--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good book, Marcus, is judged not by…" description: "\"“A good book, Marcus, is judged not by it's last words but by the cumulative effect of all the words that have preceded them. About half a second after..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/jo-l-dicker-9212_book_a-good-book-marcus-is-judged-not-by-it-s_2525075.jpg" --- # A good book, Marcus, is judged not by it's last words but… ![“A good book, Marcus, is judged not by it's last words but by the cumulative effect of all the words that have preceded them. About half a second after finishing your book, after reading the very last word, the reader should be overwhelmed by a particular feeling. For a moment he should think only…” quote by Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/jo-l-dicker-9212_book_a-good-book-marcus-is-judged-not-by-it-s_2525075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/jo-l-dicker-9212_book_a-good-book-marcus-is-judged-not-by-it-s_2525075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5c/jo-l-dicker-9212_book_a-good-book-marcus-is-judged-not-by-it-s_2525075.jpg) > ““A good book, Marcus, is judged not by it's last words but by the cumulative effect of all the words that have preceded them. About half a second after finishing your book, after reading the very last word, the reader should be overwhelmed by a particular feeling. For a moment he should think only of what he has just read; he should look at the jacket and smile a little sadly because he is already missing all the characters. A good book, Marcus, is a book you are sorry has ended.”” [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A book’s value lies in the lasting emotional impact of its whole narrative, not just its ending. **In simple terms:** A good book leaves a lingering feeling after the last page. Key Takeaway Cherish stories that resonate beyond their conclusion. Themes literature emotion memory storytelling Mood reflective nostalgic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - book clubs - personal reading - literary criticism - teaching literature Key Concepts Narrative impact cumulative effect reader response Questions to Reflect On - What emotions linger after you finish a book? - How does a story’s conclusion shape its overall meaning? A Different Perspective The ending can still feel unsatisfying despite overall quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-marcus-1288844/) [Book reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-reading/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Finishing Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing-book-1288841/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Last Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-word/) [Last words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-words/) [Marcus Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marcus-book-1288842/) [Marcus Judged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marcus-judged-1288843/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“A good book, Marcus, is a book you are sorry to have finished.” The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/a-good-book-marcus-is-a-book-you-are-sorry-to-have-finished-the/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“People are going to think I'm morbid, loving all these sad books. I actually don't mind a happy ending in a novel—certainly, it's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-are-going-to-think-i-m-morbid-loving-all-these-sad-books-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My fondest wish, I suppose, would be to die at the keyboard right after finishing a book, perhaps with a little time off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/my-fondest-wish-i-suppose-would-be-to-die-at-the-keyboard-right-after/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [When I'm in the midst of finishing a book, I can be working around the clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-tsukiyama/when-i-m-in-the-midst-of-finishing-a-book-i-can-be-working-around-the/) [Gail Tsukiyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-tsukiyama/) > [Here's the secret to finishing that first book. Don't rewrite as you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/here-s-the-secret-to-finishing-that-first-book-don-t-rewrite-as-you-go/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [If you're having trouble finishing a book, it might be that you're trying to fix it as you go. Just finish the story, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/if-you-re-having-trouble-finishing-a-book-it-might-be-that-you-re/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [“Finishing a book has massive implications for the writer, an empty head and an empty bank account springs to mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-scott/finishing-a-book-has-massive-implications-for-the-writer-an-empty/) [Ken Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-scott/) > [Finishing a book is just like you took a child out in the back yard and shot it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/finishing-a-book-is-just-like-you-took-a-child-out-in-the-back-yard/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Pay attention to your passions. They are the key to starting and finishing the book you are meant to write. I don't believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/pay-attention-to-your-passions-they-are-the-key-to-starting-and/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After finishing 'The Book of Life,' I needed a bit of a break from the Bishops and de Clermonts. Honestly, I wasn't sure when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-harkness/after-finishing-the-book-of-life-i-needed-a-bit-of-a-break-from-the/) [Deborah Harkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-harkness/) > [“She nodded her head in approval and hesitantly shut the book, breathing a reader’s sigh. That wonderful inhale/exhale reaction one does after finishing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-arvin/she-nodded-her-head-in-approval-and-hesitantly-shut-the-book/) [Eric Arvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-arvin/) > [ I would say \[I love\] writing, because lately I've been finishing my book. