--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless you can be in a place yourself and…" description: "\"Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the subject of your story yourself, the next best thing is not to read a book about it, or see a m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png" --- # Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the… ![“Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the subject of your story yourself, the next best thing is not to read a book about it, or see a movie about it, it's to talk to the people who've been there.” quote by Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png) > “Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the subject of your story yourself, the next best thing is not to read a book about it, or see a movie about it, it's to talk to the people who've been there.” [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Firsthand experience or speaking with those who lived it is more valuable than indirect media when learning about a subject. **In simple terms:** Direct experience beats reading or watching. Key Takeaway Seek personal narratives for deeper insight. Themes learning experience storytelling authenticity education Mood curious thoughtful Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - travel - interviews - field research - documentary making Key Concepts epistemology personal testimony immersive learning Questions to Reflect On - What questions would you ask someone who experienced it? A Different Perspective Personal accounts may be biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [It's a very powerful, emotional thing to read a book, and to reduce it to a series of questions in a test strips something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/it-s-a-very-powerful-emotional-thing-to-read-a-book-and-to-reduce-it/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Well, honor is the subject of my story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/well-honor-is-the-subject-of-my-story/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [American pictures usually have no subject, only a story. A pretty woman is not a subject. Julia Roberts doing this and that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/american-pictures-usually-have-no-subject-only-a-story-a-pretty-woman/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [Change but the name, and you are the subject of the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/change-but-the-name-and-you-are-the-subject-of-the-story/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“The self is simply this subject; it is the story we tell ourselves about our experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lehrer-jonah/the-self-is-simply-this-subject-it-is-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) Lehrer Jonah > [When the movie's done, you talk about either the score or source music over a particular scene, what might work. You just throw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-coen/when-the-movie-s-done-you-talk-about-either-the-score-or-source-music/) [Ethan Coen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-coen/) > [It also happens that I don't actually teach about the stuff I make things about. I'm not a film history teacher. In that way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/it-also-happens-that-i-don-t-actually-teach-about-the-stuff-i-make/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [I come from a documentary background and my natural tendency, as a filmmaker, is to make a movie, if I have something to talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-padilha/i-come-from-a-documentary-background-and-my-natural-tendency-as-a/) [Jose Padilha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-padilha/) > [I'm not in the business of trying to be a celebrity. I like entertaining and being in movies. I like when people leave a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/i-m-not-in-the-business-of-trying-to-be-a-celebrity-i-like/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [Good genre movies are a little bit like trying to write a haiku. There are certain things that you have to do to fulfill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/good-genre-movies-are-a-little-bit-like-trying-to-write-a-haiku-there/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Thank you for liking Sin City. I can completely understand if you watch that movie and then I talk about single-use plastic bags and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosario-dawson/thank-you-for-liking-sin-city-i-can-completely-understand-if-you/) [Rosario Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosario-dawson/) > [You can tell when someone likes you just because you're in a movie, because all they talk about is the movie, and all they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/you-can-tell-when-someone-likes-you-just-because-you-re-in-a-movie/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) > [Movie-making is telling a story with the best technology at your disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/movie-making-is-telling-a-story-with-the-best-technology-at-your/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I've tried to tell a story. For me, it is the best one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lear/i-ve-tried-to-tell-a-story-for-me-it-is-the-best-one/) [Amanda Lear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lear/) > [Sometimes I can tackle an issue -homelessness, tobacco litigation, insurance fraud, the death penalty - and wrap a good story around it. These are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/sometimes-i-can-tackle-an-issue-homelessness-tobacco-litigation/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) ## More by Michael Morpurgo > [There's a mouse in here with me. He's sitting there in the light of the lamp, looking up at me. He seems as surprised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/there-s-a-mouse-in-here-with-me-he-s-sitting-there-in-the-light-of/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“It is so beautiful but home is home, and home is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/it-is-so-beautiful-but-home-is-home-and-home-is-best/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“Father was always getting into scrapes when he was a lad. But the worst scrape he ever hot hisself into was the war, First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/father-was-always-getting-into-scrapes-when-he-was-a-lad-but-the/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [But I didn’t dare. That has always been my trouble. I’ve never dared enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/but-i-didn-t-dare-that-has-always-been-my-trouble-i-ve-never-dared/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Wherever my story takes me, however dark and difficult the theme, there is always some hope and redemption, not because readers like happy endings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/wherever-my-story-takes-me-however-dark-and-difficult-the-theme-there/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [It gives me confidence to know that what I'm writing has a veracity of its own without me having to invent it. When