--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I desperately needed books that would…" description: "\"And I desperately needed books that would take me out of my environment and show me a world where being smart and brave and prepared was more important..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/leigh-bardugo-252_books_and-i-desperately-needed-books-that-woul_771479.png" --- # And I desperately needed books that would take me out of… ![“And I desperately needed books that would take me out of my environment and show me a world where being smart and brave and prepared was more important than being cute or cheerful or knowing the right thing to say. And that's what science fiction and fantasy gave me.” quote by Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/leigh-bardugo-252_books_and-i-desperately-needed-books-that-woul_771479.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/leigh-bardugo-252_books_and-i-desperately-needed-books-that-woul_771479.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/056/leigh-bardugo-252_books_and-i-desperately-needed-books-that-woul_771479.png) > “And I desperately needed books that would take me out of my environment and show me a world where being smart and brave and prepared was more important than being cute or cheerful or knowing the right thing to say. And that's what science fiction and fantasy gave me.” [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science fiction and fantasy provide escapism and models of competence that outweigh superficial traits. **In simple terms:** Stories let us practice bravery and intelligence over cuteness. Key Takeaway Seek books that challenge and empower you. Themes escapism competence literature identity growth Mood inspired reflective Type motivational literary When to use this quote - high school reading - career planning - personal development - overcoming insecurity Key Concepts worldbuilding heroic archetype self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What qualities do you admire most in fictional heroes? - How can you apply those traits in real life? A Different Perspective These genres can also reinforce unrealistic expectations of heroism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“That night I followed him whenever he let me. I had to. Followed him into strange, complicated actions, very far, bad and good actions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/that-night-i-followed-him-whenever-he-let-me-i-had-to-followed-him/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [Most of the female characters I admire come from science fiction and fantasy, maybe because there's more permission to shake up gender roles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/most-of-the-female-characters-i-admire-come-from-science-fiction-and/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [I've always loved science fiction, fantasy, manga, comic books; so I guess, to some degree, those things influence my personal idea of what looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/i-ve-always-loved-science-fiction-fantasy-manga-comic-books-so-i/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [ “\[...\]i’m not a leftist trying to smuggle in my evil message by the nefarious means of fantasy novels. I’m a science fiction and fantasy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-m-not-a-leftist-trying-to-smuggle-in-my-evil-message-by-the/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [Im a massive science fiction and fantasy geek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kazinsky/im-a-massive-science-fiction-and-fantasy-geek/) [Robert Kazinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kazinsky/) > [Fiction is lies; we're writing about people who never existed and events that never happened when we write fiction, whether its science fiction or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/fiction-is-lies-we-re-writing-about-people-who-never-existed-and/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [Part of the particular interest and beauty of science fiction and fantasy: writer and reader collaborate in world-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/part-of-the-particular-interest-and-beauty-of-science-fiction-and/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [The difference between science fiction and fantasy … is simply this: science fiction has rivets and fantasy has trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-difference-between-science-fiction-and-fantasy-is-simply-this/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I grew up a really nerdy kid. I read science fiction and fantasy voraciously, for the first 16 years of my life. I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/i-grew-up-a-really-nerdy-kid-i-read-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-auel/of-the-two-i-would-think-of-my-work-as-closer-to-science-fiction-than/) [Jean M. Auel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-auel/) > [In my early teens, science fiction and fantasy had an almost-total hold over my imagination. Their outcast status was part of their appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/in-my-early-teens-science-fiction-and-fantasy-had-an-almost-total/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [“Science fiction and fantasy, though they seem to be about the future or fictional worlds, are always at their core really about the problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-adams/science-fiction-and-fantasy-though-they-seem-to-be-about-the-future/) [John Joseph Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-joseph-adams/) > [“I’m in love with fiction. A fantasy that slips between my fingers when reality sets in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moryah-demott/i-m-in-love-with-fiction-a-fantasy-that-slips-between-my-fingers-when/) [Moryah DeMott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moryah-demott/) > [“When you mix Science Fiction with Fantasy you don't have a pure genre, the two are, to a professional separate genres. I noticed today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/when-you-mix-science-fiction-with-fantasy-you-don-t-have-a-pure-genre/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“Women create an idealized, hopeful vision for the future to inspire other women. Fiction and fantasy are the crucial first steps to changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-rodale/women-create-an-idealized-hopeful-vision-for-the-future-to-inspire/) [Maya Rodale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-rodale/) ## More by Leigh Bardugo > [“Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/aleksander-his-eyes-fluttered-shut-don-t-let-me-be-alone-he-murmured/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-don-t-care-if-you-danced-naked-on-the-roof-of-the-little-palace/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-frowned-i-thought-you-and-nina-chose-four-outbreak-sites-on-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I rolled my eyes. "For defending my honor, you dullard." He yanked me beneath a shadowed awning. I had a moment's panic when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-rolled-my-eyes-for-defending-my-honor-you-dullard-he-yanked-me/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“They're all crazy, Oncat. Invisible armies, monster princes. Let's go set fire to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/they-re-all-crazy-oncat-invisible-armies-monster-princes-let-s-go-set/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Saints!" I swore. "I forgot how often I want to stab you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/saints-i-swore-i-forgot-how-often-i-want-to-stab-you/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej knew the moment Kaz entered the Slat. His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-risked-my-life-for-you-i-ve-walked-half-the-length-of-ravka-for/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-never-know-said-nikolai-i-ve-been-busy-i-might-have-some/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“But I pushed down my confused tears and did as she asked, still hoping that whatever I’d broken might be repaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/but-i-pushed-down-my-confused-tears-and-did-as-she-asked-still-hoping/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“There, she wrote fantastical tales that charmed children, and under another name, she penned rather more lurid works that kept her in nougat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/there-she-wrote-fantastical-tales-that-charmed-children-and-under/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Short on friends, your highness?" "And long on enemies," replied Nikolai.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/short-on-friends-your-highness-and-long-on-enemies-replied-nikolai/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/jesper-knocked-his-head-against-the-hull-and-cast-his-eyes-heavenward/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) [Explore all 782 Leigh Bardugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## 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 > [“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. 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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 > [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": "And I desperately needed books that would take me out of my environment and show me a world where being smart and brave and prepared was more important than being cute or cheerful or knowing the right thing to say. 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