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-collins/i-would-say-i-love-writing-because-lately-i-ve-been-finishing-my-book/) [Lily Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-collins/) > [“Finishing a book is bittersweet. You spend days getting to know the characters. Learning their nuances, their faults, their loves, their lives. They become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whimsical-enlightenment/finishing-a-book-is-bittersweet-you-spend-days-getting-to-know-the/) [Whimsical Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whimsical-enlightenment/) > [I have the wonderful pleasure of finishing the book and closing it. And I don't read them later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/i-have-the-wonderful-pleasure-of-finishing-the-book-and-closing-it/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Love of books is the best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/love-of-books-is-the-best-of-all/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) ## More by Joël Dicker > [“Victory is within you. All you need is to want to let it out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/victory-is-within-you-all-you-need-is-to-want-to-let-it-out/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Life is like a foot race, Marcus: There will always be people who are faster than you, and there will always be those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/life-is-like-a-foot-race-marcus-there-will-always-be-people-who-are/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Love, love, always love! But what is love? It doesn’t mean anything! Love is just a trick invented by men so they don’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/love-love-always-love-but-what-is-love-it-doesn-t-mean-anything-love/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“HARRY, IF I COULD learn only one thing from you, what would it be?” “I’d like to ask you the same question.” “For me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/harry-if-i-could-learn-only-one-thing-from-you-what-would-it-be-i-d/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Había pasado treinta años satisfaciendo mis ambiciones, me enfrentaba a los siguientes treinta intentando mantener esas ambiciones a flote y, al pensar bien en…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/hab-a-pasado-treinta-a-os-satisfaciendo-mis-ambiciones-me-enfrentaba/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“En los libros, los que ya no están vuelven a reunirse y a abrazarse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/en-los-libros-los-que-ya-no-est-n-vuelven-a-reunirse-y-a-abrazarse/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Marcus, do you know what is the only way to know how much you love someone? No. By losing them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/marcus-do-you-know-what-is-the-only-way-to-know-how-much-you-love/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“I don’t like to dwell on regrets. They tell you that you have not come to terms with what you’ve done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/i-don-t-like-to-dwell-on-regrets-they-tell-you-that-you-have-not-come/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Goldman, stop this nonsense, will you? I have looked at your file. I made a few phone calls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/goldman-stop-this-nonsense-will-you-i-have-looked-at-your-file-i-made/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Me gusta saberlo todo, es una enfermedad. Me puede la ansiedad, necesito controlar todo lo que está a mi alrededor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/me-gusta-saberlo-todo-es-una-enfermedad-me-puede-la-ansiedad-necesito/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“wish that I will succeed in life,” I replied. And I thought that a shooting star, though it could be beautiful, was a star…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/wish-that-i-will-succeed-in-life-i-replied-and-i-thought-that-a/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“IN OUR SOCIETY, MARCUS, the most admired men are those who build bridges, skyscrapers, and empires. But in reality, the proudest and most admirable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/in-our-society-marcus-the-most-admired-men-are-those-who-build/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Life is like a foot race, Marcus: There will always be people who are faster than you, and there will always be those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/life-is-like-a-foot-race-marcus-there-will-always-be-people-who-are-2/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“Life is a long drop down, Marcus. The most important thing is knowing how to fall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/life-is-a-long-drop-down-marcus-the-most-important-thing-is-knowing/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) > [“You know what a publisher is? He’s a failed writer whose father was rich enough that he’s able to appropriate other people’s talents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-l-dicker/you-know-what-a-publisher-is-he-s-a-failed-writer-whose-father-was/) [Joël Dicker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) [Explore all 34 Joël Dicker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-l-dicker/) ## 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": "“A good book, Marcus, is judged not by it's last words but by the cumulative effect of all the words that have preceded them. 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