Best First Lines

[naomi24]

Many readers can identify a book by its opening line, and Amazon Books have conducted a survey of the most recognisable, with Charles Dickens' 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities' coming out at number one.  I was surprised that Jane Austen's 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' from 'Pride and Prejudice' trailed at number thirteen and there are some there I don't recognise at all.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12563537/Charles-Dickens-Tale-Two-Cities-Britains-favourite-start-novel.html

 

What's your number one?

[ToraToraTora]

I was going to quote H2G2 but then I saw it was no 15! ok I'll quote it anyway!

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-three million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.

[naomi24]

Tilly, I've read 'Angela's Ashes' and 'Tis' but not 'Teacher Man'.

[Sipowicz]

Once upon a time.........

[scorpiojo]

“My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.”

[ToraToraTora]

This one didn't make the list but have a go at guessing the book...

It was a pleasure to burn. I was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.

[naomi24]

Scorpio, 'The Lovely Bones' - another good book.

[ToraToraTora]

doh, should be:

It was a pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed.

[THECORBYLOON]

"Fahrenheit 451"? I've not read it but it has been on the radio.

[Dagman]

H.G.Wells, War of the Worlds;-

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own!".

[Ken4155]

T'would seem Sipowicz (@09:26) has forgotten the rest, so if i may....

 

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine.

[elliemay1]

My number 1 is Manderley as quoted by Tilly

[ToraToraTora]

Naomi should get this one straight away:

Well let's start with Elizabeth, shall we? And see where that gets us?

[Floko]

Not everyone's favourite, but mine >

To begin at the beginning: It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black….” 

[Cloverjo]

I like this one. One of my favourite books.

"The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation."

[ToraToraTora]

From Llareggub floko?

[naomi24]

TTT, I didn't get it - so I googled it.  Ughhh!  Ghastly book!  

[Floko]

Indeed Tora !

[ToraToraTora]

here's a classic:

A squat grey building of Thirty Four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World State's motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.

[ToraToraTora]

10:42 haha I knew you'd love it!

[naomi24]

TTT, it's certainly memorable,  ;o)