--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading…" description: "\"I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me pleasure. I was very good at most subjects in school, not because I had any particular aptitude..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdc/neil-gaiman-29_aptitude_i-was-a-reader-i-loved-reading-reading-t_2380775.jpg" --- # I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me… ![“I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me pleasure. I was very good at most subjects in school, not because I had any particular aptitude in them, but because normally on the first day of school they'd hand out schoolbooks, and I'd read them--which would mean that I'd know what was…” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdc/neil-gaiman-29_aptitude_i-was-a-reader-i-loved-reading-reading-t_2380775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdc/neil-gaiman-29_aptitude_i-was-a-reader-i-loved-reading-reading-t_2380775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdc/neil-gaiman-29_aptitude_i-was-a-reader-i-loved-reading-reading-t_2380775.jpg) > “I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me pleasure. I was very good at most subjects in school, not because I had any particular aptitude in them, but because normally on the first day of school they'd hand out schoolbooks, and I'd read them--which would mean that I'd know what was coming up, because I'd read it.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading gave him early academic advantage by previewing material, not innate talent. **In simple terms:** Reading helped him excel academically. Key Takeaway Leverage reading to anticipate challenges. Themes education reading self‑directed learning Mood reflective motivational Type advice personal When to use this quote - school start - exam preparation - self‑study - career development Key Concepts previewing knowledge acquisition confidence building Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply preview reading in your field? - What limits exist for this strategy? A Different Perspective Relies on access to texts; not all subjects allow preview. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aptitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aptitude/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [First Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-day/) [First day of school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-day-of-school/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Particular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/particular/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-reading-422940/) [Reading Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-things-926757/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schoolbooks Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schoolbooks-read-5895988/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Subjects in school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects-in-school-179722/) [Very good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-good/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [There's something about having an artistic outlet that is so important to the human mind and development. It's as important as any other subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-michaelson/there-s-something-about-having-an-artistic-outlet-that-is-so/) [Ingrid Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-michaelson/) > [What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/what-sculpture-is-to-a-block-of-marble-education-is-to-the-human-soul/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I've known ambitious people with no aptitude for the thing they did. Most of whom, rather terrifyingly, tended to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-ve-known-ambitious-people-with-no-aptitude-for-the-thing-they-did/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Some of the things you read you get an immediate reaction to so I've stopped reading things now. I do worry about my family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-crowe/some-of-the-things-you-read-you-get-an-immediate-reaction-to-so-i-ve/) [Russell Crowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-crowe/) > [Reading things that are relevant to the facts of your life is of limited value. The facts are, after all, only the facts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/reading-things-that-are-relevant-to-the-facts-of-your-life-is-of-2/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [People are always reading things into the films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/people-are-always-reading-things-into-the-films/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [I am always reading, always, and tons of things at once. I wouldn't say I'm a voracious reader, though. I never finish books that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-chang/i-am-always-reading-always-and-tons-of-things-at-once-i-wouldn-t-say/) [Victoria Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-chang/) > [I do not know whether you are fond of chemical reading. There are some things in this science worth reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-do-not-know-whether-you-are-fond-of-chemical-reading-there-are-some/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I love reading things on twitter its all well within my attention span of 140 characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-love-reading-things-on-twitter-its-all-well-within-my-attention/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Well, I have a problem with reading too much into things, so that just it almost freaks me out in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-pena/well-i-have-a-problem-with-reading-too-much-into-things-so-that-just/) [Julianna Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-pena/) > [My girlfriend is always reading too much into things. Like my love letter to her sister for example.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-girlfriend-is-always-reading-too-much-into-things-like-my-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like reading things that people say on the Internet because I know so much of it is not true. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-don-t-like-reading-things-that-people-say-on-the-internet-because-i/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [If it's a good book, anyone will read it. I'm totally unashamed about still reading things I loved in my childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/if-it-s-a-good-book-anyone-will-read-it-i-m-totally-unashamed-about/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I like reading things where someone's looked at what I do with some honesty, and maybe been challenged by it, and they have something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-harding/i-like-reading-things-where-someone-s-looked-at-what-i-do-with-some/) [Aldous Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-harding/) > [I like reading for things. I've shown up for jobs before where I haven't read for them, and there's something kind of intimidating about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-grimes/i-like-reading-for-things-i-ve-shown-up-for-jobs-before-where-i-haven/) [Luke Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-grimes/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Aptitude quotes > [People are so constituted that everybody would rather undertake what they see others do, whether they have an aptitude for it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/people-are-so-constituted-that-everybody-would-rather-undertake-what/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [ The first \[quality\] to be named must always be the power of attention, of giving one's whole mind to the patient without the interposition… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-trotter/the-first-quality-to-be-named-must-always-be-the-power-of-attention/) [Wilfred Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-trotter/) > [It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/it-is-not-your-aptitude-but-your-attitude-that-determines-your/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“That evening, Hope wrote a letter to her MP, Jack Crow. She found no difficulty at all in composing it, but quite a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/that-evening-hope-wrote-a-letter-to-her-mp-jack-crow-she-found-no/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [Now, occultism is not like mystic faculty, and it very seldom works in harmony either with business aptitude in the things of ordinary life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-waite/now-occultism-is-not-like-mystic-faculty-and-it-very-seldom-works-in/) [A. E. Waite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-waite/) > [If a man is to lose his fortune, it is a good thing if he were poor before he acquired it, for poverty requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/if-a-man-is-to-lose-his-fortune-it-is-a-good-thing-if-he-were-poor/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [Men are so constituted that every one undertakes what he sees another successful in, whether he has aptitude for it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/men-are-so-constituted-that-every-one-undertakes-what-he-sees-another/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“My attitude is to be with one aptitude”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/my-attitude-is-to-be-with-one-aptitude/) [P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-s-jagadeesh-kumar/) > [Honestly, I never really thought I'd be a comedian. But I did take an aptitude test in seventh grade - and this is 100…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wolf/honestly-i-never-really-thought-i-d-be-a-comedian-but-i-did-take-an/) [Michelle Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wolf/) > [Appalling numbers of youth have been led into a cynical ultra-sophisticated attitude which regards drinking as a badge of social aptitude, which makes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parker-yockey/appalling-numbers-of-youth-have-been-led-into-a-cynical-ultra/) [Francis Parker Yockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parker-yockey/) > [Henke sensed her terrifying aptitude for destruction as never before. Henke had feared for her sanity; now she knew the truth was almost worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/henke-sensed-her-terrifying-aptitude-for-destruction-as-never-before/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [Attitude and not the Aptitude decide the Altitude you reach in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/attitude-and-not-the-aptitude-decide-the-altitude-you-reach-in-life/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [That's what humanity is: a series of successes and failures, a testing of one's own nature and aptitude. Neither the body nor the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/that-s-what-humanity-is-a-series-of-successes-and-failures-a-testing/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I am Captain Aptitude. Well, I will be, once I get acclimated to the climate at this altitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-am-captain-aptitude-well-i-will-be-once-i-get-acclimated-to-the/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Once again the Naderites were onstage attacking the Educational Testing Service - the organization which develops and administers the scholastic aptitude tests...the reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-seligman/once-again-the-naderites-were-onstage-attacking-the-educational/) [Daniel Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-seligman/) [Browse all 196 Aptitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aptitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a reader. I loved reading. Reading things gave me pleasure. 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