--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Books were my pass to personal freedom. I…" description: "\"“Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png" --- # Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read… ![“Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png) > ““Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”” [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading opened doors to independence, allowing escape from a limited environment to a broader world. **In simple terms:** Books gave her freedom. Key Takeaway Read to expand horizons. Themes education freedom self‑discovery Mood hopeful inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - childhood learning - personal growth - overcoming geographic limits Key Concepts literacy empowerment social mobility Questions to Reflect On - What book changed your perspective? - How can you share that freedom with others? A Different Perspective Reading alone may not guarantee freedom without resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Pass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-pass-3249864/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-learned-3249863/) [Learned Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-read/) [Personal freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-freedom/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i-learned-to-read-at-age-three/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Books were my pass to personal freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Most people in America want an easy read. I call it McFiction - books which pass right through you without you even digesting them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/most-people-in-america-want-an-easy-read-i-call-it-mcfiction-books/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“Actually a solution & a path to personal freedom. My own life's experience w/ both Dharma practice & punk rock inspired me to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-levine/actually-a-solution-a-path-to-personal-freedom-my-own-life-s/) [Noah Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-levine/) > [Now, my mom did not read well and she read 'True Romance' magazines, but she read with me. And she would spend 30 minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/now-my-mom-did-not-read-well-and-she-read-true-romance-magazines-but/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've always had a soft spot for comic books. I learned to read from them. The words in them were so interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-ve-always-had-a-soft-spot-for-comic-books-i-learned-to-read-from/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [I learned to read a little in my primer, to write my own name, and to cypher some in the three first rules in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davy-crockett/i-learned-to-read-a-little-in-my-primer-to-write-my-own-name-and-to/) [Davy Crockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davy-crockett/) > [Learned to read, and for a while as a kid, you think books are just leaves on trees. Then suddenly, you think a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/learned-to-read-and-for-a-while-as-a-kid-you-think-books-are-just/) [Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/) > [For me, before I learned how to read I was really interested in story and in landscape and nature. I decided to become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/for-me-before-i-learned-how-to-read-i-was-really-interested-in-story/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [The ability to read becomes devalued when what one has learned to read adds nothing of importance to one's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/the-ability-to-read-becomes-devalued-when-what-one-has-learned-to/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [I learned to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children's librarian. ... If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-learned-to-read-from-mrs-augusta-baker-the-children-s-librarian-if/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I never learned to read music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-spinrad/i-never-learned-to-read-music/) [Norman Spinrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-spinrad/) > [“My eyes burned, and I blinked as I faced the books. "And I suppose," I said with an effort at lightness, "That it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/my-eyes-burned-and-i-blinked-as-i-faced-the-books-and-i-suppose-i/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The manner in which I learned to read and write, not only had great influence on my own mind, as I acquired it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-turner/the-manner-in-which-i-learned-to-read-and-write-not-only-had-great/) [Nat Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-turner/) ## More by Oprah Winfrey > [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/keep-a-grateful-journal-every-night-list-five-things-that-you-are/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-want-every-day-to-be-a-fresh-start-on-expanding-what-is-possible/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [We often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough... You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) [Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oprah Winfrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i-learned-to-read-at-age-three-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i-learned-to-read-at-age-three-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/oprah-winfrey-186_believe_books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i_3228074.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and there discovered was a whole…” — Oprah Winfrey", "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": "Oprah Winfrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Books were my pass to personal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i-learned-to-read-at-age-three-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/books-were-my-pass-to-personal-freedom-i-learned-to-read-at-age-three-2/#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 } } ] } ```