I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/it-gives-me-confidence-to-know-that-what-i-m-writing-has-a-veracity/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Live an interesting life. Meet people. Read a lot and widely, learn from the great writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/live-an-interesting-life-meet-people-read-a-lot-and-widely-learn-from/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [I can hate you more, but I'll never love you less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/i-can-hate-you-more-but-i-ll-never-love-you-less/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [By the time I sit down and face the blank page I am raring to go. I tell it as if I'm talking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/by-the-time-i-sit-down-and-face-the-blank-page-i-am-raring-to-go-i/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Encouraging young people to believe in themselves and find their own voice whether it's through writing, drama or art is so important in giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/encouraging-young-people-to-believe-in-themselves-and-find-their-own/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [With all editing, no matter how sensitive - and I've been very lucky here - I react sulkily at first, but then I settle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/with-all-editing-no-matter-how-sensitive-and-i-ve-been-very-lucky/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [A lot of children, like I did, move away from words because of the fear - which is something you have to take out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/a-lot-of-children-like-i-did-move-away-from-words-because-of-the-fear/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/animals-are-sentient-intelligent-perceptive-funny-and-entertaining-we/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [Blind terror drove me on, with my flying stirrups whipping me into a frenzy. With no rider to carry I reached the kneeling riflemen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/blind-terror-drove-me-on-with-my-flying-stirrups-whipping-me-into-a/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [“After this night is over, then you can drift away, they you can sleep for ever, for nothing will ever matter again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/after-this-night-is-over-then-you-can-drift-away-they-you-can-sleep/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) [Explore all 138 Michael Morpurgo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) ## More Best things quotes > [I need the best things in life, that's women, thats cars. Cigars in Venice, bottle on ice, thats priceless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-need-the-best-things-in-life-that-s-women-thats-cars-cigars-in/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The next best thing to being witty one's self, is to be able to be able to quote another's wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/the-next-best-thing-to-being-witty-one-s-self-is-to-be-able-to-be/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [I really believe that our past can really hold us back from growth, so the best thing that we can do is MOVE ON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-harper/i-really-believe-that-our-past-can-really-hold-us-back-from-growth-so/) [Bob Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-harper/) > [The best thing for you to do is shop at your local farmer's market and support the organic growers who are there. Because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-shop-at-your-local-farmer-s-market/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The best thing about the term 'performance artist' is that it includes just about everything you might want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/the-best-thing-about-the-term-performance-artist-is-that-it-includes/) [Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/) > [The best things in life are free. Sunsets and sunrises are free. Air is free. Love is free. Death is free. The best things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-best-things-in-life-are-free-sunsets-and-sunrises-are-free-air-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I always wanted to be a player, but I never had the talent to make the big leagues. So I did the next best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-finley/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-player-but-i-never-had-the-talent-to-make-the/) Charlie Finley > [I was a 36C or D, and at 5' 1'', I knew that being a small person with big boobs standing in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/i-was-a-36c-or-d-and-at-5-1-i-knew-that-being-a-small-person-with-big/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Each time I stop somewhere and look out, there are more people sitting there than there were the time I came before. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/each-time-i-stop-somewhere-and-look-out-there-are-more-people-sitting/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [One of the best things that happened for me as a playwright is becoming a comic-book writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/one-of-the-best-things-that-happened-for-me-as-a-playwright-is/) [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/) > [I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [The best thing about time passing is the privilege of running out of it, of watching the wave of mortality break over me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-manguso/the-best-thing-about-time-passing-is-the-privilege-of-running-out-of/) [Sarah Manguso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-manguso/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The best thing about waking up early is seeing the sun rise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridgit-mendler/the-best-thing-about-waking-up-early-is-seeing-the-sun-rise/) [Bridgit Mendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridgit-mendler/) [Browse all 1,021 Best things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the subject of your story yourself, the next best thing is not to read a book about it, or see a movie about it, it's to talk to the people who've been there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Morpurgo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-and-go-through-the-subject-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-and-go-through-the-subject-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/michael-morpurgo-3162_best-things_unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-an_1349467.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless you can be in a place yourself and go through the subject of your story yourself, the next best thing…” — Michael Morpurgo", "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": "Michael Morpurgo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unless you can be in a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-and-go-through-the-subject-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/unless-you-can-be-in-a-place-yourself-and-go-through-the-subject-of/#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 } } ] } ```