--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But really, it was reading that led me to…" description: "\"But really, it was reading that led me to writing. And in particular, reading the American classics like Twain who taught me at an early age that ordin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/russell-banks-7660_age_but-really-it-was-reading-that-led-me-to_306725.jpg" --- # But really, it was reading that led me to writing. And in… ![“But really, it was reading that led me to writing. And in particular, reading the American classics like Twain who taught me at an early age that ordinary lives of ordinary people can be made into high art.” quote by Russell Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/russell-banks-7660_age_but-really-it-was-reading-that-led-me-to_306725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/russell-banks-7660_age_but-really-it-was-reading-that-led-me-to_306725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d15/russell-banks-7660_age_but-really-it-was-reading-that-led-me-to_306725.jpg) > “But really, it was reading that led me to writing. And in particular, reading the American classics like Twain who taught me at an early age that ordinary lives of ordinary people can be made into high art.” [Russell Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-banks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading classic literature inspires creative writing, showing that ordinary lives can become art. **In simple terms:** Reading fuels writing; ordinary lives become art. Key Takeaway Read widely to spark your own stories. Themes creativity literature inspiration Mood reflective encouraging Type literary motivational When to use this quote - writing workshops - school curricula - personal journaling - book clubs Key Concepts narrative theory cultural canon Questions to Reflect On - What ordinary stories are missing from the canon? - How can we broaden literary inspiration? A Different Perspective Classic works may not reflect diverse experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Ordinary life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-life/) [Ordinary people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Writers like Twain, Whitman, Dickinson, Melville, Louise Erdrich, Toni Morrison, Russell Banks, Carolyn Chute, Alice Walker, so many others that I read coming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/writers-like-twain-whitman-dickinson-melville-louise-erdrich-toni/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [The older I've got the less I find myself going back and re-reading or really reading new fiction or poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reynolds-price/the-older-i-ve-got-the-less-i-find-myself-going-back-and-re-reading/) [Reynolds Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reynolds-price/) > [Until the Bible begins to talk to us, we really have not been reading it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/until-the-bible-begins-to-talk-to-us-we-really-have-not-been-reading/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm really into reading books right now about India. 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