--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had never understood quite so clearly…" description: "\"I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacob's writing - no, her clear-headed observation - as I did reading “What We See”..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/nancy-milford-47753_clarity_i-had-never-understood-quite-so-clearly_3141099.jpg" --- # I had never understood quite so clearly the effective… ![“I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacob's writing - no, her clear-headed observation - as I did reading “What We See”. Maybe that's really the point of writing. That if you take the time to look, to really observe, then you see what is happening, and, with the…” quote by Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/nancy-milford-47753_clarity_i-had-never-understood-quite-so-clearly_3141099.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/nancy-milford-47753_clarity_i-had-never-understood-quite-so-clearly_3141099.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/nancy-milford-47753_clarity_i-had-never-understood-quite-so-clearly_3141099.jpg) > “I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacob's writing - no, her clear-headed observation - as I did reading “What We See”. Maybe that's really the point of writing. That if you take the time to look, to really observe, then you see what is happening, and, with the clarity of that vision, you can act to save neighborhoods.” [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Observing urban life closely reveals problems and inspires effective community action. **In simple terms:** Seeing clearly leads to helping neighborhoods. Key Takeaway Observe, then act to improve your area. Themes urbanism observation community action social responsibility Mood thoughtful motivational Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - neighborhood meetings - city planning - community organizing - local journalism - public policy Key Concepts Jane Jacobs urban planning civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn observation into concrete change? - What barriers exist to acting on what you see? A Different Perspective Observation alone may not change entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Somebody once observed--and the observation did him credit, whoever he was--that the dearest things in the world were neighbors' eyes, for they cost everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-richard-smith/somebody-once-observed-and-the-observation-did-him-credit-whoever-he/) Albert Richard Smith > [Jane Jacobs work wouldnt have been complete if it hadn't inspired others to carry it on, and evolve Jane's groundbreaking accomplishments so that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/majora-carter/jane-jacobs-work-wouldnt-have-been-complete-if-it-hadn-t-inspired/) [Majora Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/majora-carter/) > [To Jane Jacob’s three traditional urban values of civic space, human scale and diversity, the current environmental imperative adds two more: conservation and regionalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-calthorpe/to-jane-jacob-s-three-traditional-urban-values-of-civic-space-human/) Peter Calthorpe > [Jacob's little smirk became a full-blown grin, and I knew he was picturing Charlie showing up to arrest him. This grin was too bitter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/jacob-s-little-smirk-became-a-full-blown-grin-and-i-knew-he-was/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [The night breathed through the apartment like a dark animal. The ticking of a clock. The groan of a floorboard as he slipped out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/the-night-breathed-through-the-apartment-like-a-dark-animal-the/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [“I'd run you know. It's like when you're really busy doing something and you don't have time to think about things. Well, I'd run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/i-d-run-you-know-it-s-like-when-you-re-really-busy-doing-something/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [“When pain is vivid, when decisions are keen-edged, we believe that we are the surgeons. But time passes, and one sees the whole more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/when-pain-is-vivid-when-decisions-are-keen-edged-we-believe-that-we/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [ Odd as this might sound, I suppose I’m glad you’re here, Jacob. \[Edward Cullen\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/odd-as-this-might-sound-i-suppose-i-m-glad-you-re-here-jacob-edward/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“Jacob-el was a place-name in Palestine according to an inscription.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-courtenay-james/jacob-el-was-a-place-name-in-palestine-according-to-an-inscription/) [John Courtenay James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-courtenay-james/) > [“What appear to be dangerous and even bad periods in some lives can actually bring them closer to the Lord, because these individuals honestly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/what-appear-to-be-dangerous-and-even-bad-periods-in-some-lives-can/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [Each had his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart; and his friends could only read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/each-had-his-past-shut-in-him-like-the-leaves-of-a-book-known-to-him/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [American foreign policy and military might have opened an opportunity for the Gospel in the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/american-foreign-policy-and-military-might-have-opened-an-opportunity/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [I was much more upset by the situation with Jacob than by the possibility of being eaten by a bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-was-much-more-upset-by-the-situation-with-jacob-than-by-the/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Did he only wear a shirt during class? Oh my God, he seriously lived across the hall. Jacob was going to flip... and probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lynn/did-he-only-wear-a-shirt-during-class-oh-my-god-he-seriously-lived/) [J. Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-lynn/) > [Catholicity seized on man... and the mystics, transcending all, taught him to ascend on high with the wings of contemplation the Ladder of Jacob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-donoso-cortes/catholicity-seized-on-man-and-the-mystics-transcending-all-taught-him/) Juan Donoso Cortes ## More by Nancy Milford > [Life is impermanent and in the face of that impermanence, cavort! Look death in the eye, tell him you’re as cute as a button,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/life-is-impermanent-and-in-the-face-of-that-impermanence-cavort-look/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) > [“It was not, Zelda wrote, prosperity or the softness of life, or any instability that marred the war generation; it was a great emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/it-was-not-zelda-wrote-prosperity-or-the-softness-of-life-or-any/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) > [“I am wild, if you like; but I stayed in my burrow a long, long time, - nibbling your straws and snapping at your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/i-am-wild-if-you-like-but-i-stayed-in-my-burrow-a-long-long-time/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) > [The hats were nearly all as though made by somebody who had once heard about flowers but never seen one huge muffs of horror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/the-hats-were-nearly-all-as-though-made-by-somebody-who-had-once/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) > [Francis Scott Fitzgerald really read culture pretty damn clearly. 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It seems to me it requires not only the tact, patience, and thoroughness of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-milford/to-be-a-biographer-is-a-somewhat-peculiar-endeavor-it-seems-to-me-it/) [Nancy Milford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) [Explore all 8 Nancy Milford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-milford/) ## More Clarity quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Its a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/its-a-lack-of-clarity-that-creates-chaos-and-frustration-those/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Anything well written with good language and clarity and honesty is worth doing. It comes out of the same tradition as Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/anything-well-written-with-good-language-and-clarity-and-honesty-is/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It comes a moment that someone says something really small, but fits so perfect into your heart that everything start to make sense!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/it-comes-a-moment-that-someone-says-something-really-small-but-fits/) Laylablack > [“Replaying the past in your mind won't change the present; it only steals the clarity needed to shape what comes next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-meyering-sr/replaying-the-past-in-your-mind-won-t-change-the-present-it-only/) Joseph Meyering Sr > [Rain is good for me. I feel like I achieve clarity actually when it rains. The longer I have to sit and wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/rain-is-good-for-me-i-feel-like-i-achieve-clarity-actually-when-it/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [It's my feeling that any writer can get an emotion into a story without being sentimental as long as the emotion is dealt with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/it-s-my-feeling-that-any-writer-can-get-an-emotion-into-a-story/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The law of polarity brings forth clarity to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/the-law-of-polarity-brings-forth-clarity-to-your-life/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [In meditation you withdraw from others and focus your attention inside to gain purity of mind and wisdom energy. Then you must become extroverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/in-meditation-you-withdraw-from-others-and-focus-your-attention/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I think clarity is the real risk in poetry because you are exposed. You're out in the open field. You're actually saying things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-think-clarity-is-the-real-risk-in-poetry-because-you-are-exposed/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I decided to be a filmmaker when I was 12. I had utter clarity that this would be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-decided-to-be-a-filmmaker-when-i-was-12-i-had-utter-clarity-that/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) [Browse all 1,601 Clarity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had never understood quite so clearly the effective power of Jane Jacob's writing - no, her clear-headed observation - as I did reading “What We See”. Maybe that's really the point of writing. 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