--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There may be stranger reasons for being…" description: "\"There may be stranger reasons for being alive. There are books There’s interlibrary loan. There are books you can fall into and pull up over your head...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/jo-walton-7623_alive_there-may-be-stranger-reasons-for-being_475179.jpg" --- # There may be stranger reasons for being alive. There are… ![“There may be stranger reasons for being alive. There are books There’s interlibrary loan. There are books you can fall into and pull up over your head.” quote by Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/jo-walton-7623_alive_there-may-be-stranger-reasons-for-being_475179.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/jo-walton-7623_alive_there-may-be-stranger-reasons-for-being_475179.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3c/jo-walton-7623_alive_there-may-be-stranger-reasons-for-being_475179.jpg) > “There may be stranger reasons for being alive. There are books There’s interlibrary loan. There are books you can fall into and pull up over your head.” [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s purpose can be obscure; literature offers escape and meaning. **In simple terms:** Books can give purpose when life feels odd. Key Takeaway Seek meaning through reading. Themes purpose literature existentialism Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - reading for comfort - library visits - searching for purpose Key Concepts meaning-making escapism Questions to Reflect On - What book has changed your view of life? - How can literature help you cope with uncertainty? A Different Perspective Books alone may not solve deeper existential issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Pull ups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull-ups/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Stranger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stranger/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [God bless Interlibrary Loan. I pay a lot of library fines. In the case of 'A Single Shard,' I was using books that hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-sue-park/god-bless-interlibrary-loan-i-pay-a-lot-of-library-fines-in-the-case/) [Linda Sue Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-sue-park/) > [Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-owens/terrell-has-25-million-reasons-why-he-should-be-alive/) [Terrell Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-owens/) > [Stop the worries. Stop the negative thoughts. These are not the reasons you are still alive. You are alive for a positive reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/stop-the-worries-stop-the-negative-thoughts-these-are-not-the-reasons/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [So, in life we have a one question final exam - and it's not the kind of exam you can cram for at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marci-shimoff/so-in-life-we-have-a-one-question-final-exam-and-it-s-not-the-kind-of/) [Marci Shimoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marci-shimoff/) > [Interlibrary loans are a wonder of the world and a glory of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/interlibrary-loans-are-a-wonder-of-the-world-and-a-glory-of/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [If they said, 'Do five pull-ups,' I would always want to do 10.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-biles/if-they-said-do-five-pull-ups-i-would-always-want-to-do-10/) [Simone Biles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-biles/) > [“To address strength and endurance issues, Goldblatt initiated a program called the Mechanically Dominant Soldier. What if soldiers could have ten times the muscle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/to-address-strength-and-endurance-issues-goldblatt-initiated-a/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [A Jewish man pulls up to the curb and asks the policeman, "Can I park here?" "No" says the cop. "What about all these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/a-jewish-man-pulls-up-to-the-curb-and-asks-the-policeman-can-i-park/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [I think, like everybody else in New Hampshire, when I pull up to fill up my car and I pay $50, I get upset.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-gregg/i-think-like-everybody-else-in-new-hampshire-when-i-pull-up-to-fill/) [Judd Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-gregg/) > [I don't really like the gym. I like to fool my body. I run around the beach and then there's scaffolding so I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/i-don-t-really-like-the-gym-i-like-to-fool-my-body-i-run-around-the/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [Russell... I love you. I thank you so much man. You made me better. You know, Your work ethic. I always wanted to compete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/russell-i-love-you-i-thank-you-so-much-man-you-made-me-better-you/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [The pull-ups aren't my strength. That's the gymnastics guys' game, and I don't have to be shoulder-to-shoulder with them going into the next movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-fraser/the-pull-ups-aren-t-my-strength-that-s-the-gymnastics-guys-game-and-i/) [Mat Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-fraser/) > [How shall we ever know if it's morning if there's no servant to pull up the blinds?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-barrie/how-shall-we-ever-know-if-it-s-morning-if-there-s-no-servant-to-pull/) [James M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-barrie/) > [Just saw an orthodox Jewish kid do 3 pull-ups on the scaffolding. Shattering the previous record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gulman/just-saw-an-orthodox-jewish-kid-do-3-pull-ups-on-the-scaffolding/) [Gary Gulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gulman/) > [It may be a weed instead of a fish that, after all my labour, I at last pull up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faraday/it-may-be-a-weed-instead-of-a-fish-that-after-all-my-labour-i-at-last/) [Michael Faraday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faraday/) ## More by Jo Walton > [I care more about the people in books than the people I see every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/i-care-more-about-the-people-in-books-than-the-people-i-see-every-day/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [Class is entirely intangible, and the way it affects things isn't subject to scientific analysis, and it's not supposed to be real but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/class-is-entirely-intangible-and-the-way-it-affects-things-isn-t/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“I figured it out this afternoon, when they let me take a walk around the grounds, that these cows are stupid. Bovine. I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/i-figured-it-out-this-afternoon-when-they-let-me-take-a-walk-around/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“You can almost always find chains of coincidence to disprove magic. That's because it doesn't happen the way it does in books. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/you-can-almost-always-find-chains-of-coincidence-to-disprove-magic/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [You can't do magic with books unless they're very special copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/you-can-t-do-magic-with-books-unless-they-re-very-special-copies/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [Reading is awesome and flexible and fits around chores and earning money and building the future and whatever else I’m doing that day. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/reading-is-awesome-and-flexible-and-fits-around-chores-and-earning/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [You know, class is like magic. There's nothing there you can point to, it evaporates if you try to analyse it, but it's real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/you-know-class-is-like-magic-there-s-nothing-there-you-can-point-to/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“The thing with dying, well, with death really, is that there's a difference between being someone who knows they can really die at any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/the-thing-with-dying-well-with-death-really-is-that-there-s-a/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [It's amazing how large the things are that it's possible to overlook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/it-s-amazing-how-large-the-things-are-that-it-s-possible-to-overlook/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“My ideal relationship with a book is that I will read it for the first time entirely unspoiled. I won’t know anything whatsoever about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/my-ideal-relationship-with-a-book-is-that-i-will-read-it-for-the/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“Anyway, while most people can't see fairies anyway because they don't believe in them, seeing them isn't a bad thing. Some of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/anyway-while-most-people-can-t-see-fairies-anyway-because-they-don-t/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“Aujourd’hui, rien. That’s what Louis XVI wrote in his diary on the day of the storming of the Bastille.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/aujourd-hui-rien-that-s-what-louis-xvi-wrote-in-his-diary-on-the-day/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [If the purpose of literature is to illuminate human nature, the purpose of fantastic literature is to do that from a wider perspective. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/if-the-purpose-of-literature-is-to-illuminate-human-nature-the/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“There are two kinds of people in the world, those who re-read and those who don’t. No, don’t be silly, there are far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-those-who-re-read-and/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) > [“A rose, with the motto Dum spiro spero , which actually I rather like—while I breathe I shall hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-walton/a-rose-with-the-motto-dum-spiro-spero-which-actually-i-rather-like/) [Jo Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) [Explore all 88 Jo Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-walton/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There may be stranger reasons for being alive. There are books There’s interlibrary loan. 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