First Lines

I was looking through some of my books yesterday, trying to find one I wanted to spend some time with and it struck me that what I was really looking for was a first line/first paragraph/first page that really caught my interest. Much like an agent or editor who is looking for that one book that draws you in. And it led me to considering first lines.

What is it about a book's first line that makes you want to continue reading. Is it mystery? A sense of adventure? A question that needs answering? A sense of place and time? So I started looking at first lines from books I have read and enjoyed as well as those from books I didn't continue on with. For me, a first line usually contains all of the above, usually in as few words as possible. In some cases, it takes a second line to really draw me in. But it that opening paragraph that sets the tone for the entire book and if it's a poor one, you've lost the reader before he or she even starts.

It does no good to say "but it gets really interesting on page twenty-five". If you can't interest the reader on page one, they'll never get to page two, let alone twenty-five. If twenty-five is where it gets interesting, it's better to start there. A writer has to draw the reader in from the outset.

So for today, I have a quiz for you on famous first lines. Don't worry, it's not hard. And I will give you the answers - tomorrow. :) The following dozen are all first lines from books I have read and, for the most part, enjoyed. In several cases - in fact, almost all - they've been made into movies. But I loved the books first. See how many you are familiar with:


1. Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith.

2. All children grow up, except one.

3. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy.

4. He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf stream and he had gone 84 days now without taking a fish.

5. 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.

6. You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter.

7. Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again.

8. What can you say about a 25 year old girl who died?

9. Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were.

10. Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.

11. It was a dark and stormy night. (Clue - it's a sf story)

12. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

*********

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wote it was a terrific friend of yours." - J.D. Salinger