--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, I read everything I…" description: "\"When I was young, I read everything I could lay my hands on, but the Scots in my storybooks spent their time fighting glorious battles, rowing across l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/theresa-breslin-23100_according_when-i-was-young-i-read-everything-i-cou_1846754.jpg" --- # When I was young, I read everything I could lay my hands… ![“When I was young, I read everything I could lay my hands on, but the Scots in my storybooks spent their time fighting glorious battles, rowing across lochs, or escaping over moors of purple heather. Even those Scots were hard to find. For at school, we recited poetry according to the set texts the…” quote by Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/theresa-breslin-23100_according_when-i-was-young-i-read-everything-i-cou_1846754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/theresa-breslin-23100_according_when-i-was-young-i-read-everything-i-cou_1846754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/107/theresa-breslin-23100_according_when-i-was-young-i-read-everything-i-cou_1846754.jpg) > “When I was young, I read everything I could lay my hands on, but the Scots in my storybooks spent their time fighting glorious battles, rowing across lochs, or escaping over moors of purple heather. Even those Scots were hard to find. For at school, we recited poetry according to the set texts the teachers taught us.” [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recalls how early exposure to heroic Scottish narratives shaped imagination and cultural identity. **In simple terms:** Early stories shaped her worldview. Key Takeaway Seek diverse narratives to broaden perspective. Themes culture storytelling identity Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - education - creative writing - heritage projects Key Concepts literature cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - What stories shaped your youth? - How can you balance myth with reality? A Different Perspective Romanticizing the past can overlook complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [According](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according/) [Across](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/across/) [Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battles/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Escaping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escaping/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Glorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glorious/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Heather Scots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heather-scots-2394876/) [Lay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lay/) [Over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Purple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purple/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Rowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rowing/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Recited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-recited-2394877/) [Scots Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scots-hard-2394874/) [Scots Storybooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scots-storybooks-2394873/) [Spent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spent/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) [Texts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texts/) [Texts Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texts-teachers-2394875/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [In addition to exploring imaginative worlds, I believe that young people should have access to reading material that validates their life, that gives them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/in-addition-to-exploring-imaginative-worlds-i-believe-that-young/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [I used to send Tony Romo texts throughout the season just to encourage him, just to wish him luck and just to tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmitt-smith/i-used-to-send-tony-romo-texts-throughout-the-season-just-to/) [Emmitt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmitt-smith/) > [“I think as I often have that my mission is to layer her world with richness-not facts, but other hearts, desires, stories, a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-carey-reid/i-think-as-i-often-have-that-my-mission-is-to-layer-her-world-with/) [P. Carey Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-carey-reid/) > [“When I got out of the movie, I had four text messages from Augustus. Tell me my copy is missing the last twenty pages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/when-i-got-out-of-the-movie-i-had-four-text-messages-from-augustus/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Theatre probably originated without texts, but by the time we get to the classical Greek period, theatre has become text-based.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/theatre-probably-originated-without-texts-but-by-the-time-we-get-to/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I've always been a composer dependent on texts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-del-tredici/i-ve-always-been-a-composer-dependent-on-texts/) [David Del Tredici](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-del-tredici/) > [Beckett's 'Stories and Texts for Nothing' is probably my favorite book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-wright/beckett-s-stories-and-texts-for-nothing-is-probably-my-favorite-book/) [Franz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-wright/) > [Those texts where you can't choose between :) and :(... So you end up with this :/](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-texts-where-you-can-t-choose-between-and-so-you-end-up-with-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate writing texts to girlfriends because you can't really see emotions in texts. You can get confused on what she says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophilus-london/i-hate-writing-texts-to-girlfriends-because-you-can-t-really-see/) [Theophilus London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophilus-london/) > [Wherever we've gone around the world, we've found quite significant gaps: the holy texts, no matter which one you turn to, has ambiguity in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-forrest/wherever-we-ve-gone-around-the-world-we-ve-found-quite-significant/) [Andrew Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-forrest/) > [I like missing someone and being missed; I like looking forward to seeing him again. I like getting emails and texts with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/i-like-missing-someone-and-being-missed-i-like-looking-forward-to/) [Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/) > [I definitely check my phone for texts a lot - like, 'Did anyone text me? Is anyone thinking about me? Does anyone love me?