--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in…" description: "\"When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.\" — Mike Tyson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg" --- # When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep… ![“When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.” quote by Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg) > “When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.” [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tyson dismisses classic literature as irrelevant to his experience, reflecting a broader tension between popular culture and high art. **In simple terms:** Tyson thinks deep books aren’t useful for him. Key Takeaway Explore diverse perspectives beyond comfort zones. Themes culture clash education personal growth literature identity Mood critical contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - reading programs for athletes - school curricula reform - personal development workshops Key Concepts cognitive dissonance cultural capital self‑identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How might exposure to classic literature change personal narratives? - What barriers prevent people from engaging with challenging texts? A Different Perspective Rejecting literature can limit intellectual growth and critical thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [“Rissa Kerguelen by F. M. Busby. I read this now largely forgotten science fiction book at about the time I was starting my company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/rissa-kerguelen-by-f-m-busby-i-read-this-now-largely-forgotten/) [Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/) > [I read all types of books. I read Christian books, I read black novels, I read religious books. I read stuff like 'Rich Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tee-grizzley/i-read-all-types-of-books-i-read-christian-books-i-read-black-novels/) [Tee Grizzley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tee-grizzley/) > [I read stuff. Books are not my only friends, but we're friendly. So there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-dahvana-headley/i-read-stuff-books-are-not-my-only-friends-but-we-re-friendly-so-there/) [Maria Dahvana Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-dahvana-headley/) > [I would love to have new people to read my stuff wouldn't you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prettyboyswag/i-would-love-to-have-new-people-to-read-my-stuff-wouldn-t-you/) [Prettyboyswag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prettyboyswag/) > [“Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it." —P. J. O'Rourke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-langtry/always-read-stuff-that-will-make-you-look-good-if-you-die-in-the/) [Leslie Langtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-langtry/) > [I read science books, chemistry books, history books. I read that stuff for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/i-read-science-books-chemistry-books-history-books-i-read-that-stuff/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [I tend to follow a scattershot approach to reading a lot of very diverse subjects interest me, and I'm quite happy to read stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/i-tend-to-follow-a-scattershot-approach-to-reading-a-lot-of-very/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [I don't really ever think in terms of what type of person I'd love to play. I usually just read stuff and can tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-bowles/i-don-t-really-ever-think-in-terms-of-what-type-of-person-i-d-love-to/) [Lauren Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-bowles/) > [I barley read stuff about myself. Even when I see some article about myself in a paper or a magazine, nine out of 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshaye-khanna/i-barley-read-stuff-about-myself-even-when-i-see-some-article-about/) [Akshaye Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshaye-khanna/) > [“If you read something, what you have written you ain't gonna like it... - It sounds horrible... so write don't read your own stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/if-you-read-something-what-you-have-written-you-ain-t-gonna-like-it/) Deyth Banger > [Read the great stuff, but read the stuff that isn't so great, too. Great stuff is very discouraging. If you read only Beckett and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/read-the-great-stuff-but-read-the-stuff-that-isn-t-so-great-too-great/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I read certain things about history. I don't like fiction. I read about stuff that's real, stuff that's goin' on in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prodigy/i-read-certain-things-about-history-i-don-t-like-fiction-i-read-about/) [Prodigy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prodigy/) > [“I have to admit that most of the time I read in the same way that I smoke and chew gum and jiggle my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-have-to-admit-that-most-of-the-time-i-read-in-the-same-way-that-i/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [What I try to do is read stuff that won't deal with the dangerous dark things I hope I am writing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-busch/what-i-try-to-do-is-read-stuff-that-won-t-deal-with-the-dangerous/) [Frederick Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-busch/) > [Not many people read my stuff, but I really like the ones that do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-k-vaughan/not-many-people-read-my-stuff-but-i-really-like-the-ones-that-do/) [Brian K. Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-k-vaughan/) ## More by Mike Tyson > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Greatness is not guarding yourself from people. Greatness is being accepted by the people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/greatness-is-not-guarding-yourself-from-people-greatness-is-being/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [At one point, I thought life was about acquiring things. Life is totally about losing everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/at-one-point-i-thought-life-was-about-acquiring-things-life-is/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Being in the ring became my reality, and, in my reality, I'd think I was someone special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/being-in-the-ring-became-my-reality-and-in-my-reality-i-d-think-i-was/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If I was fighting myself, I always say that I would kill Mike Tyson but then again I don't know how hard a punch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/if-i-was-fighting-myself-i-always-say-that-i-would-kill-mike-tyson/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Yes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/yes-time-flies-and-where-did-it-leave-you-old-too-soon-smart-too-late/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [My career has been over since 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/my-career-has-been-over-since-1990/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I love to hit people. I love to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-love-to-hit-people-i-love-to/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I never wanted to do anything else but fight, when I was a kid. I never had any broader perspective of my own perspective.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-never-wanted-to-do-anything-else-but-fight-when-i-was-a-kid-i-never/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I don't understand why people would want to get rid of pigeons. They don't bother no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-don-t-understand-why-people-would-want-to-get-rid-of-pigeons-they/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“Mike tyson made a prolific quote that I will never forget. It came when he was being interviewed by a reporter about another boxers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/mike-tyson-made-a-prolific-quote-that-i-will-never-forget-it-came/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [I'm the biggest fighter in the history of the sport. If you don't believe it, check the cash register.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-the-biggest-fighter-in-the-history-of-the-sport-if-you-don-t/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Tupac Shakur always wanted me to smoke weed with him, and I never did it, and I wish I did...That's my biggest regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/tupac-shakur-always-wanted-me-to-smoke-weed-with-him-and-i-never-did/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn't have a cent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/real-freedom-is-having-nothing-i-was-freer-when-i-didn-t-have-a-cent/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [You need to learn independence. You have to be independent - it builds character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/you-need-to-learn-independence-you-have-to-be-independent-it-builds/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) [Explore all 381 Mike Tyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) ## 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. 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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. 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": "When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read that stuff.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Tyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in-all-those-deep-books-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in-all-those-deep-books-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mike-tyson-752_books_when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in_339733.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was in prison, I was wrapped up in all those deep books. That Tolstoy crap - people shouldn't read…” — Mike Tyson", "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": "Mike Tyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was in prison, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in-all-those-deep-books-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-i-was-in-prison-i-was-wrapped-up-in-all-those-deep-books-that/#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 } } ] } ```