--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Books had shown me, however, that all…" description: "\"“Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere wanted their lives to have purpose and meaning. This longing was universal. Even I, in my terr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/dean-koontz-118_books_books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-peop_757078.jpg" --- # Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere… ![“Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere wanted their lives to have purpose and meaning. This longing was universal. Even I, in my terrible difference, wanted nothing less than purpose and meaning. Chapter 8, pgs 35-36” quote by Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/dean-koontz-118_books_books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-peop_757078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/dean-koontz-118_books_books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-peop_757078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89e/dean-koontz-118_books_books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-peop_757078.jpg) > ““Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere wanted their lives to have purpose and meaning. This longing was universal. Even I, in my terrible difference, wanted nothing less than purpose and meaning. Chapter 8, pgs 35-36”” [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People universally seek purpose; even those who feel different crave meaning in life. **In simple terms:** Everyone wants purpose. Key Takeaway Seek meaning in daily actions. Themes purpose meaning human longing Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choice - personal crisis - creative projects - volunteering Key Concepts existentialism psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How can you create purpose? A Different Perspective Purpose can be elusive without concrete goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere wanted their lives to have purpose and meaning. This longing was universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-people-everywhere-wanted-their-2/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Whatever we were saying in our music had to represent something and really stand for something. I just wanted to do something with purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-abstract/whatever-we-were-saying-in-our-music-had-to-represent-something-and/) [Kevin Abstract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-abstract/) > [“Kindness is the highest form of prayer for it reflects the inner longing for universal love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/kindness-is-the-highest-form-of-prayer-for-it-reflects-the-inner/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [When we don't allow ourselves to hope, we don't allow ourselves to have purpose. Without purpose, without meaning, life is dark. We've no light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/when-we-don-t-allow-ourselves-to-hope-we-don-t-allow-ourselves-to/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [When our purpose is external, we may never find it. If we tie our purpose or meaning to our vocation, goal or an activity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/when-our-purpose-is-external-we-may-never-find-it-if-we-tie-our/) [Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/) > [Life will always throw us curves and we will hit many potholes, but we will find our purpose and meaning in it as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gebru-villars/life-will-always-throw-us-curves-and-we-will-hit-many-potholes-but-we/) [Gebru Villars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gebru-villars/) > [“The search for purpose and meaning is fundamentally human; the uniting trait of our species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-mercurio/the-search-for-purpose-and-meaning-is-fundamentally-human-the-uniting/) Zach Mercurio > [What allows us, as human beings, to psychologically survive life on earth, with all of its pain, drama, and challenges, is a sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/what-allows-us-as-human-beings-to-psychologically-survive-life-on/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-way-you-get-meaning-into-your-life-is-to-devote-yourself-to/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [“Many believe that they must discover their purpose for living, that life is about purpose. But, in truth, life is purpose. Meaning is found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-a-fife/many-believe-that-they-must-discover-their-purpose-for-living-that/) Dale A. Fife > [“Concrete goals give purpose and meaning to our lives and obstruct our tendency to obsess about what it making us angry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-baruch/concrete-goals-give-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives-and-obstruct-our/) Rhoda Baruch > [The enduring attraction of war is this: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-enduring-attraction-of-war-is-this-even-with-its-destruction-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“It’s not the span of time that counts, but what you do with it. While you humans have been grubbing around the galaxy, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/it-s-not-the-span-of-time-that-counts-but-what-you-do-with-it-while/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-many-people-walk-around-with-a-meaningless-life-they-seem-half/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More by Dean Koontz > [“This kind of derangement is emblematic of humankind. Grave faults are said to be only eccentricities, and imperfections are routinely celebrated as mere differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-kind-of-derangement-is-emblematic-of-humankind-grave-faults-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [What really holds their marriage together are mutual respect of an awesome depth, a shared sense of humor, faith that they were brought together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/what-really-holds-their-marriage-together-are-mutual-respect-of-an/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“To one degree or another, I have been happy most of my life, in part because the world has infinite charms if you wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/to-one-degree-or-another-i-have-been-happy-most-of-my-life-in-part/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“This life is just a bootcamp, to test and toughen us, to prepare us for the next life of service in some great adventure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-life-is-just-a-bootcamp-to-test-and-toughen-us-to-prepare-us-for/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“A madman should have a madman’s laugh, not the warm chuckle of a favorite uncle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-madman-should-have-a-madman-s-laugh-not-the-warm-chuckle-of-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Nothing is predetermined for us, and yet all our possible choices are threads in the vast weave of things, so that we have free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/nothing-is-predetermined-for-us-and-yet-all-our-possible-choices-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“In fact, time teaches us that the musical score of life oscillates between that of Psycho and that of The Sound of Music, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/in-fact-time-teaches-us-that-the-musical-score-of-life-oscillates/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Some will accuse me of being judgmental. Thank you. And proud of it. You wreck a kid's life, I have no pity for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/some-will-accuse-me-of-being-judgmental-thank-you-and-proud-of-it-you/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Waiting is one of the things that humans beings cannot do well, though it is one of the essential things we must do successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/waiting-is-one-of-the-things-that-humans-beings-cannot-do-well-though/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Dogs know we need to give affection as much as they need to receive it. They were the first therapists; they've been in practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/dogs-know-we-need-to-give-affection-as-much-as-they-need-to-receive/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Explore all 1,233 Dean Koontz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More Books 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/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [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/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [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/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. 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