Author: Jennifer Toth
Rating: ***
First Sentence:
"My ten year-old friend Kristen was the first to tell me about the mole people".
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Totally hooked. This book had me from hello. Who doesn't want to find out what's lurking beneath the tunnels of Gotham? And wait, why did this ten year-old know?
My two cents:
This book is a fascinating read about the homeless and about an entire community that's growing literally right under our feet. The author does a good job of presenting facts.
Favorite line:
The First Sentence
A tribute to books and their opening lines
The World is Flat
Author: Thomas L. Friedman
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"No one ever gave me directions like this on a golf course before: Aim at either Microsoft or IBM."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Hooked enough to read the next page, which led to the next and the next and...
My two cents:
This book is required reading for anyone who hopes to survive what the author calls globalization 2.0. If you have no idea what that is, read this book ASAP. In a nutshell, many of the jobs humans do today, computers will do tomorrow and better. Of those that require human hands, the flattening of the world means labor will go overseas and cheaper. The aftershocks of the internet revolution have only just begun and the ripples through the American workforce will be grand. No need to panic though. Friedman predicts growth for all those willing to upgrade. The onus will be on the individual.
Best line:
"Girls, when I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, 'Tom finish your dinner people in China and India are starving.' My advice to you is: Girls finish your homework - people in China and India are starving for your jobs." And in a flat world, they can have them.
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"No one ever gave me directions like this on a golf course before: Aim at either Microsoft or IBM."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Hooked enough to read the next page, which led to the next and the next and...
My two cents:
This book is required reading for anyone who hopes to survive what the author calls globalization 2.0. If you have no idea what that is, read this book ASAP. In a nutshell, many of the jobs humans do today, computers will do tomorrow and better. Of those that require human hands, the flattening of the world means labor will go overseas and cheaper. The aftershocks of the internet revolution have only just begun and the ripples through the American workforce will be grand. No need to panic though. Friedman predicts growth for all those willing to upgrade. The onus will be on the individual.
Best line:
"Girls, when I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, 'Tom finish your dinner people in China and India are starving.' My advice to you is: Girls finish your homework - people in China and India are starving for your jobs." And in a flat world, they can have them.
Middlesex
Author: Jeffrey Eugenides
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"I was born twice: first as a baby girl on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960: and then again as a teenage boy in an emergency room near Petrosky, Michigan in August of 1964."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Hook, line and sinker
My two cents:
This is brilliant writing. Metaphorically speaking, haven't we all been born twice? Hmmm...
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"I was born twice: first as a baby girl on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960: and then again as a teenage boy in an emergency room near Petrosky, Michigan in August of 1964."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Hook, line and sinker
My two cents:
This is brilliant writing. Metaphorically speaking, haven't we all been born twice? Hmmm...
The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Definitely Hooked
My two cents:
Where is the character going? Why is she in a taxi? Why is she worried about being overdressed? What is mom doing? Brilliant opening lines create suspense. Job well done
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Definitely Hooked
My two cents:
Where is the character going? Why is she in a taxi? Why is she worried about being overdressed? What is mom doing? Brilliant opening lines create suspense. Job well done
Class Favorite
Author: Taylor Morris
First Sentence:
"The message of mass destruction arrived three days after I supposedly became a woman."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Somehwat hooked for two reasons:
1. I love witty banter and humor that is done well.
2. This author is a personal friend.
My two cents:
This first sentence let me know I was in a for a funny read right away. I'm in.
First Sentence:
"The message of mass destruction arrived three days after I supposedly became a woman."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Somehwat hooked for two reasons:
1. I love witty banter and humor that is done well.
2. This author is a personal friend.
My two cents:
This first sentence let me know I was in a for a funny read right away. I'm in.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
First Sentence:
"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
This sentence is not particularly clever or engaging although I love the book as a whole. This classic was originally published in 1960 and was the best first novel of that year.
First Sentence:
"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
This sentence is not particularly clever or engaging although I love the book as a whole. This classic was originally published in 1960 and was the best first novel of that year.
Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
First Sentence:
"An hour before sunset, on the evening of a day in the beginning of October, 1815, a man traveling afoot entered the little town of D______."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Slightly hooked
My two cents:
I'm not sure why Victor Hugo didn't write out the name of the town, but this tiny detail piqued my curiosity. I also like the fact that he didn't give an exact date. Something about this combination appealed to my inquisitive nature and made me want to read on. I was not disappointed.
First Sentence:
"An hour before sunset, on the evening of a day in the beginning of October, 1815, a man traveling afoot entered the little town of D______."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Slightly hooked
My two cents:
I'm not sure why Victor Hugo didn't write out the name of the town, but this tiny detail piqued my curiosity. I also like the fact that he didn't give an exact date. Something about this combination appealed to my inquisitive nature and made me want to read on. I was not disappointed.
Atlas Shrugged
Author: Ayn Rand
First Sentence:
"Who is John Galt?"
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Hooked despite the disappointing opener
My two cents:
It is painful to write this because of my admiration for the author, but the opening line of this novel was a dud. It didn't do the legendary Ayn Rand justice. Atlas Shrugged has been a bestseller for 4 decades, is listed as the second most influential book of all time, is still on the Amazon bestseller list and is considered required reading by many of the country's most successful corporate executives. Alan Greenspan the former chief of the Federal Reserve calls it one of his favorite books, and John P. Mackey CEO of Whole Foods says it was crucial to his success. At 1200 pages, it is no joke. I'm only on page 150 but I can confidently say, I'm in for the long haul.
First Sentence:
"Who is John Galt?"
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Hooked despite the disappointing opener
My two cents:
It is painful to write this because of my admiration for the author, but the opening line of this novel was a dud. It didn't do the legendary Ayn Rand justice. Atlas Shrugged has been a bestseller for 4 decades, is listed as the second most influential book of all time, is still on the Amazon bestseller list and is considered required reading by many of the country's most successful corporate executives. Alan Greenspan the former chief of the Federal Reserve calls it one of his favorite books, and John P. Mackey CEO of Whole Foods says it was crucial to his success. At 1200 pages, it is no joke. I'm only on page 150 but I can confidently say, I'm in for the long haul.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
First Sentence:
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
Rating: ****
Hooked or Not?
Hooked
My two cents:
After years of going against the literary world in an attempt to be unique, I'm reading my first Harry Potter novel. I have to say, after one sentence, I was hooked. I'm not sure if I'll make it to the next one but so far, I love the narrator's voice. The opening line got me.
First Sentence:
"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."
Rating: ****
Hooked or Not?
Hooked
My two cents:
After years of going against the literary world in an attempt to be unique, I'm reading my first Harry Potter novel. I have to say, after one sentence, I was hooked. I'm not sure if I'll make it to the next one but so far, I love the narrator's voice. The opening line got me.
Bird by Bird
Author: Anne Lamott
First Sentence:
"The first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
Although this is one of my favorite books on writing, the first sentence doesn't do it justice. It is an instructional book after all. I was hooked by the introduction. Lamott's anecdotes provide more than just great tips on writing. Well worth the read for anyone looking to survive writer's block.
First Sentence:
"The first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
Although this is one of my favorite books on writing, the first sentence doesn't do it justice. It is an instructional book after all. I was hooked by the introduction. Lamott's anecdotes provide more than just great tips on writing. Well worth the read for anyone looking to survive writer's block.
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