Great First LinesGreat First Lines

Peggy Korman CNMPeggy Korman CNM

First lines of a novel.First lines of a novel.

The first line sets the scene, the tone, The first line sets the scene, the tone, sheds just enough light on the sheds just enough light on the

upcoming story to make you keep upcoming story to make you keep reading.reading.

A great first line stays with A great first line stays with you long after you finish the you long after you finish the

novel.novel.

““I had a farm in Africa at the I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong hills.”foot of the Ngong hills.”

Out of AfricaOut of Africa

““It was the best of times, it It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”was the worst of times.”

A Tale of Two CitiesA Tale of Two Cities

““It is a truth universally It is a truth universally acknowledged that, a single acknowledged that, a single man in possession of a good man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a fortune, must be in want of a

wife.”wife.”

Pride and PrejudicePride and Prejudice

““All children, except one, All children, except one, grow up.”grow up.”

Peter PanPeter Pan

““We were somewhere around We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the Barstow on the edge of the

desert when the drugs began desert when the drugs began to take hold.”to take hold.”

Fear and Loathing in Las Fear and Loathing in Las VegasVegas

““Call me Ishmael.”Call me Ishmael.”

Moby DickMoby Dick

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversation?”

Alice’s Adventure in Alice’s Adventure in WonderlandWonderland

““On May 18,1860, the day On May 18,1860, the day when the Republican Party when the Republican Party

would nominate its candidate would nominate its candidate for president, Abraham for president, Abraham Lincoln was up early.”Lincoln was up early.”

Team of RivalsTeam of Rivals

““If you really want to hear about it, the first If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied like, and how my parents were occupied

and all before they had me, and all that and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I d0n’t David Copperfield kind of crap, but I d0n’t

feel like going into it, if you want to know the feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”truth.”

J.D. SALINGERJ.D. SALINGERThe Cather in the Rye

““From the west-facing window of the From the west-facing window of the room in which Meriwether Lewis was room in which Meriwether Lewis was

born on August 18,1774, born on August 18,1774, one could look out at Rockfish Gap, in one could look out at Rockfish Gap, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an opening the Blue Ridge Mountains, an opening to the West that invited exploration.”to the West that invited exploration.”

STEPHEN AMBROSESTEPHEN AMBROSE

Undaunted Courage Merriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West

““A mile above OZ, the witch A mile above OZ, the witch balanced on the wind’s forward balanced on the wind’s forward

edge, as if she were a green edge, as if she were a green fleck of the land itself, flung up fleck of the land itself, flung up and sent wheeling away by the and sent wheeling away by the

turbulent air.”turbulent air.”

WICKEDWICKEDGregory Maguire

““The The Nellie, Nellie, a cruising yawl, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails and was a flutter of the sails and was

at rest.”at rest.”

HEART OF DARKNESSHEART OF DARKNESSJoseph Conrad

““When he was thirteen, When he was thirteen, my brother Jem got his my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the arm badly broken at the

elbow.”elbow.”

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRDTO KILL A MOCKINGBIRDHarper Lee

““In the cold, nearly colorless light of a New In the cold, nearly colorless light of a New England winter, two men on horseback England winter, two men on horseback traveled the coast road below Boston, traveled the coast road below Boston,

heading north.heading north.

JOHN ADAMSJOHN ADAMSDavid McCollough