--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Read him slowly, dear girl, you must read…" description: "\"Read him slowly, dear girl, you must read Kipling slowly. Watch carefully where the commas fall so you can discover the natural pauses. He is a writer ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/michael-ondaatje-940_believe_read-him-slowly-dear-girl-you-must-read_978969.png" --- # Read him slowly, dear girl, you must read Kipling slowly… ![“Read him slowly, dear girl, you must read Kipling slowly. Watch carefully where the commas fall so you can discover the natural pauses. He is a writer who used pen and ink. He looked up from the page a lot, I believe, stared through his window and listened to birds, as most writers who are alone…” quote by Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/michael-ondaatje-940_believe_read-him-slowly-dear-girl-you-must-read_978969.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/michael-ondaatje-940_believe_read-him-slowly-dear-girl-you-must-read_978969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5c/michael-ondaatje-940_believe_read-him-slowly-dear-girl-you-must-read_978969.png) > “Read him slowly, dear girl, you must read Kipling slowly. Watch carefully where the commas fall so you can discover the natural pauses. He is a writer who used pen and ink. He looked up from the page a lot, I believe, stared through his window and listened to birds, as most writers who are alone do. Some do not know the names of birds, though he did. Your eye is too quick and North American. Think about the speed of his pen. What an appalling, barnacled old first paragraph it is otherwise.” [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading Kipling requires attention to rhythm and natural pauses, reflecting his solitary, observational style. **In simple terms:** Read Kipling slowly, noticing pauses and rhythm. Key Takeaway Practice mindful, paced reading. Themes literature reading technique authorial voice observation Mood reflective inspired Type educational literary When to use this quote - creative writing workshops - literary analysis - personal reading practice - teaching literature - birdwatching activities Key Concepts rhythm punctuation solitude nature imagery Questions to Reflect On - How does pacing affect comprehension? - What can we learn from his observation of nature? 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