--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt…" description: "\"I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this until I read a Bill Simmons column where he confessed that he'd never seen 'The Big Lebowski.' S..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png" --- # I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this… ![“I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this until I read a Bill Simmons column where he confessed that he'd never seen 'The Big Lebowski.' Simmons, it should be pointed out, has seen everything. He said that everyone needs to have skipped at least one great cultural touchstone.” quote by Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png) > “I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this until I read a Bill Simmons column where he confessed that he'd never seen 'The Big Lebowski.' Simmons, it should be pointed out, has seen everything. He said that everyone needs to have skipped at least one great cultural touchstone.” [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often miss major cultural works, yet that can be a shared experience. **In simple terms:** Skipping classics is common. Key Takeaway Acknowledge gaps, explore missed works. Themes cultural awareness learning humility Mood reflective curious Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - reading - film watching - discussion groups - personal growth Key Concepts media literacy shared knowledge Questions to Reflect On - What cultural touchstone have you missed? - How does discovering it change your view? A Different Perspective Some may view missed works as personal failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Badly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badly/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bill/) [Column](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/column/) [Cultural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural/) [Everyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyone/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Pointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointed/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Read Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-simmons-3669012/) [Read Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-tolstoy-1787599/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Simmons Column](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simmons-column-3669013/) [Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolstoy/) [Tolstoy Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolstoy-felt-3669011/) [Touchstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touchstone/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [It was genuinely eye-opening for me to read Tolstoy or Steinbeck or Colette for the first time and to feel as though they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-drake/it-was-genuinely-eye-opening-for-me-to-read-tolstoy-or-steinbeck-or/) [Diane Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-drake/) > [Relationships are really what interest me the most. And I think, in the end, they interest most people the most. Even when you read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/relationships-are-really-what-interest-me-the-most-and-i-think-in-the/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [“If laughter came in paste format you could squeeze out of a tube, I’ll bet nine out of ten dentists would recommend comedy before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-laughter-came-in-paste-format-you-could-squeeze-out-of-a-tube-i-ll/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I think if I were reading to a grandchild, I might read Tolstoy's War and Peace. They would learn about Russia, they would learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-think-if-i-were-reading-to-a-grandchild-i-might-read-tolstoy-s-war/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [“That was what I did at night. I read all the stuff that you're supposed to read in college but never do, or if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/that-was-what-i-did-at-night-i-read-all-the-stuff-that-you-re/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“I know very well you can't help me," he said. "But I tell you, because unsuccessful and superfluous people like me find their salvation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/i-know-very-well-you-can-t-help-me-he-said-but-i-tell-you-because/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [“I don't wish to marry, ever. I like men quite well- at least the ones I've been acquainted with- but I shouldn't like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-don-t-wish-to-marry-ever-i-like-men-quite-well-at-least-the-ones-i/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“Every real reader must read Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: the whole of his/her life of reading will change its meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-milani/every-real-reader-must-read-tolstoy-and-the-purple-chair-the-whole-of/) [Paolo Milani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-milani/) > [One of the things that really impressed me about Anna Karenina when I first read it was how Tolstoy sets you up to expect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/one-of-the-things-that-really-impressed-me-about-anna-karenina-when-i/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [“It doesn't matter what you read. What matters is you read. Whether it’s Tolstoy or Twilight, Kierkegaard or Betty and Veronica, keep reading, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-zelazny/it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-read-what-matters-is-you-read-whether-it-s/) [Trent Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-zelazny/) > [One is always seeking the touchstone that will dissolve one's deficiencies as a person and as a craftsman. And one is always bumping up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/one-is-always-seeking-the-touchstone-that-will-dissolve-one-s/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [When you tell people you're a playwright, their eyes sort of glaze over. But when you say you write the 'Fantastic Four' or 'Spider-Man,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/when-you-tell-people-you-re-a-playwright-their-eyes-sort-of-glaze/) [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/) > [I feel like bands should be growing, living, functioning entities and to crystallize a band into a single album, and for that to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-albini/i-feel-like-bands-should-be-growing-living-functioning-entities-and/) [Steve Albini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-albini/) > [Calamity is man's true touchstone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-william-fletcher/calamity-is-man-s-true-touchstone/) [John William Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-william-fletcher/) > [A renewed commitment to the freedom and opportunity of our people is the touchstone of our time. In this new century, where tests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-owens/a-renewed-commitment-to-the-freedom-and-opportunity-of-our-people-is/) [Bill Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-owens/) ## More by Malcolm Gladwell > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-tipping-point-is-that-magic-moment-when-an-idea-trend-or-social/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“The scholars who research happiness suggest that more money stops making people happier at a family income of around seventy-five thousand dollars a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-scholars-who-research-happiness-suggest-that-more-money-stops/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Some people look like they sound better than they actually sound, because they look confident and have good posture," once musician, a veteran of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/some-people-look-like-they-sound-better-than-they-actually-sound/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [A handicap is like trying to race and you have a ten pound weight stuck to your waist. That is a handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/a-handicap-is-like-trying-to-race-and-you-have-a-ten-pound-weight/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“neighborhood was filled with engineers from Hewlett-Packard, then as now one of”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/neighborhood-was-filled-with-engineers-from-hewlett-packard-then-as/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-ruined-by-challenged-economic-lives-but-they-are-ruined-by/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The single most important thing a city can do is provide a community where interesting, smart people want to live with their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-single-most-important-thing-a-city-can-do-is-provide-a-community/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [ \[Norden\] said, with the Mark 15 Norden bombsight, he could drop a bomb into a pickle barrel at 20,000 feet. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/norden-said-with-the-mark-15-norden-bombsight-he-could-drop-a-bomb/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The willingness to be self-critical in England is much greater than the willingness to be self-critical in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-willingness-to-be-self-critical-in-england-is-much-greater-than/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [The conventional explanation for Jewish success, of course, is that Jews come from a literate, intellectual culture. They are famously "the people of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-conventional-explanation-for-jewish-success-of-course-is-that/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“An archway to one side leads to a church, the Madonna del Carmine—Our Lady of Mount Carmine. Narrow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/an-archway-to-one-side-leads-to-a-church-the-madonna-del-carmine-our/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [People are experience-rich and theory-poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/people-are-experience-rich-and-theory-poor/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) [Explore all 647 Malcolm Gladwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [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 write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this until I read a Bill Simmons column where he confessed that he'd never seen 'The Big Lebowski.' Simmons, it should be pointed out, has seen everything. He said that everyone needs to have skipped at least one great cultural touchstone.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Malcolm Gladwell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-badly-about-this-until-i-read-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-badly-about-this-until-i-read-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b7/malcolm-gladwell-348_about_i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-bad_2022152.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have never read any Tolstoy. I felt badly about this until I read a Bill Simmons column where he confessed…” — Malcolm Gladwell", "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": "Malcolm Gladwell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have never read any Tolstoy....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-badly-about-this-until-i-read-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-have-never-read-any-tolstoy-i-felt-badly-about-this-until-i-read-a/#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 } } ] } ```