--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By the time I got to college I had…" description: "\"By the time I got to college I had stopped reading books because I wanted to \"be cool\" and started reading books simply because I wanted to read them. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/simon-rich-25140_being-cool_by-the-time-i-got-to-college-i-had-stopp_2574328.jpg" --- # By the time I got to college I had stopped reading books… ![“By the time I got to college I had stopped reading books because I wanted to "be cool" and started reading books simply because I wanted to read them. I discovered heroes like Roth, King, Dahl, Shirley Jackson, Patricia Highsmith, TC Boyle, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris. These people…” quote by Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/simon-rich-25140_being-cool_by-the-time-i-got-to-college-i-had-stopp_2574328.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/simon-rich-25140_being-cool_by-the-time-i-got-to-college-i-had-stopp_2574328.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/simon-rich-25140_being-cool_by-the-time-i-got-to-college-i-had-stopp_2574328.jpg) > “By the time I got to college I had stopped reading books because I wanted to "be cool" and started reading books simply because I wanted to read them. I discovered heroes like Roth, King, Dahl, Shirley Jackson, Patricia Highsmith, TC Boyle, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris. These people weren't trying to "rebel against the literary establishment." They were trying to write great, high-quality books that were as entertaining and moving as possible.” [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes a shift from reading for social image to reading for intrinsic enjoyment, discovering literary heroes and valuing quality storytelling over rebellion. **In simple terms:** Reading became about love of books, not being cool. Key Takeaway Read for pleasure, not status. Themes personal growth literature authenticity identity motivation Mood nostalgic inspirational Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - college life - book clubs - personal development - literary discovery Key Concepts intrinsic motivation literary appreciation authentic reading Questions to Reflect On - What drives your reading choices today? - How can you encourage authentic reading in peers? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook systemic pressures that still influence reading choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaiman/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-books/) [Rebel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rebel/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“We read a lot of books. 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I don't have to leave my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/most-of-my-work-is-i-get-an-idea-and-with-the-help-of-wikipedia-i-can/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [I never felt ostracized or made to feel strange by obsessing over 'The Onion' or 'Calvin and Hobbes.' That was considered completely normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/i-never-felt-ostracized-or-made-to-feel-strange-by-obsessing-over-the/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [It's easier to be a grownup than to be a kid. When you're a kid, you lie constantly and people are always calling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/it-s-easier-to-be-a-grownup-than-to-be-a-kid-when-you-re-a-kid-you/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [I was never a cool person; in fact, cool people have always made fun of me. 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But I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/i-admired-the-earnestness-of-these-people-many-of-whom-had-joined/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [I wanted to be an artist after all, and my teachers told me these were the best authors the 20th century had to offer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-after-all-and-my-teachers-told-me-these-were/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [“Before OkCupid profiles became mandated by the Galactic Government, the only way to find a mate was to self-induce brain-damage and beg strangers for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-rich/before-okcupid-profiles-became-mandated-by-the-galactic-government/) [Simon Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-rich/) > [“God: Check out this human I designed. Angel: Wow, that looks pretty incredible. How does it work? God: It's pretty complicated. 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Men know what they want before they see it. Women don't know what they want until they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-and-women-shop-differently-men-know-what-they-want-before-they/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [You are the love of my twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-are-the-love-of-my-twitter/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [A girl asks you what you need. The woman knows and gives you what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/a-girl-asks-you-what-you-need-the-woman-knows-and-gives-you-what-you/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [We should be recklessly abandoned to Jesus, and just turn it over to Him. 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Beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-like-my-beer-as-i-like-my-beer-beer/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [HUSBAND, PERFECT, is, in a man's second marriage, her first mate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/husband-perfect-is-in-a-man-s-second-marriage-her-first-mate/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) Browse all 688 Being cool quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By the time I got to college I had stopped reading books because I wanted to \"be cool\" and started reading books simply because I wanted to read them. I discovered heroes like Roth, King, Dahl, Shirley Jackson, Patricia Highsmith, TC Boyle, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, David Sedaris. 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