[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f95gixPMKe-wAnHAdR0qAWOuA-4SoGcI88V1_L5kxquc":3,"$fASoSCp2iZ2AFZEWWSJKfwq-17DxrtPsWld5KPd0TxAA":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"bio_jsonld":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},13638,"Lucy Mangan","L",6,null,"lucy-mangan",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":74},[14,22,29,35,48,58],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":8,"has_image":17,"author":18,"source":19,"quote_tag":20,"commentary":21},3238133,"The intensity of childhod reading, the instant and complete absorption in a book – a good book, a bad book, in any kind of book – is something I would give much to recapture.",false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nLucy Mangan, a British journalist and writer known for her insightful commentary on literature and culture, penned these words in one of her essays or articles likely from the 2010s. At that time, Mangan was reflecting on the nostalgia for childhood experiences, particularly those related to reading. Her writing often explores the intersection of personal anecdotes and literary analysis.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nWhat's intriguing about this quote is not just its expression of nostalgia but also a subtle admission of the fleeting nature of creative intensity. Mangan suggests that adults, who have experienced the pure absorption in a book during childhood, now desire to recapture this state, implying that this kind of engagement with stories and ideas is something that diminishes as one grows older.\n\n**How to Use This**\nFor a modern reader or writer seeking to regain their creative spark, Mangan's sentiment can be translated into an actionable strategy: attempt to immerse yourself in stories and narratives with the same unbridled enthusiasm as you did during childhood. This might involve not just reading more but also engaging with different formats like graphic novels, podcasts, or even re-reading favorite books from your youth, aiming to recapture that initial sense of wonder and engagement.",{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":8,"has_image":17,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":28},3238121,"Each book is a world entire. You’re going to have to take more than one pass at it.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote is likely from Lucy Mangan's personal notebooks or essays, where she reflects on her writing process and literary theories. Given her interests in literature, feminism, and everyday life, it's probable that she wrote these words during the 2010s, a time when she was publishing her popular book \"The Pleasure of Reading in an Age of Distraction.\" During this period, Mangan was grappling with the changing nature of reading habits and the impact of technology on literary experiences.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nWhat's counter-intuitive about this quote is that it challenges the traditional notion of mastery or perfectionism. Instead of striving for a single, definitive interpretation or understanding, Mangan suggests embracing multiple passes at a book as an intrinsic part of the experience. This implies that our initial readings are not only incomplete but also provisional, and that true comprehension requires iterative returns to the text.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, adopt a \"multipass\" approach when engaging with complex texts or creative projects: allow yourself to return to them multiple times, each time bringing new insights and perspectives. By embracing this iterative process, you'll cultivate a deeper understanding of the material and develop a more nuanced relationship between yourself and the work.",{"id":30,"quote_text":31,"author_id":5,"source_id":8,"has_image":17,"author":32,"source":33,"quote_tag":34,"commentary":9},3238113,"The philosopher and psychologist Riccardo Manzotti describes the process of reading and rereading as creating both locks and keys with which to open them; it shows you an area of life you didn’t even know was there and, almost simultaneously, starts to give you the tools with which to decipher it.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":38,"has_image":17,"author":39,"source":40,"quote_tag":41,"commentary":47},583502,"This is an important step in the evolution of the bookworm. Until then, you've just been a soft larval mass of love for books and reading. Now, through repeated exposure to Other People you begin to aquire a carapace that will both protect and alienate you from them",2,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[42],{"id":43,"tag":44},3102578,{"id":45,"tag_name":46},3622,"bookworm","**The Backstory**\n\nThis poignant quote is from Lucy Mangan's book \"Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading\", published in 2018. At that time, Mangan was reflecting on her own childhood love for reading and the transformative power it had on her life. As a child of the 1980s, she was part of a generation that grew up with books as their primary source of escape and companionship.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\n\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth about the nature of growth and identity formation in relation to reading. Mangan suggests that becoming a \"bookworm\" involves not just absorbing knowledge or being transported by stories, but also acquiring a protective shell – a carapace – that both shields one from others' opinions and critiques while simultaneously isolating oneself from meaningful human connections. This paradox highlights the tension between intellectual exploration and social engagement.\n\n**How to Use This**\n\nTo apply this mindset today, modern readers can benefit from recognizing that their love for books is not just about personal enrichment but also a catalyst for growth into a more complex, perhaps even isolated individual. By acknowledging this paradox, they can intentionally cultivate meaningful interactions with others while maintaining the intellectual independence and critical thinking skills fostered by reading.",{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":38,"has_image":17,"author":51,"source":52,"quote_tag":53,"commentary":57},583481,"The intensity of childhod reading, the instant and complete absorption in a book - a good book, a bad book, in any kind of book - is something I would give much to recapture",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[54],{"id":55,"tag":56},3102507,{"id":45,"tag_name":46},"**The Backstory**\nLucy Mangan's reflection on childhood reading is likely from her adult life, perhaps in a memoir or essay series where she reminisces about her formative years and the impact of literature on her imagination and worldview. Given her British upbringing and literary inclinations, it's plausible that this sentiment emerged during the 1990s or early 2000s when Mangan was writing for publications like The Guardian.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nMangan's quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth: she longs to recapture not the pleasure of reading itself but the **intensity and complete absorption** it offered as a child. This paradox highlights that our perception of childhood is often romanticized, with adults nostalgically yearning for an earlier, supposedly more innocent state.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset in your professional or creative life, try embracing a similar intensity by **dedicating focused, uninterrupted time** to your work or projects. This might involve setting aside a \"reading nook\" or creating a schedule where you immerse yourself in research, writing, or learning without digital distractions.",{"id":59,"quote_text":60,"author_id":5,"source_id":38,"has_image":17,"author":61,"source":62,"quote_tag":63,"commentary":9},56268,"When I later discovered that she (illustrator Faith Jaques) was a compulsive reader who loved to be alone and kept cats because they are the only pets that allow you to be both, my adoration of Jaques and her work could only increase.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[64,69],{"id":65,"tag":66},387778,{"id":67,"tag_name":68},52,"reading",{"id":70,"tag":71},387777,{"id":72,"tag_name":73},2599,"cats",{"currentPage":75,"totalPages":75,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":76},1,10]