--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really, the greatest compliments about a…" description: "\"Really, the greatest compliments about a book [One Thousand Gifts] are never about the book, or the author of the book, but about the reader and God an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg" --- # Really, the greatest compliments about a book \[One… ![“Really, the greatest compliments about a book [One Thousand Gifts] are never about the book, or the author of the book, but about the reader and God and how the pages helped them connect at a deeper level.” quote by Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg) > “Really, the greatest compliments about a book \[One Thousand Gifts\] are never about the book, or the author of the book, but about the reader and God and how the pages helped them connect at a deeper level.” [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The deepest impact of a book is how it transforms the reader’s spiritual connection, not its content alone. **In simple terms:** Books change hearts more than pages. Key Takeaway Read to deepen spiritual insight. Themes faith reading transformation Mood inspirational reflective Type spiritual literary When to use this quote - personal devotion - group study - spiritual retreats Key Concepts theology literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - How has a book reshaped your faith? - What does “deeper level” mean to you? A Different Perspective Readers may project meaning that isn’t intended. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Compliment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliment/) [Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments/) [Compliments Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compliments-book-5908146/) [Deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeper/) [Greatest Compliments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-compliments-1392415/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [One thousand gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thousand-gifts/) [Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pages/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Reader God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader-god-2261422/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand Gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-gifts-913733/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [ The book \[ One Thousand Gifts\] took just over a year to write, on the fringe hours, early and late, around home educating 6… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-book-one-thousand-gifts-took-just-over-a-year-to-write-on-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [ The book \[ One Thousand Gifts\] took just over a year to write, on the fringe hours, early and late, around home educating 6… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-book-one-thousand-gifts-took-just-over-a-year-to-write-on-the-2/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [I think it was simply word of mouth that made it a New York Times bestseller for more than 60 weeks, over a year.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/i-think-it-was-simply-word-of-mouth-that-made-it-a-new-york-times/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [I think it was simply word of mouth that made it a New York Timesbestseller for more than 60 weeks, over a year. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/i-think-it-was-simply-word-of-mouth-that-made-it-a-new-york/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A year after One Thousand Gifts had released, Kathie Lee Gifford of the Today Show, named it one of her favorite things - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/a-year-after-one-thousand-gifts-had-released-kathie-lee-gifford-of/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [ The greatest compliment of the book \[One Thousand Gifts\]? Maybe the Muslim man in Iraq who was given the book and came to a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-greatest-compliment-of-the-book-one-thousand-gifts-maybe-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [ Kathie Lee \[Gifford\] invited me to come to New York for lunch with her - and surprised with an unexpected shout out again for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/kathie-lee-gifford-invited-me-to-come-to-new-york-for-lunch-with-her/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“The greatest compliments I’ve ever received were complaints from readers that I made them stay up all night reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-e-fairbanks/the-greatest-compliments-i-ve-ever-received-were-complaints-from/) [H.E. Fairbanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-e-fairbanks/) > [Counting one thousand gifts, I discovered I could count on God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/counting-one-thousand-gifts-i-discovered-i-could-count-on-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“And the earth under your feet, the rain over your face upturned, the stars spinning all around you in the brazen glory: this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/and-the-earth-under-your-feet-the-rain-over-your-face-upturned-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Maybe the man who said that his doctor had pulled him off Prozac because One Thousand Gifts and taking the dare to write 1,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/maybe-the-man-who-said-that-his-doctor-had-pulled-him-off-prozac/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [ Maybe the woman who was handed the book \[One Thousand Gifts\] by a friend the morning before she had an abortion scheduled - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/maybe-the-woman-who-was-handed-the-book-one-thousand-gifts-by-a/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [I think one of the greatest compliments I've ever received was when a young kid came backstage at Joe's Pub, when I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dion-dimucci/i-think-one-of-the-greatest-compliments-i-ve-ever-received-was-when-a/) [Dion DiMucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dion-dimucci/) > [“I would tell you the safe procedure to avoid lightning strikes while on an exposed ridge, but I see no reason you should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-mccord/i-would-tell-you-the-safe-procedure-to-avoid-lightning-strikes-while/) [Howard McCord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-mccord/) > [The reader becomes God, for all textual purposes. I see your eyes glazing over, so I'll hush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-reader-becomes-god-for-all-textual-purposes-i-see-your-eyes/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## More by Ann Voskamp > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Trauma's storm can mask the Christ and feelings can lie. I draw all the hurting voices close and I tough their scars with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/trauma-s-storm-can-mask-the-christ-and-feelings-can-lie-i-draw-all/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“How long does it take for your soul to recognize that your life is full? The slower the living, the greater the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/how-long-does-it-take-for-your-soul-to-recognize-that-your-life-is/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“For forty long years, God's people daily eat manna - a substance whose name literally mans 'What is it?' Hungry, they choose to gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/for-forty-long-years-god-s-people-daily-eat-manna-a-substance-whose/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [The real romantics imagine greying and sagging and wrinkling as the deepening of something sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-real-romantics-imagine-greying-and-sagging-and-wrinkling-as-the/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Scales always lie. They don't make a scale that ever told the truth about value, about worth, about significance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/scales-always-lie-they-don-t-make-a-scale-that-ever-told-the-truth/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Darkness transfigures into light, bad transfigures into good, grief transfigures into grace, empty transfigures into full. God wastes nothing – ‘makes everything work out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/darkness-transfigures-into-light-bad-transfigures-into-good-grief/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“And the saddest of all may be when we give away our lives to insignificant things, things we didn’t realize we subconsciously loved. Turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/and-the-saddest-of-all-may-be-when-we-give-away-our-lives-to/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Satan's sin becomes the first sin of all humanity: the sin of ingratitude .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/satan-s-sin-becomes-the-first-sin-of-all-humanity-the-sin-of/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Simplicity is never a matter of circumstances; simplicity is a matter of focus. So in the midst of educating and parenting our children, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/simplicity-is-never-a-matter-of-circumstances-simplicity-is-a-matter/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Every day, with every word, we get to decide: Do we mar the world, or mark the world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/every-day-with-every-word-we-get-to-decide-do-we-mar-the-world-or/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Thanksgiving-giving thanks in everything-prepares the way that God might show us His fullest salvation in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/thanksgiving-giving-thanks-in-everything-prepares-the-way-that-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Practice is the hardest part of learning, and training is the essence of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/practice-is-the-hardest-part-of-learning-and-training-is-the-essence/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Every moment I live, I live bowed to something. And if I don't see God, I'll bow down before something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/every-moment-i-live-i-live-bowed-to-something-and-if-i-don-t-see-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) [Explore all 390 Ann Voskamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [There are great books in this world and great worlds in books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bronte/there-are-great-books-in-this-world-and-great-worlds-in-books/) [Anne Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bronte/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) [Browse all 29,378 Book quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Really, the greatest compliments about a book [One Thousand Gifts] are never about the book, or the author of the book, but about the reader and God and how the pages helped them connect at a deeper level.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ann Voskamp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a-book-one-thousand-gifts-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Book" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a-book-one-thousand-gifts-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/ann-voskamp-729_book_really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a_762200.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Really, the greatest compliments about a book [One Thousand Gifts] are never about the book, or the author…” — Ann Voskamp", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ann Voskamp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Really, the greatest compliments about a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a-book-one-thousand-gifts-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/really-the-greatest-compliments-about-a-book-one-thousand-gifts-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```