Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

first lines of books

322 replies

Blandmum · 15/02/2006 17:08

Nice easy one to start us all off

'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.'

Book and Author then you give one.

No googling allowed

OP posts:
Ellbell · 17/02/2006 22:49

Mine are too easy, obviously!

I always thought the following (first read when I was doing A level French and never forgotten, even though that was now 9 zillion years ago!) was a stupendous beginning to a novel, but maybe French isn't allowed...

'Aujourd'hui maman est morte. Ou peut-etre hier, je ne sais pas.'

mummytosteven · 17/02/2006 22:50

L'Etranger/The Outsider by Camus.

goldstarlover · 17/02/2006 22:52

we've had that one in english already! lol

sobernow · 17/02/2006 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

goldstarlover · 17/02/2006 22:55

seeing as no-one got mine i shall tell you (does that mean i win?)

"it was love at first sight"

goldstarlover · 17/02/2006 22:55

is

goldstarlover · 17/02/2006 22:56

is the suspense killing you all?

Mazzystar · 17/02/2006 22:58

give us a clue first

goldstarlover · 17/02/2006 22:59

ok there are some numbers in the title

Ellbell · 18/02/2006 00:27

Whoops! Sorry sobernow. Just realised that I skipped a section halfway through the thread.

No idea about goldstarlover's and I'm off to bed now, but I'll leave this easy one with you.

'Well, Prince, so Genoa and Lucca are now just family estates of the Bonapartes.'

radida · 18/02/2006 09:13

Can I join in? can I can I?

Here's an easy one:

"I write this sitting in the kitchen sink"

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 09:27

god radia no idea.

how about' mary ann singleton was 25 years old when she saw san francisco for the first time'

Original poster
Blandmum · 18/02/2006 09:31

tales of the city

love that book!

OP posts:
alexsmum · 18/02/2006 09:32

yes martianbishop!!!!
i have all of armistead maupins books they are fab!

Original poster
Blandmum · 18/02/2006 09:50

he is writing a new one with 'mouse' as the central character!

OP posts:
motherinferior · 18/02/2006 10:23

IS HE??????

JonesTheSteam · 18/02/2006 10:32

goldstar - Is it Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

JonesTheSteam · 18/02/2006 10:33

goldstarlover, I mean - Oops

alexsmum · 18/02/2006 11:02

NO WAY martian bishop? really?
i thought mouse would have been dead by now.i was thinking about it this morning.shawna will be grown up now, mouse will be quite old, mary ann vv famous and will have lots of plastic surgery.

motherinferior · 18/02/2006 11:06

No, Mouse - like Maupin's ex - became HIV postive in time to benefit from combination therapy. The Night Listener is very interesting on this one.

Not that I'm, you know, a groupie or anything

Original poster
Blandmum · 18/02/2006 12:28

MI, you have 'outed yourself' I'm quite a fan myself.

I always feel that it is a great shame that we never met during our collage days....I feel we would have got on well!

OP posts:
radida · 18/02/2006 12:33

Anyone got it yet? want a clue?

Nightynight · 18/02/2006 15:09

I capture the castle

"You know more than you think you do"

singersgirl · 18/02/2006 15:40

"It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him". Is that it? "Catch 22" , Joseph Heller.

"Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead..."

lionhearted · 18/02/2006 16:14

Ulysses

How about: "On my naming day when I come 12 I gone front spear and kilt a wyld boar he parbly ben the las wyld pig on the Bundel Downs any how there hadnt ben none for a long time befor him nor I aint looking to see none agen."