As they say in the business world, it's all about how you close the deal.

The same is true of writing; a truly awesome last line--whether it clinches the plot, gently sets the narrative to rest, or leaves you exquisitely hanging--always rings brightly in your brain long after you've closed the book or set down the magazine.

We recently blogged about the American Book Review's 100 best last lines from novels. What's your favorite or most memorable final line? If it's from a novel, did it make the list?

From that list, and it is a great list, my three favorites are: Catch 22, The Crying of Lot 49, and Slaughterhouse-Five.

I remember reading each of those closing lines, and how each perfectly capped the novel for me.

Interesting that each has a numeric value in the book title though.

Wow, great question.  Two last lines immediately came to mind.  I assumed they must be on the list, and sure enough they are: Huckleberry Finn and 1984, 5 and 7 on the list, respectively.  But for the sake of listing the unlisted, I'll suggest another personal favorite: For Whom the Bell Tolls.  I should probably know the actual last line I'm nominating, but it's something to the effect of, "With his last breaths, he decided the world was generally good, and with that, shot the Fascist in the face."  It's a little more eloquent through the words of Mr. Hemingway.

And to toss one more into the hat: The Grapes of Wrath.  Not a last line per se, but, "Wherever someone's strugglin' for a place to stand, I'll be there, ma," does it for me.  It does it for the Boss, too.