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-jonze/i-definitely-check-my-phone-for-texts-a-lot-like-did-anyone-text-me/) [Spike Jonze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-jonze/) > [Twitter? No, I'd rather use phone and texts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domenico-dolce/twitter-no-i-d-rather-use-phone-and-texts/) [Domenico Dolce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domenico-dolce/) > [In this day and age of texts, Twitter, and Facebook, we are very rarely surprised by anything anymore - something always leaks out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-goreski/in-this-day-and-age-of-texts-twitter-and-facebook-we-are-very-rarely/) [Brad Goreski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-goreski/) > [I still put punctuation in my texts. If it's an 'I', I make sure it's a capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/i-still-put-punctuation-in-my-texts-if-it-s-an-i-i-make-sure-it-s-a/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) ## More by Theresa Breslin > [“The Maestro spoke again. "When we are not, at what point do we become?" I could not reply. For I had grasped no shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/the-maestro-spoke-again-when-we-are-not-at-what-point-do-we-become-i/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [In addition to being a writer, I'm a librarian - professionally trained and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/in-addition-to-being-a-writer-i-m-a-librarian-professionally-trained/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“What makes a human being want to kill another who has done him no personal harm? Patriotism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/what-makes-a-human-being-want-to-kill-another-who-has-done-him-no/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“I peered at his writing, but I could make nothing of it. Then I saw why, and my soul chilled like marble. His writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/i-peered-at-his-writing-but-i-could-make-nothing-of-it-then-i-saw-why/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“I must tell you this, Maggie. Your letters are my lifeline. Your threat to stop them terrified me. Never stop writing to me, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/i-must-tell-you-this-maggie-your-letters-are-my-lifeline-your-threat/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“If you are not a Conchie, what are you man?' demanded the Major. After some moments' thought, Francis said, 'I am a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/if-you-are-not-a-conchie-what-are-you-man-demanded-the-major-after/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“This was not completely true. I had run so fast that I still had a stitch in my side, but I did not want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/this-was-not-completely-true-i-had-run-so-fast-that-i-still-had-a/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“Being illegitimate is a technicality. It does not mean that there is anything wrong with you. Men use "bastard" as a curse. But to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/being-illegitimate-is-a-technicality-it-does-not-mean-that-there-is/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [“The scribe was a strict teacher and he did not accept anything less than perfect... Like a mother sensing the baby quickening within her,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/the-scribe-was-a-strict-teacher-and-he-did-not-accept-anything-less/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [One of the reasons I began to write was because I wanted stories for my children where the characters spoke as they did and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/one-of-the-reasons-i-began-to-write-was-because-i-wanted-stories-for/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [In order to deliver the emotional truth in the story, you have to include some of the literal truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/in-order-to-deliver-the-emotional-truth-in-the-story-you-have-to/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [My hope is for a literature that raises the language above the ordinary, makes words both functional and emotional, and to resonate at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/my-hope-is-for-a-literature-that-raises-the-language-above-the/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [What I try to do - and I think this is the former librarian in me - is to get primary source material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/what-i-try-to-do-and-i-think-this-is-the-former-librarian-in-me-is-to/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [In addition to exploring imaginative worlds, I believe that young people should have access to reading material that validates their life, that gives them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/in-addition-to-exploring-imaginative-worlds-i-believe-that-young/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) > [Lying eats into the soul. If it becomes a habit it frays the edge of your spirit. Truth telling, although sometimes harder to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-breslin/lying-eats-into-the-soul-if-it-becomes-a-habit-it-frays-the-edge-of/) [Theresa Breslin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) [Explore all 26 Theresa Breslin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-breslin/) ## More According quotes > [If you want to to be a smart cricketer, you have to play according to the situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/if-you-want-to-to-be-a-smart-cricketer-you-have-to-play-according-to/) [Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/) > [“life can seem either very long or very short, according to how you live it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/life-can-seem-either-very-long-or-very-short-according-to-how-you/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Modern capitalism seeks to assure us that it operates according to the principles of free creativity, endless development and diversity. It glosses over its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/modern-capitalism-seeks-to-assure-us-that-it-operates-according-to/) [Nadezhda Tolokonnikova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadezhda-tolokonnikova/) > [Everything that happens is according to destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-takia/everything-that-happens-is-according-to-destiny/) [Ayesha Takia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-takia/) > [You got to realize that the vision, the image, according to 1964 U.S. rock and roll standards, was mohair suit and tie, and nicey-nicey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-keys/you-got-to-realize-that-the-vision-the-image-according-to-1964-u-s/) [Bobby Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-keys/) > [According to fathers, their kids are always good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeetendra/according-to-fathers-their-kids-are-always-good/) [Jeetendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeetendra/) > [Things always work according to their nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-always-work-according-to-their-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Umm... I don't judge my relationship with Puff or Bad Boy according to other people or past artists. At the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/umm-i-don-t-judge-my-relationship-with-puff-or-bad-boy-according-to/) [French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/) > [When Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 as her father's rightful heir, she laid upon him the mantle of Camelot and the enduring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-kelley/when-caroline-kennedy-endorsed-barack-obama-in-2008-as-her-father-s/) [Kitty Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-kelley/) > [I believe the game should really feel what the players are feeling and change according to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideo-kojima/i-believe-the-game-should-really-feel-what-the-players-are-feeling/) [Hideo Kojima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideo-kojima/) > [The Muslim world just doesn't believe that skin color is all that important. 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Characters in fiction are not simply as alive as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/i-think-a-fictional-invention-grows-according-to-its-own-development/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [I can't keep changing myself according to how someone sees me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richa-chadha/i-can-t-keep-changing-myself-according-to-how-someone-sees-me/) [Richa Chadha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richa-chadha/) > [“God has a way of working things out according to His will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shana-burton/god-has-a-way-of-working-things-out-according-to-his-will/) [Shana Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shana-burton/) [Browse all 246 According quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/according/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, I read everything I could lay my hands on, but the Scots in my storybooks spent their time fighting glorious battles, rowing across lochs, or escaping over moors of purple heather. 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