---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, I was reading anything…"
description: "\"When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I could lay my hands on. I was a veracious-to-the-point-of-insane reader.\" — Neil Gaiman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg"
---

#  When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I…

![“When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I could lay my hands on. I was a veracious-to-the-point-of-insane reader.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg)

> “When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I could lay my hands on. I was a veracious-to-the-point-of-insane reader.”

[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.

A voracious reader consumes any available material, driven by intense curiosity and passion for knowledge.

**In simple terms:** Reading everything shows deep curiosity.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate a habit of reading widely.

Themes

curiosity learning passion

Mood

enthusiastic inquisitive

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- school
- personal development
- creative inspiration
- self‑education
- overcoming boredom

Key Concepts

bibliophilia intense curiosity

Questions to Reflect On

- What topics excite you most?
- How can you turn reading into action?

A Different Perspective

Reading alone does not guarantee comprehension or critical thinking.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Insane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane/) [Insane Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane-reader-1516218/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-reading-1516219/)

## Related quotes

> [When you're young, you keep reading new writers and you keep changing your mind about how you ought to sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/when-you-re-young-you-keep-reading-new-writers-and-you-keep-changing/)

[Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/)

> [“I'm guessing this isn't the new JR Ward novel," I said, taking out a large book with an old fabric covering. " Armstrong Line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blackwell/i-m-guessing-this-isn-t-the-new-jr-ward-novel-i-said-taking-out-a/)

[Tammy Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blackwell/)

> [When I was very young I was reading a lot of Latin American fiction, which later would be called "boom fiction."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/when-i-was-very-young-i-was-reading-a-lot-of-latin-american-fiction/)

[Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/)

> [The best advice I can give on this is, once it's done, to put it away until you can read it with new eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-best-advice-i-can-give-on-this-is-once-it-s-done-to-put-it-away/)

[Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/)

> [I know for a fact that if I could do only music, I'd be out of my mind, insane. I'd be stressed-out; there's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aly-michalka/i-know-for-a-fact-that-if-i-could-do-only-music-i-d-be-out-of-my-mind/)

[Aly Michalka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aly-michalka/)

> [At some point, you have to disconnect, if the obsession with playing a real person gets in the way of the movie at large.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/at-some-point-you-have-to-disconnect-if-the-obsession-with-playing-a/)

[Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/)

> [I love flat shoes, more so than heels. One of my obsessions is men's co-respondent lace-ups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twiggy/i-love-flat-shoes-more-so-than-heels-one-of-my-obsessions-is-men-s-co/)

[Twiggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twiggy/)

> [Our obsession with material things and lack of self-worth is evident in our need for an abundance of momentary luxuries and must-have amenities that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/our-obsession-with-material-things-and-lack-of-self-worth-is-evident/)

[T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/)

> [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/)

[Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/)

> [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/)

[Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/)

> [To tell the truth, I have no idea what love is. I often think it is a makeshift name--a pretty, but false name--invented to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginko/to-tell-the-truth-i-have-no-idea-what-love-is-i-often-think-it-is-a/)

[Ginko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginko/)

> [Aristocratic depression has this cosmic dimension to it, where it's asking these big questions about, "Why?" "What is the purpose of all this?" Neuroses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-douglas/aristocratic-depression-has-this-cosmic-dimension-to-it-where-it-s/)

[Lawrence Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-douglas/)

> [“Mistaking obsession for love is one of the greatest mistakes you'll every make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/mistaking-obsession-for-love-is-one-of-the-greatest-mistakes-you-ll/)

[Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/)

> [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

## 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 Anything quotes

> [I guess I've never really wanted to be anything else. I've never even thought about having another job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-farrell/i-guess-i-ve-never-really-wanted-to-be-anything-else-i-ve-never-even/)

[Owen Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-farrell/)

> [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/)

[Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/)

> [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/)

[Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/)

> [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/)

[Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/)

> [When it really comes down to it, the job you do is more important and is more representative of who you are than your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/when-it-really-comes-down-to-it-the-job-you-do-is-more-important-and/)

[Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/)

> [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/)

[Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/)

> [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/)

[Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/)

> [We live in such a special time when literally anything we can think of is possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-willey/we-live-in-such-a-special-time-when-literally-anything-we-can-think/)

[Daniel Willey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-willey/)

> [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/)

[Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/)

> [I said to my agent, 'I want short, sharp, well-paid jobs because I haven't got time for anything else.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-whitelaw/i-said-to-my-agent-i-want-short-sharp-well-paid-jobs-because-i-haven/)

[Billie Whitelaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-whitelaw/)

> [I think anything that anyone writes thats any good is going to have a lot of autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-think-anything-that-anyone-writes-thats-any-good-is-going-to-have-a/)

[Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/)

> [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/)

[Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/)

> [Don't do anything drastic like getting your eyebrows tattooed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-lee/don-t-do-anything-drastic-like-getting-your-eyebrows-tattooed/)

[Greta Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-lee/)

> [Whenever you define family as anything other than a man and a woman married together, you have just introduced an ethical nightmare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/whenever-you-define-family-as-anything-other-than-a-man-and-a-woman/)

[Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/)

> [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/)

[Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/)

[Browse all 9,437 Anything quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I could lay my hands on. I was a veracious-to-the-point-of-insane reader.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neil Gaiman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything-and-anything-i-could-lay-my/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anything"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything-and-anything-i-could-lay-my/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78f/neil-gaiman-29_anything_when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything_132641.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I was young, I was reading anything and anything I could lay my hands on. I was a…” — Neil Gaiman",
                "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": "Neil Gaiman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I was young, I was...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything-and-anything-i-could-lay-my/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-i-was-young-i-was-reading-anything-and-anything-i-could-lay-my/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
