First Lines of Books

[Joy H., Group Founder]

The following page about first lines of books is interesting. You don't have to take part in the poll to enjoy the first lines: ====>
http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/71...

Most of the first lines immediately spark your interest. For example, there's the following: "I write this sitting in the kitchen sink."

Hmmmmm. I had to follow that one up:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31...

[Regina]

Don't forget the classic “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Regina wrote: "Don't forget the classic “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”"

You're right, Regina. They forgot that great first line. Here's the rest of the passage: ====>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."
-Charles Dickens, _A Tale of Two Cities_

From: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/2...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beautiful, isn't it.

PS-I just noticed that the entire passage above is all one sentence! A very long first line! (lol) Dickens used commas instead of periods... so I suppose that makes it all one long sentence. Of course, we were taught not to write like that. (lol) If it's good enough for Dickens, it's good enough for me! I just can't make myself do it.

[Becky]

The line I would have picked is on there!!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Which line is it, Becky?

Too bad the page doesn't allow us to copy and paste.

I don't know how I lived without the "copy and paste" application all those years... and the search feature which is so helpful, including the ability to search through our personal computer files. It's especially helpful because I often forget where I've filed things. (g)

[Becky]

"I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice - not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany."

A Prayer For Owen Meany-John Irving


Joy-I was able to copy & paste, I started at the end!! LOL

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Becky wrote: "Joy-I was able to copy & paste, I started at the end!! LOL"

Good for you, Becky. Thanks for the heads up. I had saved the whole page because I couldn't copy and paste the lines. (g)

Love the quote you chose. I really must try to read _A Prayer for Owen Meany_ again. I didn't like it the first time and quit early on. Too many flashbacks, IIRC.

[[deleted user]]

What does IIRC mean?
duh, Alice

[[deleted user]]

My mother always quoted the first lines of Gone with the Wind to us as it was her favorite book. "Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were."

[Becky]

Alice-I like to quote Gone With The Wind too


I think IIRC means "If I recall correctly"

[[deleted user]]

Thanks Becky! I need to remember that one as I am very forgetful....IIRC. (good one) Are you a Southerner too? My mother grew up in MS but now lives in NH. I am an Air Force brat so not quite sure where I am from, LOL!

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Alice, there's a good website for looking up acronymns like IIRC. See it at:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/

Your Scarlett O'Hara quote reminded me of the following quote:
"Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love."
-William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew

[Becky]

Alice wrote: "Thanks Becky! I need to remember that one as I am very forgetful....IIRC. (good one) Are you a Southerner too? My mother grew up in MS but now lives in NH. I am an Air Force brat so not quite ..."


No I am not a southerner Alice but I think I must have been a "belle" in my other life!!! I have lived in the northern part of NYS all my life....