---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great thing about books is that you…"
description: "\"The great thing about books is that you can end with a question mark.\" — Joanne Harris"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png"
---

#  The great thing about books is that you can end with a…

![“The great thing about books is that you can end with a question mark.” quote by Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png)

> “The great thing about books is that you can end with a question mark.”

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Books end with questions, inviting ongoing curiosity and dialogue.

**In simple terms:** Stories provoke thought.

Key Takeaway

Embrace open‑ended conclusions.

Themes

literature curiosity dialogue

Mood

contemplative inquisitive

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- reading clubs
- education
- creative writing

Key Concepts

narrative theory philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- What question does the story leave you?
- How do you handle uncertainty?

A Different Perspective

Not all readers enjoy ambiguity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-end-341644/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [End Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-question-1785049/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-thing/) [Great things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-things/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Question mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-mark/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-books-349840/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/)

## Related quotes

> [I read all the books I could find about manners, and the extraordinary thing was, in all books up to the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-read-all-the-books-i-could-find-about-manners-and-the-extraordinary/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

> [Life is an end in itself, and the only question as to whether it is worth living is whether you have had enough of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/life-is-an-end-in-itself-and-the-only-question-as-to-whether-it-is/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [In the end, it’s all a question of balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/in-the-end-it-s-all-a-question-of-balance/)

[Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/)

> [“All knowledge meets an end at the question '...Why?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/all-knowledge-meets-an-end-at-the-question-why/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [Does the end justify the means? That is possible. But what will justify the end? To that question, which historical thought leaves pending, rebellion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/does-the-end-justify-the-means-that-is-possible-but-what-will-justify/)

[Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [I'd say there are two kinds of theater: one you end with an answer, one you end with a question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-downs-colaizzo/i-d-say-there-are-two-kinds-of-theater-one-you-end-with-an-answer-one/)

[Paul Downs Colaizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-downs-colaizzo/)

> [“all over the world, the people always asked for the same thing: books. Sometimes even before medicine or shelter—they wanted books for their children.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-schwalbe/all-over-the-world-the-people-always-asked-for-the-same-thing-books/)

[Will Schwalbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-schwalbe/)

> [We're in a strange situation where people either don't read at all or they read a lot. There's a huge gap in between. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/we-re-in-a-strange-situation-where-people-either-don-t-read-at-all-or/)

[Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/)

> [The whole thing about my books and my life is that I create drama's always around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/the-whole-thing-about-my-books-and-my-life-is-that-i-create-drama-s/)

[Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/)

> [“the wonderful thing about books was that they were films that played inside your head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-hogan/the-wonderful-thing-about-books-was-that-they-were-films-that-played/)

[Ruth Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-hogan/)

> [“the thing about books is, there are quite a number you don't have to read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-thing-about-books-is-there-are-quite-a-number-you-don-t-have-to/)

[Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/)

> [“That was one nice thing about books and notes. They could always wait for another time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-was-one-nice-thing-about-books-and-notes-they-could-always-wait/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [“You really have a thing for books." When I didn't respond, he closed the the laptop without touching it. "It's cute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/you-really-have-a-thing-for-books-when-i-didn-t-respond-he-closed-the/)

[Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/)

> [“I have this thing about books – a disease almost – that won’t let me give up until I’ve read to the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-haken/i-have-this-thing-about-books-a-disease-almost-that-won-t-let-me-give/)

[Nicola Haken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-haken/)

> [“My son 8yo:"The best thing about books it does not need recharge”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-son-8yo-the-best-thing-about-books-it-does-not-need-recharge/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Joanne Harris

> [Everything comes home, my mother used to say; every word spoken, every shadow cast, every footprint in the sand. It can't be helped; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/everything-comes-home-my-mother-used-to-say-every-word-spoken-every/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“For a moment something almost as rare as the sight that they had just witnessed occurred: Loki was totally lost for words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/for-a-moment-something-almost-as-rare-as-the-sight-that-they-had-just/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“There's no such thing as a trivial thing. Everything costs; it all adds up until finally the balance shifts and we're gone again, back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-trivial-thing-everything-costs-it-all-adds/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“Work. Like pain, I sensed that this was an experience I would want to avoid as often as possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/work-like-pain-i-sensed-that-this-was-an-experience-i-would-want-to/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [And so Nat stood up and joined the group, and followed, and watched, and awaited his chance as the light of Chaos lit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/and-so-nat-stood-up-and-joined-the-group-and-followed-and-watched-and/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [I could do with a bit more excess. From now on I'm going to be immoderate--and volatile--I shall enjoy loud music and lurid poetry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-could-do-with-a-bit-more-excess-from-now-on-i-m-going-to-be/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“Better a king in the gutter,' he said, 'than a slave in an emperor's place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/better-a-king-in-the-gutter-he-said-than-a-slave-in-an-emperor-s-place/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [I was convinced I'd hate Twitter - but I've come to like it very much. I use it mostly to keep in touch with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-was-convinced-i-d-hate-twitter-but-i-ve-come-to-like-it-very-much-i/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“Sometimes walking away is best. I should know. It's my specialty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/sometimes-walking-away-is-best-i-should-know-it-s-my-specialty/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [I let it go. It's like swimming against the current. It exhausts you. After a while, whoever you are, you just have to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-let-it-go-it-s-like-swimming-against-the-current-it-exhausts-you/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“Knowledge is currency here…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/knowledge-is-currency-here/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [I carried recipes in my head like maps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-carried-recipes-in-my-head-like-maps/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [One of the things that writing has taught me is that fiction has a life of its own. Fictional places are sometimes more real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/one-of-the-things-that-writing-has-taught-me-is-that-fiction-has-a/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“«Cominci a scappare e sarai in fuga per sempre»”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/cominci-a-scappare-e-sarai-in-fuga-per-sempre/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

> [“No one looks at us. We might as well be invisible; or clothing marks us as strangers, transients. They are polite, so polite; no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/no-one-looks-at-us-we-might-as-well-be-invisible-or-clothing-marks-us/)

[Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

[Explore all 221 Joanne Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The great thing about books is that you can end with a question mark.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joanne Harris"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you-can-end-with-a-question-mark/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you-can-end-with-a-question-mark/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/joanne-harris-1428_about_the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you_1226645.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The great thing about books is that you can end with a question mark.” — Joanne Harris",
                "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": "Joanne Harris",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The great thing about books is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you-can-end-with-a-question-mark/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/the-great-thing-about-books-is-that-you-can-end-with-a-question-mark/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
