---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was always, luckily, only a reader."
description: "\"“I was always, luckily, only a reader.”\" — Josef Škvorecký"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg"
---

#  I was always, luckily, only a reader.

![“I was always, luckily, only a reader.” quote by Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg)

> ““I was always, luckily, only a reader.””

[Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Being a reader is a fortunate position, allowing deep immersion in others' worlds.

**In simple terms:** Reading is a lucky gift.

Key Takeaway

Cherish reading as a privilege.

Themes

literacy gratitude imagination

Mood

reflective appreciative

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- personal growth
- creative inspiration

Key Concepts

narrative immersion cultural literacy intellectual humility

Questions to Reflect On

- What does reading teach you about yourself?
- How can you apply insights from books?

A Different Perspective

Reading alone may not translate to action.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Luckily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luckily/) [Luckily Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luckily-reader-1940898/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [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/)

> [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/)

[Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/)

> [If we weigh the significance of a book by the effect it has on its readers, then the great children's books suddenly turn up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/if-we-weigh-the-significance-of-a-book-by-the-effect-it-has-on-its/)

[Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/)

> [I was a big Nancy Drew reader. Nancy figures it out. Case closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/i-was-a-big-nancy-drew-reader-nancy-figures-it-out-case-closed/)

[Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/)

> [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/)

[David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/)

> [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [Love of books is the best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/love-of-books-is-the-best-of-all/)

[Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/)

> [Luckily, I have had parents who could take me places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-abraham/luckily-i-have-had-parents-who-could-take-me-places/)

[Tammy Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-abraham/)

> [There are people for everybody, and luckily, I found mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-davidson/there-are-people-for-everybody-and-luckily-i-found-mine/)

[Pete Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-davidson/)

> [Luckily, my wife is amazing. She's one of the few people in my life I'm completely honest with. I've told her everything about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendon-urie/luckily-my-wife-is-amazing-she-s-one-of-the-few-people-in-my-life-i-m/)

[Brendon Urie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendon-urie/)

> [It would be awesome to be so impressive that we could sway people to our way of thinking just by declaiming our thoughts, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/it-would-be-awesome-to-be-so-impressive-that-we-could-sway-people-to/)

[Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/)

> [“Luckily for you, we're on the same side. - Mr Grey, to Connor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bradford/luckily-for-you-we-re-on-the-same-side-mr-grey-to-connor/)

[Chris Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bradford/)

> [Luckily, I have some amazing friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-black/luckily-i-have-some-amazing-friends/)

[Rebecca Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-black/)

> [Luckily, everyone that I've collaborated with, everyone that has been willing to offer guidance and advice, they've all been dope people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-reyez/luckily-everyone-that-i-ve-collaborated-with-everyone-that-has-been/)

[Jessie Reyez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-reyez/)

## More by Josef Škvorecký

> [Artists hold out the mirror to the bruises on the face of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/artists-hold-out-the-mirror-to-the-bruises-on-the-face-of-the-world/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [Arnošt Lustig is one of the leading contemporary Czech fiction writers, and certainly the most important Jewish writer of Bohemia to have survived the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/arno-t-lustig-is-one-of-the-leading-contemporary-czech-fiction/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [We may think we live for wisdom, but in fact we're living for the the pleasure wisdom brings us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/we-may-think-we-live-for-wisdom-but-in-fact-we-re-living-for-the-the/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [There is something that falls short of perfection in every book, without exception, something influenced by the age, even something ridiculous; just like everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/there-is-something-that-falls-short-of-perfection-in-every-book/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [“I knew damn well that nobody's ever really happy, or happy on time, since happiness belongs to the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/i-knew-damn-well-that-nobody-s-ever-really-happy-or-happy-on-time/)

[Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [When the Communist Party comes to power, it acts a lot like the mafia: If you are a loyal member in good standing, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/when-the-communist-party-comes-to-power-it-acts-a-lot-like-the-mafia/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [There is beauty everywhere on earth, but there is greater beauty in those places where one feels that sense of ease which comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/there-is-beauty-everywhere-on-earth-but-there-is-greater-beauty-in/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [Lovers of literature will look for the remains of the golden treasure in that shipwreck on the bottom of the sea of criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/lovers-of-literature-will-look-for-the-remains-of-the-golden-treasure/)

[Josef Skvorecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [“Their is beauty everywhere on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/their-is-beauty-everywhere-on-earth/)

[Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [“Because inside, people are dirty dogs. Everybody. The only difference is some people try to hide it and others don't bother.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/because-inside-people-are-dirty-dogs-everybody-the-only-difference-is/)

[Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

> [“A person's got to be scared all the time - of God, if there is one, and of looking like a fool if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/a-person-s-got-to-be-scared-all-the-time-of-god-if-there-is-one-and/)

[Josef Škvorecký](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

[Explore all 12 Josef Škvorecký quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/)

## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“I was always, luckily, only a reader.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Josef Škvorecký"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/josef-skvorecky-36307_books_i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader-17904_1790485.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was always, luckily, only a reader.” — Josef Škvorecký",
                "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": "Josef Škvorecký",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-skvorecky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I was always, luckily, only a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-skvorecky/i-was-always-luckily-only-a-reader/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
