Author Topic: First line of novels quiz (Read 24583 times)

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:43:48 pm »

Identify the novel and the author from the first line of the book. Person giving the first correct answer sets the next question. Please keep it to reasonably well known books - don't let it drift off into "who knows the most obscure book?"

Punctually at six o'clock the sun set with a last yellow flash behind the Blue Mountains, a wave of violet shadow poured down Richmond Road, and the crickets and tree frogs in the fine gardens began to zing and tinkle.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #1 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:48:55 pm »

Given that you've got Blue Mountains and tree frogs, I don't think the Richmond Road is one in Kingston on Thames. Hmm, somewhere FOREIGN then.

Pancho · « **Reply #2 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:50:16 pm »

Dr No (Fleming).

The only first line I know by heart is

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

Wowbagger · « **Reply #3 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:51:59 pm »

1984. Eric Blair. That's the one I'd have gone for as well.

Now I'll have to think. I don't read many novels so I'll cheat and go for something else. Pretty mainstream though.

Quote

Sophie couldn't sleep.

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #4 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:52:54 pm »

The only one I know off by heart is "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Wowbagger to set the next one?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #5 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:53:59 pm »

Quote from: Kirst on 06 February, 2011, 07:52:54 pm

The only one I know off by heart is "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Wowbagger to set the next one?

Oh I could have done that! Didn't think about it.

nutkin · « **Reply #6 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:56:13 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 06 February, 2011, 07:51:59 pm

1984. Eric Blair. That's the one I'd have gone for as well.

Now I'll have to think. I don't read many novels so I'll cheat and go for something else. Pretty mainstream though.

Quote
Sophie couldn't sleep.

Roald Dahl - The BFG.

Pancho · « **Reply #7 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:56:28 pm »

He has, hasn't he?

Haven't a clue.

nutkin · « **Reply #8 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:57:24 pm »

Quote

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 - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Possibly the longest opening sentence ever....

Wowbagger · « **Reply #9 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:58:30 pm »

Dahl's Chickens.
Tale of two Cities.

Someone else have a go.

mattc · « **Reply #10 on:** 06 February, 2011, 07:59:17 pm »

Diversion:

Quote from: Kirst on 06 February, 2011, 07:52:54 pm

The only one I know off by heart is "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

My entry for "longest" (that I can quote) would start "Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of..."

Anyway, carry on.

p.s. why isn't The BFG a Novel?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #11 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:04:30 pm »

I don't know. What's the definition of a novel?

redshift · « **Reply #12 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:04:50 pm »

THHGTTG by DNA.

I'll go with "A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys."

mattc · « **Reply #13 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:08:31 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 06 February, 2011, 08:04:30 pm

I don't know. What's the definition of a novel?

OK, I'm confused - for a few posts I thought your quote was from BFG:

Quote from: nutkin on 06 February, 2011, 07:56:13 pm

Quote from: Wowbagger on 06 February, 2011, 07:51:59 pm
1984. Eric Blair. That's the one I'd have gone for as well.

Now I'll have to think. I don't read many novels so I'll cheat and go for something else. Pretty mainstream though.

Quote
Sophie couldn't sleep.

Roald Dahl - The BFG.

It's not important.

And I didn't mean HHGG to be my "question", cos I hadn't guessed the previous one - sorry Redshift! Chaos already

Tom B · « **Reply #14 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:09:23 pm »

"A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys."

Brave New World by A Huxley?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #15 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:11:34 pm »

Quote from: Tom B on 06 February, 2011, 08:09:23 pm

"A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys."

Brave New World by A Huxley?

I guessed that right. I'm better at this than I thought, or have just been lucky so far.

gordon taylor · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:12:31 pm »

Very easy:

"There were four of us."

Wowbagger · « **Reply #17 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:15:56 pm »

Quote from: Gordy on 06 February, 2011, 08:12:31 pm

Very easy:

"There were four of us."

3 men in a boat? GK Chesterton.

Edit: bloody stupid brain. I know that's wrong!

nutkin · « **Reply #18 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:16:27 pm »

Quote from: Gordy on 06 February, 2011, 08:12:31 pm

Very easy:

"There were four of us."

3 men in a boat? Or possibly 3 men on a bummel?

Edit: Cross post with Wow, but it's Jerome K Jerome, not Chesterton.

spindrift · « **Reply #19 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:17:07 pm »

3 men In A Boat, Jerome's including the dog.

“It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come to see me.”

Tom B · « **Reply #20 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:18:58 pm »

"Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take it tragically"

Wowbagger · « **Reply #21 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:19:33 pm »

I thought it was Nutkin's turn.

nutkin · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:21:19 pm »

Hmmm.... ok. Not difficult, but I just had to!

Quote

This is a tale about a tail...

Wowbagger · « **Reply #23 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:23:07 pm »

Quote from: nutkin on 06 February, 2011, 08:21:19 pm

Hmmm.... ok. Not difficult, but I just had to!

Quote
This is a tale about a tail...

Not the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, by any chance? I don't know who wrote it... Mrs. Wow says it's Potter (and not Dennis)

nutkin · « **Reply #24 on:** 06 February, 2011, 08:25:10 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 06 February, 2011, 08:23:07 pm

Quote from: nutkin on 06 February, 2011, 08:21:19 pm
Hmmm.... ok. Not difficult, but I just had to!

Quote
This is a tale about a tail...

Not the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, by any chance? I don't know who wrote it... Mrs. Wow says it's Potter (and not Dennis)

Mrs Wow is (as always) right!

Author Topic: First line of novels quiz (Read 24583 times)

gordon taylor

spindrift