--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is one \"right answer\" to any…" description: "\"There is one \"right answer\" to any question, and it is in the book to be read.\" — Joseph Barrell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png" --- # There is one "right answer" to any question, and it is in… ![“There is one "right answer" to any question, and it is in the book to be read.” quote by Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png) > “There is one "right answer" to any question, and it is in the book to be read.” [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every question has a correct answer that can be found by consulting the appropriate text. **In simple terms:** Read to find the right answer. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge in books. Themes knowledge education inquiry Mood curious analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - studying - research - academic writing - critical thinking Key Concepts epistemology literature review Questions to Reflect On - Which questions require lived experience? - When is reading insufficient? A Different Perspective Not all answers are in books; experience matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) [Answer Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-question/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Educational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educational/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Question Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-book-2322581/) [Right Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-answer/) [Right answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-answers/) ## Related quotes > [The right question is usually more important than the right answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-right-question-is-usually-more-important-than-the-right-answer/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“There is always a right answer for every question, even for the wrong ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/there-is-always-a-right-answer-for-every-question-even-for-the-wrong/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Sometimes you have to learn how to give the right answer to the wrong question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-christopher/sometimes-you-have-to-learn-how-to-give-the-right-answer-to-the-wrong/) [Warren Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-christopher/) > [The right answer is seldom as important as the right question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-thorne/the-right-answer-is-seldom-as-important-as-the-right-question/) [Kip Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kip-thorne/) > [When you're dealing with subjective matters, there's no wrong or right answer, it's just, "What do we think is best for the show?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-mcelhenney/when-you-re-dealing-with-subjective-matters-there-s-no-wrong-or-right/) [Rob McElhenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-mcelhenney/) > [In the course of your education you have always been taught to look for the right answer - but you must also know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-daniels/in-the-course-of-your-education-you-have-always-been-taught-to-look/) [William Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-daniels/) > [By the time the average person finishes college, he or she will have taken over 2,600 tests, quizzes, and exams. The right answer approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/by-the-time-the-average-person-finishes-college-he-or-she-will-have/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [The wrong answer is the right answer in search of a different question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/the-wrong-answer-is-the-right-answer-in-search-of-a-different-question/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [There is no right answer except to play and experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-adler/there-is-no-right-answer-except-to-play-and-experiment/) [Jonathan Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-adler/) > [Look for the second right answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-von-oech/look-for-the-second-right-answer/) [Roger von Oech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-von-oech/) > [There is nothing more dangerous than a person with only one right answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/there-is-nothing-more-dangerous-than-a-person-with-only-one-right/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [The fact is, there aren't just two sides to any issue, there's almost always a range of responses, and "it depends" is almost always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/the-fact-is-there-aren-t-just-two-sides-to-any-issue-there-s-almost/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [If you hang around waiting for the right answer, you're going to be waiting all your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-plibersek/if-you-hang-around-waiting-for-the-right-answer-you-re-going-to-be/) [Tanya Plibersek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-plibersek/) > [The search for the right answer is the enemy of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/the-search-for-the-right-answer-is-the-enemy-of-art/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [There's always another right answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dewitt-jones/there-s-always-another-right-answer/) [Dewitt Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dewitt-jones/) ## More by Joseph Barrell > [Most tasks and tests will demand recall of isolated pieces of information, and I will not have to show how concepts and ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/most-tasks-and-tests-will-demand-recall-of-isolated-pieces-of/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [If we wait long enough, a teacher will answer her own question, so we won't have to do much work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/if-we-wait-long-enough-a-teacher-will-answer-her-own-question-so-we/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [If we ask enough questions about a difficult assignment, we can get the teacher to make it easier and less demanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/if-we-ask-enough-questions-about-a-difficult-assignment-we-can-get/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [If I memorize enough stuff, I can get a good grade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/if-i-memorize-enough-stuff-i-can-get-a-good-grade/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [Books and teachers are always "right", and we learn only from them, not from any other resource in the room, such as our friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/books-and-teachers-are-always-right-and-we-learn-only-from-them-not/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [The teacher is the only one worth listening to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/the-teacher-is-the-only-one-worth-listening-to/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [The teacher "teaches" and the students "sit and listen" or learn passively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/the-teacher-teaches-and-the-students-sit-and-listen-or-learn-passively/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > [The answer to most questions can be given in one or two words, and no one will challenge you to go deeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/the-answer-to-most-questions-can-be-given-in-one-or-two-words-and-no/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) > ["Thinking" is not something we talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/thinking-is-not-something-we-talk-about/) [Joseph Barrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) [Explore all 10 Joseph Barrell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) [Jon Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ellis/) > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) [Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is one \"right answer\" to any question, and it is in the book to be read.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Barrell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-question-and-it-is-in-the-book-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answer" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-question-and-it-is-in-the-book-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e9/joseph-barrell-41749_answer_there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-questio_1837351.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is one \"right answer\" to any question, and it is in the book to be read.” — Joseph Barrell", "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": "Joseph Barrell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-barrell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is one \"right answer\" to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-question-and-it-is-in-the-book-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-barrell/there-is-one-right-answer-to-any-question-and-it-is-in-the-book-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```