---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can clearly trace my passion for…"
description: "\"I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where for the first time in my life I had access to what seemed lik..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg"
---

#  I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the…

![“I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where for the first time in my life I had access to what seemed like an unlimited supply of books. This was where I discovered 'Encyclopedia Brown' and 'Nancy Drew,' 'Gone With the Wind' and 'Rebecca.' This was…” quote by Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg)

> “I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where for the first time in my life I had access to what seemed like an unlimited supply of books. This was where I discovered 'Encyclopedia Brown' and 'Nancy Drew,' 'Gone With the Wind' and 'Rebecca.' This was where I became inspired to be a writer.”

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

## About This Quote

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

Early library access sparked a lifelong love of reading and inspired a writing career.

**In simple terms:** Library access sparked reading love and writing ambition.

Key Takeaway

Seek out places that fuel curiosity.

Themes

reading inspiration career growth

Mood

nostalgic grateful

Type

personal reflective

When to use this quote

- school libraries
- home reading
- career choice
- creative writing

Key Concepts

literary development personal narrative

Questions to Reflect On

- What resources sparked your passion?
- How can communities expand literary access?

A Different Perspective

Limited access to diverse books can hinder similar inspiration.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where, for the first time in my life, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Typically, a book is published and gets one season in the sun. Eventually, you write another book, and maybe your old books get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raina-telgemeier/typically-a-book-is-published-and-gets-one-season-in-the-sun/)

[Raina Telgemeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raina-telgemeier/)

> [I'm inspired as a writer by any place where I've lived for a significant amount of time that have memories, my past, and stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-m-inspired-as-a-writer-by-any-place-where-i-ve-lived-for-a/)

[David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/)

> [I was inspired to become a writer by horror movies and science fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-was-inspired-to-become-a-writer-by-horror-movies-and-science-fiction/)

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

> [When I began writing, the words that inspired me were these: A writer is someone who has written today. If you want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-jance-2/when-i-began-writing-the-words-that-inspired-me-were-these-a-writer/)

[J. A. Jance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-jance-2/)

> [“It's like Hooker Barbie masquerading as Nancy Drew”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-snow/it-s-like-hooker-barbie-masquerading-as-nancy-drew/)

[Tiffany Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-snow/)

> [“uh-oh," Ranger said. "you been reading those Nancy Drew books again?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/uh-oh-ranger-said-you-been-reading-those-nancy-drew-books-again/)

[Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/)

> [“On Claud, though, the look is very cool.) For example, today she was wearing a neon green tank top under a white oversized man’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-m-martin/on-claud-though-the-look-is-very-cool-for-example-today-she-was/)

[Ann M. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-m-martin/)

> [“What’s in your backpack, Bess?” Nancy Drew asked”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-keene/what-s-in-your-backpack-bess-nancy-drew-asked/)

[Carolyn Keene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-keene/)

> [We didn't think the library was funny looking in it's faux- Greek splendor, nor did we find the cuisine limited or bland, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-didn-t-think-the-library-was-funny-looking-in-it-s-faux-greek/)

[Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/)

> [“books: Nancy Drew, Harriet the Spy, Encyclopedia Brown, and later, anything with even a passing mention of sex in it: Judy Blume’s Are You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-e-coyote/books-nancy-drew-harriet-the-spy-encyclopedia-brown-and-later/)

Ivan E. Coyote

> [I read a lot of 'Nancy Drew' books as a kid and considered myself a bit of an amateur detective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cain/i-read-a-lot-of-nancy-drew-books-as-a-kid-and-considered-myself-a-bit/)

[Chelsea Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cain/)

> [“I was supposed to be Nancy Drew, and instead I was Nancy Draw-the-blinds-and-put-it-in-me. Wait, what?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-s-grey/i-was-supposed-to-be-nancy-drew-and-instead-i-was-nancy-draw-the/)

[R.S. Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-s-grey/)

> [“He was still a mystery to me. And God, did I want to play Nancy Drew.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/he-was-still-a-mystery-to-me-and-god-did-i-want-to-play-nancy-drew/)

[Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/)

> [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/)

## More by Karin Slaughter

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I've always been drawn to dark stories. I enjoy reading Flannery O'Connor, Patricia Highsmith, and Margaret Mitchell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-dark-stories-i-enjoy-reading-flannery-o/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I love puns. I've been known to turn the car around just to take advantage of a good pun situation. It really is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-puns-i-ve-been-known-to-turn-the-car-around-just-to-take/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Usually, when inspiration strikes late, the light of day reveals that I haven't gotten an idea for a book so much as a psychiatric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/usually-when-inspiration-strikes-late-the-light-of-day-reveals-that-i/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“To all the librarians in the world on behalf of all the kids y’all helped grow up to be writers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/to-all-the-librarians-in-the-world-on-behalf-of-all-the-kids-y-all/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“Moon was from somewhere up east, the kind of place where consonants took on a life of their own. In addition to this, she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/moon-was-from-somewhere-up-east-the-kind-of-place-where-consonants/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Feminism has been so co-opted, but the fact is, feminism benefits men as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/feminism-has-been-so-co-opted-but-the-fact-is-feminism-benefits-men/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Librarians have always stood up for writers and readers in every kind of community across this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/librarians-have-always-stood-up-for-writers-and-readers-in-every-kind/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“I’ve got to figure out before I die whether I want to be happy or I want to be right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-ve-got-to-figure-out-before-i-die-whether-i-want-to-be-happy-or-i/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Prior to the Civil War, most libraries were either privately owned or housed in universities or churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/prior-to-the-civil-war-most-libraries-were-either-privately-owned-or/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [In the South, we drink the Bible with our mother's milk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/in-the-south-we-drink-the-bible-with-our-mother-s-milk/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [Denise Mina is probably one of the most gifted writers out there, whether it's mystery or literary or whatever label you want to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/denise-mina-is-probably-one-of-the-most-gifted-writers-out-there/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [If there is still an American dream, reading is one of the bootstraps by which we can all pull ourselves up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/if-there-is-still-an-american-dream-reading-is-one-of-the-bootstraps/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I love reading almost as much as I love writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-love-reading-almost-as-much-as-i-love-writing/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [“a large chifforobe wedged into a small closet that their mother said they’d have to pay Tom Robinson a nickel to bust up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/a-large-chifforobe-wedged-into-a-small-closet-that-their-mother-said/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

[Explore all 237 Karin Slaughter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

## More Book 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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/)

[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/)

> [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/)

[Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/)

> [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/)

[Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/)

> [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/)

[Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/)

> [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/)

[Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/)

> [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/)

[Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/)

[Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where for the first time in my life I had access to what seemed like an unlimited supply of books. This was where I discovered 'Encyclopedia Brown' and 'Nancy Drew,' 'Gone With the Wind' and 'Rebecca.' This was where I became inspired to be a writer.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Karin Slaughter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Book"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/karin-slaughter-1463_book_i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-readi_3055776.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I can clearly trace my passion for reading back to the Jonesboro, Georgia, library, where for the first time…” — Karin Slaughter",
                "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": "Karin Slaughter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I can clearly trace my passion...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/i-can-clearly-trace-my-passion-for-reading-back-to-the-jonesboro-2/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
