--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had walked into that reading-room a…" description: "\"I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out a decrepit wreck.\" — Jerome K. Jerome" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/jerome-k-jerome-1155_decrepit_i-had-walked-into-that-reading-room-a-ha_2121969.png" --- # I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man… ![“I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out a decrepit wreck.” quote by Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/jerome-k-jerome-1155_decrepit_i-had-walked-into-that-reading-room-a-ha_2121969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/jerome-k-jerome-1155_decrepit_i-had-walked-into-that-reading-room-a-ha_2121969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/839/jerome-k-jerome-1155_decrepit_i-had-walked-into-that-reading-room-a-ha_2121969.png) > “I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out a decrepit wreck.” [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes a decline from health to ruin after entering a reading room, implying harmful influence. **In simple terms:** Entered reading room, emerged worse. Key Takeaway Be cautious of harmful environments. Themes decline health environment Mood reflective cautionary Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - library visits - overworking - stressful settings Key Concepts physical decay mental deterioration Questions to Reflect On - What environments affect you negatively? - How can you protect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Not all reading rooms cause decline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decrepit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decrepit/) [Healthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy/) [Healthy Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthy-man-875502/) [Man Crawled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-crawled-4333549/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-room/) [Room Happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room-happy-585529/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Walked Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walked-reading-4333548/) [Wrecks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrecks/) ## Related quotes > [“He walked there, reading in the evening and heard the cries of the boys' lines at their play, young cries in the quiet evening.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/he-walked-there-reading-in-the-evening-and-heard-the-cries-of-the/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [People think I'm nuts because I can sit in a room and be happy by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/people-think-i-m-nuts-because-i-can-sit-in-a-room-and-be-happy-by/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [We don't have the time to completely be ourselves. We only have the room to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-don-t-have-the-time-to-completely-be-ourselves-we-only-have-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [If you're doing what you do because you love it, you have room to be happy for others. And that's a lot of fun,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-petri/if-you-re-doing-what-you-do-because-you-love-it-you-have-room-to-be/) [Alexandra Petri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-petri/) > [“We went back into the drawing room. The evening had passes pleasantly enough, heaven knows, but I was glad that they had gone and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/we-went-back-into-the-drawing-room-the-evening-had-passes-pleasantly/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [“Still what I miss most, simple and maybe selfish as it sounds, is the twinkle in Morrie's eyes when I came in the room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/still-what-i-miss-most-simple-and-maybe-selfish-as-it-sounds-is-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“I love the stillness of a room, after a party. The chairs are moved, the cushions disarranged, everything is there to show that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/i-love-the-stillness-of-a-room-after-a-party-the-chairs-are-moved-the/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [“A healthy man watched what he ate. An intelligent man watched what he watched.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-healthy-man-watched-what-he-ate-an-intelligent-man-watched-what-he/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [When men lose against me, they always have a headache ... or things of that kind. I have never beaten a completely healthy man!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-polgar/when-men-lose-against-me-they-always-have-a-headache-or-things-of/) [Susan Polgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-polgar/) > [A healthy man, indeed, is the complement of the seasons, and in winter, summer is in his heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-healthy-man-indeed-is-the-complement-of-the-seasons-and-in-winter/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [No healthy man, in his secret heart, is content with his destiny. He is tortured by dreams and images as a child is tortured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/no-healthy-man-in-his-secret-heart-is-content-with-his-destiny-he-is/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [Every healthy man can do without food for two days — but without poetry, never!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/every-healthy-man-can-do-without-food-for-two-days-but-without-poetry/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [The healthy man does not torture others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-healthy-man-does-not-torture-others/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Any healthy man can go without food for two days - but not without poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/any-healthy-man-can-go-without-food-for-two-days-but-not-without/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [To remain healthy a man must have some goal, some purpose in life that he can respect and be proud to work for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-selye/to-remain-healthy-a-man-must-have-some-goal-some-purpose-in-life-that/) [Hans Selye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-selye/) ## More by Jerome K. Jerome > [“George goes to sleep at a bank from ten to four each day, except Saturdays, when they wake him up and put him outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/george-goes-to-sleep-at-a-bank-from-ten-to-four-each-day-except/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“He would use a bit of string this time, and at the critical moment, when the old fool was leaning over the chair at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/he-would-use-a-bit-of-string-this-time-and-at-the-critical-moment/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-all-that-is-required-to/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn't be ashamed of it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-poverty-is-no-crime-no-if-it-were-men/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Love is woman's business,and in "business" we all lay aside our natural weaknesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/love-is-woman-s-business-and-in-business-we-all-lay-aside-our-natural/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [We are but the veriest, sorriest slaves of our stomach. Reach not after morality and righteousness, my friends; watch vigilantly your stomach, and diet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/we-are-but-the-veriest-sorriest-slaves-of-our-stomach-reach-not-after/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“There was no ground-floor — its ground-floor belonged to a house in the next court, and the front door opened direct upon a flight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/there-was-no-ground-floor-its-ground-floor-belonged-to-a-house-in-the/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“I can understand the ignorant masses loving to soak themselves in drink—oh, yes, it's very shocking that they should, of course—very shocking to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/i-can-understand-the-ignorant-masses-loving-to-soak-themselves-in/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [ They \[dogs\] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/they-dogs-never-talk-about-themselves-but-listen-to-you-while-you/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“And we sit there, by its margin, while the moon, who loves it too, stoops down to kiss it with a sister’s kiss, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/and-we-sit-there-by-its-margin-while-the-moon-who-loves-it-too-stoops/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“The only feeling that a closer intimacy has created in him for his wife is that of indulgent contempt. As there is no equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/the-only-feeling-that-a-closer-intimacy-has-created-in-him-for-his/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Evil thought is a dangerous pet. It is safer to play with it from behind the iron bars of circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/evil-thought-is-a-dangerous-pet-it-is-safer-to-play-with-it-from/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but grumble with the rest; and if you can do with a little,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/if-you-are-foolish-enough-to-be-contented-don-t-show-it-but-grumble/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [Life will always remain a gamble, with prizes sometimes for the imprudent, and blanks so often to the wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/life-will-always-remain-a-gamble-with-prizes-sometimes-for-the/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“You can never rouse Harris. There is no poetry about Harris- no wild yearning for the unattainable. Harris never "weeps, he knows not why."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/you-can-never-rouse-harris-there-is-no-poetry-about-harris-no-wild/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) [Explore all 267 Jerome K. Jerome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## More Decrepit quotes > [The voting booth joint is a great leveler; the whole neighborhood - rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky - they all turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/the-voting-booth-joint-is-a-great-leveler-the-whole-neighborhood-rich/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [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/) > [I'll always be a boulevardier. I have an extreme reverence and romantic longing for all that is decrepit and fatalistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ll-always-be-a-boulevardier-i-have-an-extreme-reverence-and/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Autumn is the very soul of metamorphosis, a time when the world is poised at the door of winter - which is the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/autumn-is-the-very-soul-of-metamorphosis-a-time-when-the-world-is/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [If architects want to strengthen a decrepit arch, they increase the load which is laid upon it, for thereby the parts are joined more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/if-architects-want-to-strengthen-a-decrepit-arch-they-increase-the/) [Viktor E. Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-e-frankl/) > [The ideal state is meekness, or humility, or the semi-invalid state of the old. Year after year I am becoming nobler and nobler. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/the-ideal-state-is-meekness-or-humility-or-the-semi-invalid-state-of/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [An enterprising person is one who comes across a pile of scrap metal and sees the making of a wonderful sculpture. An enterprising person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/an-enterprising-person-is-one-who-comes-across-a-pile-of-scrap-metal/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse than chains, dungeon or beggary, or decrepit age! Light, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-loss-of-sight-of-thee-i-most-complain-blind-among-enemies-o-worse/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [I closed the gulf of anarchy and brought order out of chaos. I rewarded merit regardless of birth or wealth, wherever I found it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/i-closed-the-gulf-of-anarchy-and-brought-order-out-of-chaos-i/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [And what's a life? - a weary pilgrimage, Whose glory in one day doth fill the stage With childhood, manhood, and decrepit age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/and-what-s-a-life-a-weary-pilgrimage-whose-glory-in-one-day-doth-fill/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [When everybody owns something, nobody owns it, and nobody has a direct interest in maintaining or improving its condition. That is why buildings in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/when-everybody-owns-something-nobody-owns-it-and-nobody-has-a-direct/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Such is the depth of the Christian Scriptures, that even if I were attempting to study them and nothing else from early boyhood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/such-is-the-depth-of-the-christian-scriptures-that-even-if-i-were/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse than chains, Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-loss-of-sight-of-thee-i-most-complain-blind-among-enemies-o-worse-2/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Those who are truly decrepit, living corpses, so to speak, are the middle-aged, middle-class men and woman who are stuck in their comfortable grooves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/those-who-are-truly-decrepit-living-corpses-so-to-speak-are-the/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [Many offenders are tracked for prison at early ages, labeled as criminals in their teen years, and then shuttled from their decrepit, underfunded inner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/many-offenders-are-tracked-for-prison-at-early-ages-labeled-as/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) [Browse all 49 Decrepit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decrepit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. 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