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
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.
Love in the Time of Cholera
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
First Sentence:
"It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Hooked
My two cents:
Come on. Who isn't hooked by unrequited love?
First Sentence:
"It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Hooked
My two cents:
Come on. Who isn't hooked by unrequited love?
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Author: David Sedaris
First Sentence:
"Anyone who watches even the slightest amount of TV is familiar with the scene: An agent knocks on the door of some seemingly ordinary home or office."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Hooked
My two cents:
This line drew me right in immediately. It peaked my curiosity and made me want to keep reading. I was not disappointed. This book is laugh out loud funny at times.
First Sentence:
"Anyone who watches even the slightest amount of TV is familiar with the scene: An agent knocks on the door of some seemingly ordinary home or office."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Hooked
My two cents:
This line drew me right in immediately. It peaked my curiosity and made me want to keep reading. I was not disappointed. This book is laugh out loud funny at times.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Author: David Sedaris
First Sentence:
"When my family first moved to North Carolina, we lived in a rented house three blocks from the school where I would begin the third grade."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
I guess once you have a national bestseller, you don't have to write killer opening lines anymore. This blogger has yet to finish this book. What does that tell ya.
First Sentence:
"When my family first moved to North Carolina, we lived in a rented house three blocks from the school where I would begin the third grade."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
I guess once you have a national bestseller, you don't have to write killer opening lines anymore. This blogger has yet to finish this book. What does that tell ya.
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