# Identify the books from the opening lines **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695 "2005-01-20T08:17:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Sgt.Pepper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sgt.Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sgt.Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/101 "2005-01-21T21:36:24Z")
**commasense** got my sp1 and sp2 correct. _Clockwork_ and _The Odyssey_ ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/102 "2005-01-21T21:52:42Z")
> [@zev\_steinhardt](#): > > Z9: Jeff Winston was on the phone with his wife when he died. \*Replay \*by Ken Grimwood. Excellent Science fiction novel about a man who keeps dying then re-living his life over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/103 "2005-01-21T21:57:56Z")
> [@zev\_steinhardt](#): > > Z8: When the world was new, the seven Gods dwelt in harmony and the races of man were as one people. Pawn of Prophecy, first book of the Belgariad, by Eddings. ---
**Author:** ![Paladud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Paladud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paladud)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/104 "2005-01-21T22:02:09Z")
> [@hildea](#): > > Pal1: “There were prodigies and portents enough, One-Eye says. We must blame ourselves for misinterpreting them. One-Eye’s handicap in no way impairs his marvelous hindsight.” > > I know I’ve read this one… Could it be the first book about the Black Company, about a mercenary company in an ancient Rome-ish fantasy setting? I’ve no idea what the author or title of the book is. Yep. “The Black Company” by Glen Cook. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/105 "2005-01-21T22:17:35Z")
Forgot to say, all of mine have been correctly guessed except this one: Ril2: Right now I’m supposed to be all geeked up because I’m getting ready for a New Year’s Eve party that some guy named Lionel invited me to. Sheila, my baby sister, insisted on giving me his phone number because he lives here in Denver and her simple-ass husband played basketball with him eleven years ago at the University of Washington, and since I’m still single (which is downright pitiful to her, considering I’m the oldest of four kids and the only one who has yet to say “I do”), she’s worried about me. And I’ll add some more: Ril6: If you want to find Cherry Tree Lane all you have to do is ask the Policeman at the cross-roads. Ril7: Thursday, January 1st Bank Holiday in England, Scotland and Wales These are my New Year’s resolutions: 1. I will help the blind across the road. 2. I will hang my trousers up. 3. I will put the sleeves back on my records. 4. I will not start smoking. 5. I will stop squeezing my spots. 6. I will be kind to the dog. 7. I will help the poor and ignorant. 8. After hearing the disgusting noises from downstairs last night, I have also vowed never to drink alcohol. Ril8: Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Ril9: Amoebae leave no fossils. They haven’t any bones. (No teeth, no blet buckles, no wedding rings.) It is impossible, therefore, to determine how long amoebae have been on earth. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/106 "2005-01-21T22:22:07Z")
In the beginning… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/107 "2005-01-21T22:24:32Z")
:smack: I meant **belt** buckles. But you knew that, right? **JThunder** : That’s **Valley of the Dolls** , right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/108 "2005-01-21T23:35:12Z")
Ril7 _The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Age 13 3/4_ by Sue Townsend (or whatever it was called) Okay, change of direction. PM5 “Today is a good day to die” PM6 - “Someone once said, if it was raining brians Roxy Robinson wouldn’t even get wet” PM7 - “Let me tell you what\* Like A Virgin\*'s about” PM8 - “War, war, war! This war talk’s spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream!” PM9 - “I like to think about the times I spent with my dad - except I don’t remember them being this…orange…” PM10 -“Did you hear that? They’ve shut down the main reactor. We’ll be destroyed for sure!” PM11 - “Rosebud” ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/109 "2005-01-21T23:39:08Z")
> [@Peter Morris](#): > > Ril7 _The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Age 13 3/4_ by Sue Townsend > (or whatever it was called) Correct! > [@](#): > > Okay, change of direction. You mean opening lines of movies? Perhaps you should open a separate thread for that. In the meantime, however: > [@](#): > > PM7 - “Let me tell you what\* Like A Virgin\*'s about” Reservoir Dogs. > [@](#): > > PM8 - “War, war, war! This war talk’s spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream!” Gone With the Wind? > [@](#): > > PM11 - “Rosebud” Citizen Kane. ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/110 "2005-01-22T01:38:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Sh1 - Renowned [profession] [name] [died in a mysterious and symbolic manner Any Dan Brown novel. Bah, I’m sad I know that. MX1: One summer, when I was ten or eleven… I was roller-skating with Howie and Steve. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/111 "2005-01-22T01:52:54Z")
PM8 - “War, war, war! This war talk’s spoiling all the fun at every party this spring. I get so bored I could scream!” That’s from _Gone With the Wind_, but that is not the opening line of the novel. I think it’s the first line of dialogue from the movie, though. I’m really surprised nobody’s gotten most of mine yet, especially the next to last one. The others are somewhat obscure, but that one’s pretty well-known. It was made into a movie, even. Maybe people will recognize these: CCL 1: When the gate fell on top of me I knew I was really back home. CCL 2: Linderwall was a large kingdom, just east of the Mountains of Morning, where philosophers were highly respected and the number five was fashionable. CCL 3: Before you read this book, there are a few things you should know about me. I consider ironed sheets a health hazard. CCL4: [character name] was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the [character name] twins were. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/112 "2005-01-22T02:11:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Ril6: If you want to find Cherry Tree Lane all you have to do is ask the Policeman at the cross-roads. _Mary Poppins?_ > [@](#): > > CCL4: [character name] was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the [character name] twins were. _Gone With the Wind_ (the novel, this time). ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/113 "2005-01-22T02:20:29Z")
> [@Fretful Porpentine](#): > > _Mary Poppins?_ Correct! ---
**Author:** ![Hooleehootoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/eada6e/32.png) [@Hooleehootoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hooleehootoo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/114 "2005-01-22T02:27:20Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Jude the Obscure? > > One of Hardy’s, anyway. > > Regards, > Shodan Not Jude, but it is Hardy. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/115 "2005-01-22T02:37:22Z")
**PM4** is Around the World in Eighty Days , isn’t it? **B1** _Tancredi took his hands off the wheel again and waved them. “–so I envy you, Dr. Padway. Here in Rome we have still some work to do. But pah! It is all filling in little gaps. Nothing big, nothin new. And restoration work, Building contractor’s work. Again pah!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/116 "2005-01-22T02:51:10Z")
Well, it was difficult to find any in my library that’s wouldn’t be impossible to guess. Although a couple of these are probably too easy for this thread… Wa1: The music-room in the Governor’s House at Port Mahon, a tall, handsome, pillared octagon, was filled with the triumphant first movement of Locatelli’s C major quartet. Wa2: I’ll make my report as if I told a story, for I was taught as a child on my homeword that Truth is a matter of the imagination. Wa3: On my naming day when I come 12 I gone front spear and kilt a wyld boar he parbly ben the was 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. Wa4: Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/117 "2005-01-22T02:59:57Z")
CCL2: Dealing with Dragons. One of my absolute favorite books ever. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/118 "2005-01-22T03:09:07Z")
> [@Waenara](#): > > Wa4: Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,_ of course! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/119 "2005-01-22T03:35:15Z")
> [@](#): > > Wa1: The music-room in the Governor’s House at Port Mahon, a tall, handsome, pillared octagon, was filled with the triumphant first movement of Locatelli’s C major quartet. Master and Commander by Patrick O’Brien ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695/120 "2005-01-22T03:45:56Z")
> [@Hooleehootoo](#): > > Not Jude, but it is Hardy. I know it isn’t Tess of the D’Urbervilles. I only recognize the line from the “Novel Writing” bit on Monty Python. So it must be Return of the Native. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-the-books-from-the-opening-lines/285695.md?page=7)