--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can tell you're reading a really good…" description: "\"“You can tell you're reading a really good book when you forget all about everything else and know you'll die if you get to at least the end of the cha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg" --- # You can tell you're reading a really good book when you… ![“You can tell you're reading a really good book when you forget all about everything else and know you'll die if you get to at least the end of the chapter” quote by Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg) > ““You can tell you're reading a really good book when you forget all about everything else and know you'll die if you get to at least the end of the chapter”” [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A compelling book absorbs you so completely you lose sense of time, fearing its end. **In simple terms:** Engrossing reading. Key Takeaway Cherish immersive stories. Themes reading absorption literature Mood joyful immersive Type literary emotional When to use this quote - vacation reading - study sessions - nighttime leisure - book clubs Key Concepts narrative power emotional engagement time perception Questions to Reflect On - Which stories make you lose track of time? - How does immersion affect memory? A Different Perspective Not all books are equally absorbing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write a book so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/usually-when-people-get-to-the-end-of-a-chapter-they-close-the-book/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [Money does all things,--for it gives and it takes away; it makes honest men and knaves, fools and philosophers; and so forward, mutatis mutandis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/money-does-all-things-for-it-gives-and-it-takes-away-it-makes-honest/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [One of the joys of a really good book is that you're so into the world of the book, you forget what you're looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/one-of-the-joys-of-a-really-good-book-is-that-you-re-so-into-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“One of the vital things for a writer who’s writing a book, which is a lengthy project and is going to take about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/one-of-the-vital-things-for-a-writer-who-s-writing-a-book-which-is-a/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [I've always loved to read, but sometimes I go for a year without reading a book, because I forget to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-ve-always-loved-to-read-but-sometimes-i-go-for-a-year-without/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [We are an unfortunate priest-ridden race and always were and always will be tell the end of the chapter… A priest-ridden Godforsaken race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/we-are-an-unfortunate-priest-ridden-race-and-always-were-and-always/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Read a book then forget the names of characters in it except lead character.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hibis/read-a-book-then-forget-the-names-of-characters-in-it-except-lead/) Hibis > [The reason a writer writes a book is to forget a book and the reason a reader reads one is to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-reason-a-writer-writes-a-book-is-to-forget-a-book-and-the-reason/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes lost in a book, you forget which is the real world and which is fiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurnam-singh-sodhi/sometimes-lost-in-a-book-you-forget-which-is-the-real-world-and-which/) [Gurnam Singh Sodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurnam-singh-sodhi/) > [“Symbols are valuable tools of communication. Symbols communicate truth concisely, and they communicate it graphically. In Revelation 11 the apostle John could have spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hitchcock/symbols-are-valuable-tools-of-communication-symbols-communicate-truth/) [Mark Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hitchcock/) > [“a dark and empty place without our feelings. Put on a pair of sunglasses and rock on, Mom! If you answered FALSE to #3,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bean/a-dark-and-empty-place-without-our-feelings-put-on-a-pair-of/) Danielle Bean > [Every time I finish a book, I forget everything I learned writing it - the information just disappears out of my head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/every-time-i-finish-a-book-i-forget-everything-i-learned-writing-it/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I think the biggest thing, where my passionate-ness comes from, is that I love reading, and it is something that I really care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/i-think-the-biggest-thing-where-my-passionate-ness-comes-from-is-that/) [Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/) > [If you are a kid, reading is really important stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/if-you-are-a-kid-reading-is-really-important-stuff/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [I started to read at a very early age, and I just thought that books and reading were really the most wonderful thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-windley/i-started-to-read-at-a-very-early-age-and-i-just-thought-that-books/) [Carol Windley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-windley/) ## More by Christopher Paul Curtis > [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [No sir, I don't know why, but my eyes don't cry no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/no-sir-i-don-t-know-why-but-my-eyes-don-t-cry-no-more/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [“As soon as I got into the library I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I got a whiff of the leather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/as-soon-as-i-got-into-the-library-i-closed-my-eyes-and-took-a-deep/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [“having someone who likes you so much that they think everything you say is the truth has got to be a liar’s paradise”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/having-someone-who-likes-you-so-much-that-they-think-everything-you/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Writing has always been a sanctuary or a refuge for me, any time I'm stressed or anxious or worried I find that a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/writing-has-always-been-a-sanctuary-or-a-refuge-for-me-any-time-i-m/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [I'm the same age as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/i-m-the-same-age-as-my-tongue-and-a-little-bit-older-than-my-teeth/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Wow. Who would want a fish for a pet when they could have a turtle?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/wow-who-would-want-a-fish-for-a-pet-when-they-could-have-a-turtle/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Things aren't ever what they seem to be when you first look at them. What's important is that you keep your mind wide open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/things-aren-t-ever-what-they-seem-to-be-when-you-first-look-at-them/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [I do think it is important to look at the writing as a job though and to commit to it like you'd have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/i-do-think-it-is-important-to-look-at-the-writing-as-a-job-though-and/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Just like when there's a time that a smart person knows enough is enough, there's a time when you know you've got to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/just-like-when-there-s-a-time-that-a-smart-person-knows-enough-is/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Work at your craft, write daily, and follow your dreams because dreams do come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/work-at-your-craft-write-daily-and-follow-your-dreams-because-dreams/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [I try to make the writing as regular and regimented as possible. I usually get up at around 5 a.m. and read what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/i-try-to-make-the-writing-as-regular-and-regimented-as-possible-i/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [“Once Zoopy started woofing you never knew when he'd stop. Agent One screamed, “It's alive! I thought it was a car!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/once-zoopy-started-woofing-you-never-knew-when-he-d-stop-agent-one/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [Byron says he won't go there. He give Kenny and Joey a story about "Wool Pooh," the supposed evil twin of Winnie-the-Pooh. They believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/byron-says-he-won-t-go-there-he-give-kenny-and-joey-a-story-about/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) > [I write because I love to. I'm very, very fortunate to have found something that I love doing that also earns my living. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/i-write-because-i-love-to-i-m-very-very-fortunate-to-have-found/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) [Explore all 41 Christopher Paul Curtis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) ## 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. 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/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can tell you're reading a really good book when you forget all about everything else and know you'll die if you get to at least the end of the chapter”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Paul Curtis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-good-book-when-you-forget-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-good-book-when-you-forget-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f3d/christopher-paul-curtis-16040_books_you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-goo_1230786.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can tell you're reading a really good book when you forget all about everything else and know you'll die…” — Christopher Paul Curtis", "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": "Christopher Paul Curtis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You can tell you're reading a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-good-book-when-you-forget-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/you-can-tell-you-re-reading-a-really-good-book-when-you-forget-all/#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 } } ] } ```