Read like a wolf eats and write every day. Every. Single. Day.
Gary PaulsenRead
Words are alive--when I've found a story that I love, I read it again and again, like playing a favorite song over and over. Reading isn't passive--I enter the story with the characters, breathe their air, feel their frustrations, scream at them to stop when they're about to do something stupid, cry with them, laugh with them. Reading for me, is spending time with a friend. A book is a friend. You can never have too many.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Reading engages you deeply with stories and characters, making it an interactive and personal experience.
In this quote, Gary Paulsen emphasizes the active role of a reader in engaging with stories. Rather than being a passive activity, reading is portrayed as an immersive experience where readers connect with characters emotionally, forming a bond akin to friendship. Paulsen presents books as invaluable companions that enrich our lives through their narratives, suggesting that the joy of reading is in the connection and shared experience it offers.
Themes
ReadingStoriesFriendshipBooksEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a book club discussion, you could share this quote to highlight the emotional connection with literature.
More from Gary Paulsen
All quotes →This beginning motion, this first time when a sail truly filled and the boat took life and knifed across the lake under perfect control, this was so beautiful it stopped my breath.
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Gary PaulsenRead
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