View source for It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books
| image          = File:Film_Poster_for_It's_Impossible_to_Learn_to_Plow_by_Reading_Books.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| director       = [[Richard Linklater]]
| producer       = Richard Linklater
| writer         = Richard Linklater
| starring       = Richard Linklater
| music          = 
| cinematography = Richard Linklater
| editing        = Richard Linklater
| studio         = Detour Filmproduction
| distributor    = 
| released       = {{Film date|1988}}
| runtime        = 86 minutes<!--Criterion DVD runtime: 85:42-->
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $3,000<!--This budget was given on The Criterion Collection DVD release introduction page for the film.-->
}}
'''''It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books''''' is a 1988 American film written, produced, and directed by [[Richard Linklater]], who also stars in it.

==Plot==
The protagonist (played by Linklater) receives a cassette tape from a friend, with a recorded message encouraging him to "blow off school" and leave Austin. The protagonist goes about his daily activities, including shooting a gun from his window. He gets on a train and after a long journey, meets his friend in [[Missoula, Montana]]. They visit [[Glacier National Park (U.S.)|Glacier National Park]] and walk through town, before the protagonist leaves to visit West Coast cities such as San Francisco, also by train.

He arrives back in Austin, only to travel to a family reunion and his mother's house. Finally, the protagonist returns to Austin once again.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=David T. |title=Richard Linklater |publisher=[[University of Illinois]] |year=2012 |isbn=9780252078507 |pages=12–13}}</ref>

==Production==
Richard Linklater began making short films upon moving to [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], Texas in the late 1980s, where he also began running the Austin Film Society. The film was shot on [[Super 8 film|Super 8]] film over the course of a year.<ref name=":0" />

==Release==
The film never received a [[Wide release|widespread release]], but was made available as a bonus feature on the [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] release of Linklater's film ''[[Slacker (film)|Slacker]]'' (1990) by [[The Criterion Collection]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1061-on-it-s-impossible-to-learn-to-plowby-reading-books |title=On It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - From the Current - The Criterion Collection |publisher=Criterion.com |date=2004-09-13 |access-date=2013-01-15}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0095385|It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books}}

{{Richard Linklater}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:It's Impossible To Learn To Plow By Reading Books}}
[[Category:1988 films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Richard Linklater]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:1988 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]


{{1980s-US-film-stub}}
{{1980s-comedy-drama-film-stub}}
[[Category:Amateur filmmaking]]