Best first lines in books
Here are some of my favorite "first lines" from all the books I've read.
1. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" -Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen.
Pride and Prejudice was the first classic I read. I remember being a teenager and reading this line, for me, it was chocking for reasons I couldn't understand then, but that now I do. The irony this line holds. The critics of a society where the author lived, sick of the same things and the same "women are made to fall in love and clean the house", all of this together make this my favorite book ever.
2. "It was a pleasure to burn." -Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury.
This is my current reading and this first line, even the paragraph, is just amazing as it shows us from the beginning, what are we going to find in the rest of the book. I think I'm in love with this book without even finishing it.
3. "Mother died today. Or maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure." -The Stranger, Albert Camus.
This one was another shocking line for me. I read this book for my "universal literature" class and I just thought "how can a man don't know when his mother died?" but as I continued reading and I investigated about "Existentialism", I could understand better what was going on. And, for me, that's what makes this book so special.
4.“A writer never forgets the first time he accepted a few coins or a word of praise in exchange for a story. He will never forget the sweet poison of vanity in his blood, and the belief that, if he succeeds in not letting anyone discover his lack of talent, the dream of literature will provide him with a roof over his head, a hot meal at the end of the day, and what he covets the most: his name printed on a miserable piece of paper that surely will outlive him. A writer is condemned to remember that moment, because from then on, he is doomed, and his soul has a price." -The Angel's Game, Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
I couldn't just write the first line of this book. The whole paragraph, even the whole page is so amazing and beautiful that it will stay in my mind and heart forever. Zafon's narrative is one of the most beautiful I've ever read and these "first lines" will be on my top for a very long time. 5. "In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” -The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.I read this book a couple of days ago and, let me tell you, these first lines are on my top. The way Fitzgerald introduce this story is incredible, plus, these lines will change the life of lots of people. It's not only the way is written but the message it holds since the beginning of the book.
To be honest, I wanted to put more books but, I'm horrible when it comes to choosing things. First lines are important for me and have plenty of favorites. Maybe, if you want, I can write another post with more quotes. You just let me know!
That's it for today's post! Don't forget to pint this post in case you want to read my favorite first lines again!
Lots of kisses,
Dani.
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