from the world. 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