--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett…" description: "\"Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard not to put it down.\" — Ivy Compton-Burnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg" --- # Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard… ![“Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard not to put it down.” quote by Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg) > “Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard not to put it down.” [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Readers find her work so engaging they cannot stop reading. **In simple terms:** Her books are highly compelling. Key Takeaway Read her novels for immersive storytelling. Themes literature engagement readability Mood thoughtful appreciative Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - book clubs - personal reading - teaching literature - library recommendations Key Concepts narrative craft character depth Questions to Reflect On - What makes a book hard to put down? - How does her style affect comprehension? A Different Perspective Compelling style may not suit all tastes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burnett/) [Burnett Finds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burnett-finds-3905409/) [Compton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compton/) [Compton Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compton-burnett-3905407/) [Picks Compton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picks-compton-3905408/) ## Related quotes > [“You'd better be careful, they are going to revoke your vampire license if you get any more romantic and mushy." "Don't worry," Burnett said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/you-d-better-be-careful-they-are-going-to-revoke-your-vampire-license/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [I started as a stand-up comedian. I wanted to be Carol Burnett when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-miller/i-started-as-a-stand-up-comedian-i-wanted-to-be-carol-burnett-when-i/) [Stephanie Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-miller/) > [“Holiday leaned her elbows on her desk. "You can't find one thing that points to his guilt." "He slept with your sister!" Burnett roared.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/holiday-leaned-her-elbows-on-her-desk-you-can-t-find-one-thing-that/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [I think ABC sort of hoped I would be really like Carol Burnett. I mean literally, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/i-think-abc-sort-of-hoped-i-would-be-really-like-carol-burnett-i-mean/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [I was obsessed with Carol Burnett and then Tracey Ullman. Like, obsessed with their shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/i-was-obsessed-with-carol-burnett-and-then-tracey-ullman-like/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [Carol Burnett, who played Miss Hannigan in 'Annie', is as funny as it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-parkinson/carol-burnett-who-played-miss-hannigan-in-annie-is-as-funny-as-it-gets/) [Katherine Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-parkinson/) > [David Burnett was the son of Martha Foley, who edited the Best American Short Stories series. She hired me to work with David and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-southern/david-burnett-was-the-son-of-martha-foley-who-edited-the-best/) [Terry Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-southern/) > [What would be a show that I would rescue? If I could bring anything back, it would be 'The Carol Burnett Show'. Tim Conway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hale/what-would-be-a-show-that-i-would-rescue-if-i-could-bring-anything/) [Tony Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hale/) > [Everybody just told me from the day I went into high school that I looked like Carol Burnett.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/everybody-just-told-me-from-the-day-i-went-into-high-school-that-i/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [Woosah... -Marcus Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-boys-2/woosah-marcus-burnett/) [Bad Boys 2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-boys-2/) > [So many people: Lucille Ball is the earliest incarnation of a woman I thought was funny, Joan Rivers, Roseanne, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radnor, down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-peretti/so-many-people-lucille-ball-is-the-earliest-incarnation-of-a-woman-i/) [Chelsea Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-peretti/) > [I could not see myself going back into the studio without Tommy Dowd, our beloved producer who passed away in 2002. Then in 2009,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/i-could-not-see-myself-going-back-into-the-studio-without-tommy-dowd/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [I took my first acting class at age 6 because I found out that's what Carol Burnett was doing - acting. Also she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-took-my-first-acting-class-at-age-6-because-i-found-out-that-s-what/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [“The bell from the restaurant doors chimed behind them and Blake walked out. He stopped beside Holiday. "Is everything okay?" He cut his gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter-2/the-bell-from-the-restaurant-doors-chimed-behind-them-and-blake/) [c.c hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter-2/) ## More by Ivy Compton-Burnett > [Our desires have a way of getting bigger with our incomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/our-desires-have-a-way-of-getting-bigger-with-our-incomes/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [I never know why self-sacrifice is noble. Why is it better to sacrifice oneself than someone else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/i-never-know-why-self-sacrifice-is-noble-why-is-it-better-to/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [My youth is escaping without giving me anything it owes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/my-youth-is-escaping-without-giving-me-anything-it-owes-me/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [It will be a beautiful family talk, mean and worried and full of sorrow and spite and excitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/it-will-be-a-beautiful-family-talk-mean-and-worried-and-full-of/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [“People do not like to lose their lives. That is the reason why they should not take other people's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/people-do-not-like-to-lose-their-lives-that-is-the-reason-why-they/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Never is a long word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/never-is-a-long-word/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [A person who can really be called an unselfish person, has no place in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/a-person-who-can-really-be-called-an-unselfish-person-has-no-place-in/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [We do not discuss the members of our family to their faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/we-do-not-discuss-the-members-of-our-family-to-their-faces/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [The