---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She took to reading with a fervor so…"
description: "\"“She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph had to take the books from her hands by force. 'Your eyes are not tractors. They are not mea..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png"
---

#  She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph…

![“She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph had to take the books from her hands by force. 'Your eyes are not tractors. They are not meant to pull heavy loads,' he said sternly.” quote by Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png)

> ““She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph had to take the books from her hands by force. 'Your eyes are not tractors. They are not meant to pull heavy loads,' he said sternly.””

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character’s obsessive reading is halted by a mentor who warns that overloading the mind can be harmful.

**In simple terms:** Reading too intensely can be harmful.

Key Takeaway

Balance reading with rest.

Themes

education moderation mentor guidance

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

advice literary

When to use this quote

- school
- personal development
- library settings

Key Concepts

cognitive load learning habits discipline

Questions to Reflect On

- When should you pause intense study?
- How to recognize mental fatigue?

A Different Perspective

Excessive focus can lead to burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/)

## Related quotes

> [“They will need you to put the right books in their hands, book in which they can lose themselves and books in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylene-beers-robert-e-probst/they-will-need-you-to-put-the-right-books-in-their-hands-book-in/)

Kylene Beers &amp; Robert E. Probst

> [“This is how I show my students that I love them - by putting books in their hands, by noticing what they are about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donalyn-miller/this-is-how-i-show-my-students-that-i-love-them-by-putting-books-in-2/)

[Donalyn Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donalyn-miller/)

> [“They say she was once a grand lady and lived on the hill. But she took to reading books and went from bad to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-glass-slipper-screenpaly-byhelen-deutsch/they-say-she-was-once-a-grand-lady-and-lived-on-the-hill-but-she-took/)

The Glass Slipper screenpaly byHelen Deutsch

> [This is what I believe is most important: getting good books into the hands of kids - books that will make them want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/this-is-what-i-believe-is-most-important-getting-good-books-into-the/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [To come out and meet kids who have my books in their hands is kind of amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-kinney/to-come-out-and-meet-kids-who-have-my-books-in-their-hands-is-kind-of/)

[Jeff Kinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-kinney/)

> [“Burne was drawing farther and farther away from the world about him. He resigned the vice-presidency of the senior class and took to reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/burne-was-drawing-farther-and-farther-away-from-the-world-about-him/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [If you took my reading and writing out of my head, I don't know who I would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/if-you-took-my-reading-and-writing-out-of-my-head-i-don-t-know-who-i/)

[Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/)

> [I came from a house full of books, so I took reading for granted. I was an outdoorsy little kid, too, so I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/i-came-from-a-house-full-of-books-so-i-took-reading-for-granted-i-was/)

[Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/)

> [I think children love reading, and they will make time for it if we put the right books into their hands. And I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-think-children-love-reading-and-they-will-make-time-for-it-if-we/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [When I traveled as secretary of state, I was deluged with thick briefing books full of information about the politics, economy, and culture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-i-traveled-as-secretary-of-state-i-was-deluged-with-thick/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [In a world dependent on international trade and commerce, and staggering under a heavy load of international debt, no policy is more destructive than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/in-a-world-dependent-on-international-trade-and-commerce-and/)

[Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/)

> [God wants us to be stronger than we are--more fixed in our purpose, more certain of our commitments, eventually needing less coddling from Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/god-wants-us-to-be-stronger-than-we-are-more-fixed-in-our-purpose/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [People love talking about when they were young and heard Honky Tonk Women for the first time. It's quite a heavy load to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/people-love-talking-about-when-they-were-young-and-heard-honky-tonk/)

[Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/)

> [I like the man who takes the stones Upon his rocky road With smiling lips instead of groans, Whate'er his heavy load Who seizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kendrick-bangs/i-like-the-man-who-takes-the-stones-upon-his-rocky-road-with-smiling/)

[John Kendrick Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kendrick-bangs/)

> [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/)

[James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/)

## More by Nancy Farmer

> [No one can tell the difference between a clone and a human. That's because there isn't any difference. The idea of clones being inferior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/no-one-can-tell-the-difference-between-a-clone-and-a-human-that-s/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [After all, what is suffering but an awareness of suffering?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/after-all-what-is-suffering-but-an-awareness-of-suffering/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“Do your zombies eat brains? Are they horrible and scary? They're only sad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/do-your-zombies-eat-brains-are-they-horrible-and-scary-they-re-only/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“I am one for whom dangers are play- things One who empties men of their strength as a nut from its shell The charms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-am-one-for-whom-dangers-are-play-things-one-who-empties-men-of/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“He's a scientist, and they know everything. Religion is crap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/he-s-a-scientist-and-they-know-everything-religion-is-crap/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“The brain is shaped by the experiences of the body, and the body is shaped by the brain. Changing one part results in lethal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/the-brain-is-shaped-by-the-experiences-of-the-body-and-the-body-is/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [Heroes, well, they don't live so long. But they're muy suave, and we all admire them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/heroes-well-they-don-t-live-so-long-but-they-re-muy-suave-and-we-all/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“I think that people have an instinct for a family. You look until you find a mother, a father, a sister, a brother. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-think-that-people-have-an-instinct-for-a-family-you-look-until-you/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [The other girls in the village never felt restless. Nhamo was like a pot of boiling water. 'I want...I want...,' she whispered to herself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/the-other-girls-in-the-village-never-felt-restless-nhamo-was-like-a/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“Life and death are in constant battle. There is no way in this world for happiness to exist alone...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/life-and-death-are-in-constant-battle-there-is-no-way-in-this-world/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [Slow people are just paying close attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/slow-people-are-just-paying-close-attention/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“I am she who lifts the mountains When she goes to hunt, Who wears mamba for a headband And a lion for a belt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/i-am-she-who-lifts-the-mountains-when-she-goes-to-hunt-who-wears/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“How much wickedness could you do in the service of good before it turned into pure evil?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/how-much-wickedness-could-you-do-in-the-service-of-good-before-it/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [A little extra forgiveness never hurts," said Matt, quoting one of Celia's favorite sayings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/a-little-extra-forgiveness-never-hurts-said-matt-quoting-one-of-celia/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

> [“Once, he'd been satisfied by the music alone. Now he had learned about friendship...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/once-he-d-been-satisfied-by-the-music-alone-now-he-had-learned-about/)

[Nancy Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

[Explore all 57 Nancy Farmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/)

## 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": "“She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph had to take the books from her hands by force. 'Your eyes are not tractors. They are not meant to pull heavy loads,' he said sternly.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nancy Farmer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-extreme-baba-joseph-had-to-take/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-extreme-baba-joseph-had-to-take/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/nancy-farmer-12001_books_she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-ext_631047.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“She took to reading with a fervor so extreme, Baba Joseph had to take the books from her hands by force…” — Nancy Farmer",
                "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": "Nancy Farmer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-farmer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“She took to reading with a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-extreme-baba-joseph-had-to-take/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-farmer/she-took-to-reading-with-a-fervor-so-extreme-baba-joseph-had-to-take/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
