# Long Sentences = Bad Writing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sentences-bad-writing/553642>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 13, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sentences-bad-writing/553642 "2010-09-13T19:56:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-sentences-bad-writing/553642/41 "2010-09-15T14:31:59Z")

</div>

> [@Stealth\_Potato](#):
>
> > [@Baal\_Houtham](#):
> >
> > Some long opening sentences from the American Book Review’s [100 Best First Lines From Novels](http://www.pantagraph.com/news/article_a125216a-649f-5414-88b5-76a688ea3b6a.html).
> 
> The first two aren’t bad, but to be quite honest I would call the rest terrible!

I won’t fight you there. The quotes were arranged from good to bad in my post. The Barth gives me active pleasure. The Claudius is pretty neutral, and I still haven’t bothered reading that pituitary case at the end.

> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> Obligatory Henry James Story:
> 
> [http://www.quillandquire.com/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/dont-let-henry-james-ask-for-directions/](http://www.quillandquire.com/blog/index.php/2007/07/31/dont-let-henry-james-ask-for-directions/)

Laf.

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