plot is not very important to me, though a novel must have one, of course. It's just a line to hang the washing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/the-plot-is-not-very-important-to-me-though-a-novel-must-have-one-of/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Time is not a great healer. It is an indifferent and perfunctory one. Sometimes it does not heal at all. And sometimes when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/time-is-not-a-great-healer-it-is-an-indifferent-and-perfunctory-one/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [There are different kinds of wrong. The people sinned against are not always the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/there-are-different-kinds-of-wrong-the-people-sinned-against-are-not/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Pushing forty? She's hanging on for dear life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/pushing-forty-she-s-hanging-on-for-dear-life/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Well, Buttermere, this is a day that is good to live and breathe in, that makes a man feel in his prime. Standing here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/well-buttermere-this-is-a-day-that-is-good-to-live-and-breathe-in/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Civilized life exacts its toll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/civilized-life-exacts-its-toll/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [We none of us talk to people as we do behind their backs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/we-none-of-us-talk-to-people-as-we-do-behind-their-backs/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) [Explore all 65 Ivy Compton-Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) ## More Burnett quotes > [“You'd better be careful, they are going to revoke your vampire license if you get any more romantic and mushy." "Don't worry," Burnett said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/you-d-better-be-careful-they-are-going-to-revoke-your-vampire-license/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [I took my first acting class at age 6 because I found out that's what Carol Burnett was doing - acting. Also she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-took-my-first-acting-class-at-age-6-because-i-found-out-that-s-what/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [Making music on TV used to be as common as commercials. In the '60s and '70s, prime time was stuffed with variety shows headlined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-shales/making-music-on-tv-used-to-be-as-common-as-commercials-in-the-60s-and/) [Tom Shales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-shales/) > [I could not see myself going back into the studio without Tommy Dowd, our beloved producer who passed away in 2002. Then in 2009,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-allman/i-could-not-see-myself-going-back-into-the-studio-without-tommy-dowd/) [Gregg Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-allman/) > [So many people: Lucille Ball is the earliest incarnation of a woman I thought was funny, Joan Rivers, Roseanne, Carol Burnett, Gilda Radnor, down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-peretti/so-many-people-lucille-ball-is-the-earliest-incarnation-of-a-woman-i/) [Chelsea Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-peretti/) > [Woosah... -Marcus Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bad-boys-2/woosah-marcus-burnett/) [Bad Boys 2](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bad-boys-2/) > [Everybody just told me from the day I went into high school that I looked like Carol Burnett.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicki-lawrence/everybody-just-told-me-from-the-day-i-went-into-high-school-that-i/) [Vicki Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicki-lawrence/) > [What would be a show that I would rescue? If I could bring anything back, it would be 'The Carol Burnett Show'. Tim Conway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hale/what-would-be-a-show-that-i-would-rescue-if-i-could-bring-anything/) [Tony Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hale/) > [David Burnett was the son of Martha Foley, who edited the Best American Short Stories series. She hired me to work with David and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-southern/david-burnett-was-the-son-of-martha-foley-who-edited-the-best/) [Terry Southern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-southern/) > [Carol Burnett, who played Miss Hannigan in 'Annie', is as funny as it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-parkinson/carol-burnett-who-played-miss-hannigan-in-annie-is-as-funny-as-it-gets/) [Katherine Parkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-parkinson/) > [I was obsessed with Carol Burnett and then Tracey Ullman. Like, obsessed with their shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/i-was-obsessed-with-carol-burnett-and-then-tracey-ullman-like/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [I think ABC sort of hoped I would be really like Carol Burnett. I mean literally, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-carvey/i-think-abc-sort-of-hoped-i-would-be-really-like-carol-burnett-i-mean/) [Dana Carvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-carvey/) > [“Holiday leaned her elbows on her desk. "You can't find one thing that points to his guilt." "He slept with your sister!" Burnett roared.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter/holiday-leaned-her-elbows-on-her-desk-you-can-t-find-one-thing-that/) [C.C. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter/) > [I started as a stand-up comedian. I wanted to be Carol Burnett when I was growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-miller/i-started-as-a-stand-up-comedian-i-wanted-to-be-carol-burnett-when-i/) [Stephanie Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-miller/) > [“The bell from the restaurant doors chimed behind them and Blake walked out. He stopped beside Holiday. "Is everything okay?" He cut his gaze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-hunter-2/the-bell-from-the-restaurant-doors-chimed-behind-them-and-blake/) [c.c hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-hunter-2/) [Browse all 30 Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burnett/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard not to put it down.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ivy Compton-Burnett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-finds-it-very-hard-not-to-put/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Burnett" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-finds-it-very-hard-not-to-put/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/ivy-compton-burnett-10491_compton_anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-fi_2057090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett finds it very hard not to put it down.” — Ivy Compton-Burnett", "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": "Ivy Compton-Burnett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anyone who picks up a Compton-Burnett...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-finds-it-very-hard-not-to-put/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/anyone-who-picks-up-a-compton-burnett-finds-it-very-hard-not-to-put/#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 } } ] } ```