Famous opening lines of novels (plus title and author)**
“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents - except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.” (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford)
"A few years ago, on the east side of Manhattan, not far from Bloomingdale’s … " (Gail Parent, Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York)
“I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it, had minded what they were about when they begot me; had they duly consider’d how much depended upon what they were then doing;–that not only the production of a rational Being was concerned in it, but that possibly the happy formation and temperature of his body, perhaps his genius and the very cast of his mind;–and, for aught they knew to the contrary, even the fortunes of his whole house might take their turn from the humours and dispositions which were then uppermost;–Had they duly weighed and considered all this, and proceeded accordingly,–I am verily persuaded I should have made a quite different figure in the world, from that in which the reader is likely to see me.” (Laurence Stern, Tristram Shandy)
“Who is John Galt?” (Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged)
“Call me Ishmael.” (Herman Melville, Moby Dick; or, The Whale)
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” (George Orwell, 1984)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. I: The Gunslinger)
“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…” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
“‘We are on our way to the hospital,’ Ryan’s father says. ‘Listen to me, son: you are not going to bleed to death.’” (Dan Chaon, Await Your Reply)
“It was a pleasure to burn.” (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)
“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.” (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
Famous opening lines of novels (plus title and author)
“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents - except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.” (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford)
"A few years ago, on the east side of Manhattan, not far from Bloomingdale’s … " (Gail Parent, Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York)
“I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it, had minded what they were about when they begot me; had they duly consider’d how much depended upon what they were then doing;–that not only the production of a rational Being was concerned in it, but that possibly the happy formation and temperature of his body, perhaps his genius and the very cast of his mind;–and, for aught they knew to the contrary, even the fortunes of his whole house might take their turn from the humours and dispositions which were then uppermost;–Had they duly weighed and considered all this, and proceeded accordingly,–I am verily persuaded I should have made a quite different figure in the world, from that in which the reader is likely to see me.” (Laurence Stern, Tristram Shandy)
“Who is John Galt?” (Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged)
“Call me Ishmael.” (Herman Melville, Moby Dick; or, The Whale)
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” (George Orwell, 1984)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. I: The Gunslinger)
“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…” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
“‘We are on our way to the hospital,’ Ryan’s father says. ‘Listen to me, son: you are not going to bleed to death.’” (Dan Chaon, Await Your Reply)
“It was a pleasure to burn.” (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)
“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.” (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” ( Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina)
Famous opening lines of novels (plus title and author)
“It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents - except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.” (Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford)
"A few years ago, on the east side of Manhattan, not far from Bloomingdale’s … " (Gail Parent, Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York)
“I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it, had minded what they were about when they begot me; had they duly consider’d how much depended upon what they were then doing;–that not only the production of a rational Being was concerned in it, but that possibly the happy formation and temperature of his body, perhaps his genius and the very cast of his mind;–and, for aught they knew to the contrary, even the fortunes of his whole house might take their turn from the humours and dispositions which were then uppermost;–Had they duly weighed and considered all this, and proceeded accordingly,–I am verily persuaded I should have made a quite different figure in the world, from that in which the reader is likely to see me.” (Laurence Stern, Tristram Shandy)
“Who is John Galt?” (Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged)
“Call me Ishmael.” (Herman Melville, Moby Dick; or, The Whale)
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” (George Orwell, 1984)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. I: The Gunslinger)
“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…” (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
“‘We are on our way to the hospital,’ Ryan’s father says. ‘Listen to me, son: you are not going to bleed to death.’” (Dan Chaon, Await Your Reply)
“It was a pleasure to burn.” (Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451)
“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish.” (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
"All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” ( Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina)
“A screaming comes across the sky.” (Thomas Pynchon - Gravity’s Rainbow)
New topic
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
“He looked a long time.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
“He looked a long time.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)
"Ah, Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire, or having it, is satisfied? Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.” (Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
“He looked a long time.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)
"Ah, Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire, or having it, is satisfied? Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.” (Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray)
“I leave it entirely in your hands.” (Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons).
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
“He looked a long time.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)
"Ah, Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire, or having it, is satisfied? Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.” (Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray)
“I leave it entirely in your hands.” (Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons).
“I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her.” (Great Expectations, Charles Dickens)
Best closing lines from famous novels (plus title and author)
“I loved Big Brother.” (1984 - George Orwell)
“Well, I’m back.” (Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien)
“And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!” –Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol)
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” (Animal Farm - George Orwell)
“And so there ain’t nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I’d a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn’t a tackled it, and ain’t a-going to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.” (Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain)
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” (Stephen King, The Dark Tower Vol. VII: The Dark Tower)
“P.S. Sorry I forgot to give you the mayonnaise.” (Trout Fishing in America - Richard Brautigan)
“Thank goodness!” said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)
“He looked a long time.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)
"Ah, Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire, or having it, is satisfied? Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.” (Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray)
“I leave it entirely in your hands.” (Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons).
“I took her hand in mine, and we went out of the ruined place; and, as the morning mists had risen long ago when I first left the forge, so, the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed to me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her.” (Great Expectations, Charles Dickens)
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald)
New topic:
Opening lines from famous songs (include title, artist, and songwriter if different from artist)
" Once upon a time you dressed so fine, Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didnt you ?" (Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan)
Opening lines from famous songs (include title, artist, and songwriter if different from artist)
" Once upon a time you dressed so fine, Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didnt you ?" (Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan)
" And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the meadows of my heart" (Star Dust, Nat King Cole et omnes, Hoagy Carmichael)
“Welcome to my nightmare. I think you’re gonna like it. I think you’re gonna feel you belong.” (Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper, Cooper/Wagner/Wagner)
Opening lines from famous songs (include title, artist, and songwriter if different from artist)
" Once upon a time you dressed so fine, Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didnt you ?" (Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan)
" And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the meadows of my heart" (Star Dust, Nat King Cole et omnes, Hoagy Carmichael)
“Welcome to my nightmare. I think you’re gonna like it. I think you’re gonna feel you belong.” (Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper, Cooper/Wagner/Wagner)
“Jeremiah was a bullfrog.” (“Joy to the World,” written by Hoyt Axton)
Opening lines from famous songs (include title, artist, and songwriter if different from artist)
" Once upon a time you dressed so fine, Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didnt you ?" (Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan)
" And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the meadows of my heart" (Star Dust, Nat King Cole et omnes, Hoagy Carmichael)
“Welcome to my nightmare. I think you’re gonna like it. I think you’re gonna feel you belong.” (Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper, Cooper/Wagner/Wagner)
“Jeremiah was a bullfrog.” (“Joy to the World,” written by Hoyt Axton)
“I read the news today, oh boy.” (A Day in the Life, Lennon/McCartney)
Opening lines from famous songs (include title, artist, and songwriter if different from artist)
" Once upon a time you dressed so fine, Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didnt you ?" (Like a Rolling Stone, Bob Dylan)
" And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the meadows of my heart" (Star Dust, Nat King Cole et omnes, Hoagy Carmichael)
“Welcome to my nightmare. I think you’re gonna like it. I think you’re gonna feel you belong.” (Welcome To My Nightmare, Alice Cooper, Cooper/Wagner/Wagner)
“Jeremiah was a bullfrog.” (“Joy to the World,” written by Hoyt Axton)
“I read the news today, oh boy.” (A Day in the Life, Lennon/McCartney)
“Holly came from Miami, F.L.A. Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A. Plucked her eyebrows on the way, shaved her legs and then he was a she.” (Walk on the Wild Side, by Lou Reed.)