--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If one reads enough books one has a…" description: "\"If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads.\" — Sherman Alexie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/sherman-alexie-444_book_if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-figh_2362807.png" --- # If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or… ![“If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/sherman-alexie-444_book_if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-figh_2362807.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/sherman-alexie-444_book_if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-figh_2362807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/sherman-alexie-444_book_if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-figh_2362807.png) > “If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. Or better, one's chances of survival increase with each book one reads.” [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reading expands knowledge and critical thinking, improving one's ability to navigate challenges and survive. **In simple terms:** Books boost survival skills. Key Takeaway Read more to increase chances. Themes learning survival literature Mood inspired reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - education - career development - personal growth - decision making Key Concepts critical thinking knowledge acquisition cognitive resilience Questions to Reflect On - How does each book change your perspective? - What practical steps can you take from reading? A Different Perspective Reading alone doesn't guarantee success without application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [If one reads enough books, one has a fighting chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/if-one-reads-enough-books-one-has-a-fighting-chance/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [There is something about libraries, old libraries, that makes them seem almost sacred. There's a smell of paper and must and binding stuff. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-jones/there-is-something-about-libraries-old-libraries-that-makes-them-seem/) [Carrie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-jones/) > [“Our chances of survival were entirely dependent on our ability and willingness to dominate others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/our-chances-of-survival-were-entirely-dependent-on-our-ability-and/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [Around half of the top alpinists have died climbing. Of course if I'm careful and turn back more often than the others, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/around-half-of-the-top-alpinists-have-died-climbing-of-course-if-i-m/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [I believe in the basic goodness of my species, because that appears to be a positive tactic and quality that leads to better chances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/i-believe-in-the-basic-goodness-of-my-species-because-that-appears-to/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [“who knows what the chances are out there, of survival, yours? I will say, you, you like an old love song. You can mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/who-knows-what-the-chances-are-out-there-of-survival-yours-i-will-say/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Those who consume far more resources than they require destroy the life chances of those whose survival depends upon consuming more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/those-who-consume-far-more-resources-than-they-require-destroy-the/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) > [“Chances of survival are dwindling into single-digits now...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fishlegs/chances-of-survival-are-dwindling-into-single-digits-now/) Fishlegs > [As long as nuclear weapons exist, the chances of survival of the human species are quite slight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/as-long-as-nuclear-weapons-exist-the-chances-of-survival-of-the-human/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [You destroy the initiative of the working people if they don't feel they have a fighting chance to be a part of the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sinegal/you-destroy-the-initiative-of-the-working-people-if-they-don-t-feel/) [James Sinegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sinegal/) > [Sometimes, the stars line up, the gods smile, and love gets a fighting chance. Just a chance. That's all it can really hope for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/sometimes-the-stars-line-up-the-gods-smile-and-love-gets-a-fighting/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“There's a certain drama in going down in a good cause. Any decent politician is masochistic enough to dream now and then of going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-s-a-certain-drama-in-going-down-in-a-good-cause-any-decent/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [When you know in your heart that you and your ideas are important, you will give every idea you have a fighting chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-cooper/when-you-know-in-your-heart-that-you-and-your-ideas-are-important-you/) [Sarah Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-cooper/) > [I have had to change the game to one that is a match of wits rather than brawn to give myself a fighting chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-rogers/i-have-had-to-change-the-game-to-one-that-is-a-match-of-wits-rather/) Todd Rogers > [“I can never win with you, can I? No matter what, best friend or . . . whatever, I will always be competing against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-can-never-win-with-you-can-i-no-matter-what-best-friend-or-whatever/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) ## More by Sherman Alexie > [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) [Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“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/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If one reads enough books one has a fighting chance. 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