--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: John lowered the book he'd been reading…" description: "\"“John lowered the book he'd been reading. \"Im sorry. Were you speaking to me?\" \"I know you were listening, \" I said in disgust, taking the book from hi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/meg-cabot-460_books_john-lowered-the-book-he-d-been-reading_1487493.jpg" --- # John lowered the book he'd been reading. "Im sorry. Were… ![“John lowered the book he'd been reading. "Im sorry. Were you speaking to me?" "I know you were listening, " I said in disgust, taking the book from him and tossing it over the side of the bed. "You couldn't possibly have been reading that. You were holding it upside down.” quote by Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/meg-cabot-460_books_john-lowered-the-book-he-d-been-reading_1487493.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/meg-cabot-460_books_john-lowered-the-book-he-d-been-reading_1487493.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61c/meg-cabot-460_books_john-lowered-the-book-he-d-been-reading_1487493.jpg) > ““John lowered the book he'd been reading. "Im sorry. Were you speaking to me?" "I know you were listening, " I said in disgust, taking the book from him and tossing it over the side of the bed. "You couldn't possibly have been reading that. You were holding it upside down.”” [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character reacts with sarcasm and disgust when confronted with absurd behavior. **In simple terms:** Sarcastic reaction to ridiculousness. Key Takeaway Use humor to expose nonsense. Themes sarcasm absurdity conflict Mood playful critical Type literary advice When to use this quote - reading clubs - social media debates - personal arguments - creative writing Key Concepts literature character interaction Questions to Reflect On - When is sarcasm effective? - How do you balance wit and respect? A Different Perspective Sarcasm can alienate if the audience isn’t receptive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book Tossing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-tossing-5434009/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [John Lowered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-lowered-5434010/) [Lowered Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lowered-book-5434008/) [Said Disgust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-disgust-1402759/) [Taking Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-book-879801/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Tassels," I said in disgust. Alex, too, was turned in his seat. "You guys," he said. "He's still moving." Disappointed, I said, "Kayla, back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/tassels-i-said-in-disgust-alex-too-was-turned-in-his-seat-you-guys-he/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“I don’t kill people in large numbers like you did. People that never raised a hand at you,” I said, full of disgust. “You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salina-christmas/i-don-t-kill-people-in-large-numbers-like-you-did-people-that-never/) [Salina Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salina-christmas/) > [“She said, “You disgust me. How do you live with yourself?” So I said, “Like I live with my clone: with many pats on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/she-said-you-disgust-me-how-do-you-live-with-yourself-so-i-said-like/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“This looks good." "That's Metamucil," Bricker said with disgust, snatching it from her hand. "So?" She turned to scowl at him. "What's wrong with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/this-looks-good-that-s-metamucil-bricker-said-with-disgust-snatching/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) > [“Well, if isn’t my favorite bran muffin.” She was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and smoking a Lucky Strike.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-monroe/well-if-isn-t-my-favorite-bran-muffin-she-was-sitting-at-the-kitchen/) [Sophie Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-monroe/) > [Women" he said in disgust. I wasn't sure whether we was referring to me or nuns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janette-rallison/women-he-said-in-disgust-i-wasn-t-sure-whether-we-was-referring-to-me/) [Janette Rallison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janette-rallison/) > [“The library at home when she was child had been her refuge. She gravitated to it. When she was anxious, just taking a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-rose/the-library-at-home-when-she-was-child-had-been-her-refuge-she/) [M.J. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-rose/) > [“I will only start taking book reviews seriously from the day that books are able to review readers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/i-will-only-start-taking-book-reviews-seriously-from-the-day-that/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I don't know but a book in a man's brain is better off than a book bound in calf--at any rate it is safer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/i-don-t-know-but-a-book-in-a-man-s-brain-is-better-off-than-a-book/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Your own experience keeps taking you towards something. My book adds the hope that it's a better something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-unit-zappa/your-own-experience-keeps-taking-you-towards-something-my-book-adds/) [Moon Unit Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-unit-zappa/) > [“Rather tiring to a person whose idea of outdoor activity was taking her book outside to read. “All”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristan-higgins/rather-tiring-to-a-person-whose-idea-of-outdoor-activity-was-taking/) [Kristan Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristan-higgins/) > [“There are books, that one has for twenty years without reading them, that one always keeps at hand, that one takes along from city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/there-are-books-that-one-has-for-twenty-years-without-reading-them/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [For me, a holiday is about taking a book and going to a mountain and reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonam-kapoor/for-me-a-holiday-is-about-taking-a-book-and-going-to-a-mountain-and/) [Sonam Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonam-kapoor/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [“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/) ## More by Meg Cabot > [And I like a good horror story as much as the next person so long as they kill off some men too and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-i-like-a-good-horror-story-as-much-as-the-next-person-so-long-as/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [My family, they're story tellers. My mom is Irish, and my dad is Italian. In my family, we weren't allowed to watch TV while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/my-family-they-re-story-tellers-my-mom-is-irish-and-my-dad-is-italian/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear; The brave may not live forever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/courage-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-rather-the-judgement-that/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“No one has ever died of embarrassment-never, not once in the whole history of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/no-one-has-ever-died-of-embarrassment-never-not-once-in-the-whole/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [What's the point? was my attitude. We're all just going to die and then NOT be let on the boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/what-s-the-point-was-my-attitude-we-re-all-just-going-to-die-and-then/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Meg Cabot is the best author ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/meg-cabot-is-the-best-author-ever/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [oh my god, she said are you going to be reasonable about this?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/oh-my-god-she-said-are-you-going-to-be-reasonable-about-this/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Nikki "Brandon's never hurt anyone. He's competely sweet and adorable." I choked a little on the sip of sparkling water I'k just swallowed. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/nikki-brandon-s-never-hurt-anyone-he-s-competely-sweet-and-adorable-i/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Very little in life if fair, Susannah”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/very-little-in-life-if-fair-susannah/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Of course it’s real, you bloody git,” Frank said to the young man behind the fruit cart, who had apparently questioned the legitimacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/of-course-it-s-real-you-bloody-git-frank-said-to-the-young-man-behind/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Strong female characters - even if they don't necessarily make the same decisions that we might - make such great narrative material, especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/strong-female-characters-even-if-they-don-t-necessarily-make-the-same/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Communication goes two ways. Somebody has to talk. And somebody has to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/communication-goes-two-ways-somebody-has-to-talk-and-somebody-has-to/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Cal: “I’m not presuming. I know exactly what you think about me. You think I’m an anal-retentive Armrest Nazi . . . an arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/cal-i-m-not-presuming-i-know-exactly-what-you-think-about-me-you/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [High school sucks. People who say those were the best years of your life - those people are liars... Who wants the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/high-school-sucks-people-who-say-those-were-the-best-years-of-your/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [And try to remember what we discussed, Susannah. A mediator is someone who helps others resolve conflicts. Not someone who, er, kicks them in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/and-try-to-remember-what-we-discussed-susannah-a-mediator-is-someone/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) [Explore all 532 Meg Cabot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "“John lowered the book he'd been reading. \"Im sorry. Were you speaking to me?\" \"I know you were listening, \" I said in disgust, taking the book from him and tossing it over the side of the bed. \"You couldn't possibly have been reading that. 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