That prologue was so dreary i almost gave up on the book that first time. Heres our pick of some of the greatest first lines in literature. These are the best first lines maybe 2 of books which do exactly what a first line must do. Nice somewhere on the first or second page, but not in the first line.
The first lines of novels set the tone for the story to come. Ciara murphy compiles some of her favourites, from the catcher in the rye to twilight. As you teach writing and journaling in your own classroom, we pulled together some of the most memorable, fun, creative, and best opening lines books for children and teens have to offer. Some last lines have the power to disrupt the course of an entire story, shaking up our expectations. If there is a 1 still present in the number line, it is the first print of the book from the publisher. The 27 best opening lines in books, from rebecca to the great. The lion symbolizes youth, strength, and hope for the old man, allowing the writer to end the novel on a positive note. It can leave you with an impression of the book which lasts throughout and it can plant a seed that lasts with you long after youve finished. This post is about what makes great first lines great. Note that when voting for a book, it is useful to put its first line in the why you added this book. The opening sentence of a book can determine a lot of things including whether or not you decide to keep going with said book.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in. As students read the text in its entirety they discuss, revisit andor revise their original predictions. List created for the 2020 reading challenge in the ultimate popsugar reading challenge group. The first line is the authors chance to make a first impression and to capture the imagination of the reader, and the very best books will keep the reader hooked from the first line to the very last line. Discover unique things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in the best destinations around the world with bring me. Most people dont want to spend the first 50 pages trying to get into a book. The number line near the bottom of the page doesnt necessarily determine the edition, but it tells you how many times the book has been printed. A great first line will pull you in, introduce you to the narrator, and set the tone for the entire book. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Hemingways last line ends with a reference to a dream described within the first fifteen pages of the book, allowing the story to come full circle. Everything is about the constant presence of memory, and the ethereal opening immediately. Well, friends, with a little elbow grease, any book can be a coronavirus book.
Stylists pick of the best hundred first lines from books, from classic to modern literature. Here are a few things i find annoying in the first lines of a story. Some years ago never mind how long precisely having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, i thought i would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. Having that in mind, weve rounded up the first lines of some of the worlds most famous books, and they stand as excellent examples of how a short sentence or two can set the tone for an entire story and define its legacy for decades to come. In a single sentence, he manages to set up the novels ohsointriguing premise icymi, the book is about a hermaphrodite, as well as the time period and place. It is a way i have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. The first and last lines of iconic books, and what they. Rowling filled the books with intentional writing choices. The 10 best first lines in fiction books the guardian. The opening lines of a novel can prove crucial, and many authors spend an inordinate amount of time considering how their books will begin.
Rate 5 stars rate 4 stars rate 3 stars rate 2 stars rate 1 star. Its the authors first invitation into a world of their own creation. I even tore out the first three pages of one of my favorite novels the poisonwood bible when i came to reread it. The first line to eugenidess pulitzer prizewinning novel is a textbook example of efficient writing. By now, this line has become a truism, but in its day, it was a philosophical reflection on the subjectivity of history and human experience. Scroll through each poignant piece of literary genius and most known book quotes below in our list. It is one of the most famous first lines in all of american literature, not only because to. This list has the best n ovels with great first lines, bound to make. Our highly subjective list includes worst firsts from famous and infamous writers. Every single one of these first lines should provide you with the energy to create some amazing stories. Close reading the first line of to kill a mockingbird. These first line prompts are written in the 3rd person. From made up words to the meanings of names to the wellscripted first and last lines of each novel, rowling wanted to the writing to match the intricate fantasy world she created for the nowiconic boy wizard.
The first lines of 10 classic novels, rewritten for social. First lines of books quiz with questions and answers for your quizzes. The first sentence of any piece of writing is arguably the most important both in. From dickenss a tale of two cities to melvilles moby dick, often the opening sentence or two of a book will become the most frequently quoted and iconic passage from the entire novel. Love, hate, or feel meh about harry potter, its hard to argue that j. You only get one chance at a first impression, and never is this truer than with the opening lines of books. First lines is a prereading comprehension strategy in which students read the beginning sentences from a book and then make predictions about that book. The beginning of a book is crucial in getting the reader hooked. The first line can be a beast to get right whether youre composing a dating profile or drafting a workplace pitch but when it comes to longform fiction, the stakes are vertiginous. In looking for the best opening lines, we took all of this into consideration.
And heres a quick synopsis of the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe in its first line. Id love to know, like, jonathan franzens favorite first line. Many great first lines do little more than introduce us to the characters were going to be following through the book. This infographic features 34 compelling first lines from some of the most famous books of all time. The very first sentence of a story can be extremely powerful. Having that in mind, weve rounded up the first lines of some of the worlds most famous books, and they stand as excellent examples of how a short sentence or. Now, with every one of my own books, i spend a lot of time on the first line, the first paragraph, the first. First sentences, of course, have different functionsto amuse, to frighten, to mystifyand the mechanics a writer uses to achieve this connection vary from genre to genre. Ill give you the first line of a famous book and all you have to do is tell me which book it is from.
What follows is a lengthy discussion and analysis of the first line of to kill a mockingbird. Our guide to the greatest opening lines of novels in the english language, from jane austen to james joyce. A book s final sentence is the ribbon on a packaged plot, tied neatly and prettily before an author hands her story over to her readers imaginations for good. They can be long, descriptive, runon sentences that prepare you for everything youre about to see. Opening lines list of books with great first lines. Well look at examples from some of the best books in history and try to apply their techniques to our stories.
Hephzibah anderson explores the art of the perfect first sentence. I love jane austen pride and prejudice is one of my favorite books. Popsugar 2020 a book with a great first line 142 books. This line is so famous that when i first read a tale of two cities i was surprised to realize it came from a book. If you use the search feature to add books instead of choosing from my books, that will. Well i have to share my favourite opening lines now. A list for those books that have witty, profound, or just plain interesting first lines. Rowling is one superstar author who has made first lines something of an art form, whether with her harry potter novels or more recent robert galbraith detective books.
Thank you for sharing these fabulous opening lines. And with so many books to read, the competition between them is wast. Classics first lines 10 questions average, 10 qns, scrambledegg90, sep 09. The famous first lines from du mauriers modern gothic, rebecca, set up the eerie tone of this book. Let us know your favourite childrens book first lines from the gallery, or any we missed, in the comments section. Depending on what youre reading, a great first line can be funny or meaningful or sad or somehow all of the above. Freewrite on the first one that grabs your interest. Any book lover will tell you that one of the best feelings around is opening a book, reading the first line, and knowing immediately that youre going to get lost in it. Please use this list for all books you are considering reading, as well as books you would recommend for this prompt. If you fail to grab my attention in the first few lines, i start spacing out. Esther lombardi is a veteran journalist who has written about literature, education, and technology. Literature questions on howards end, animal farm, dickens, lord of the flies, and other opening lines book triva. Weve found 30 humourous, bizarre and mirthfilled opening lines of books. This technique helps students focus their attention on what they can tell from the first lines of a story, play, poem, or other text.