I’m not big on memes, for the most part, but this one intrigued me. Perhaps it’s simply because of my deep love of books; perhaps it’s because I’ve spent so much time lately considering what makes a good first line, a line that grabs you by the short hairs and compels you to read the rest of the book. Whatever it is, I had to borrow this tougher-than-it-looks quiz from Amy.
The rules:
1. Pick 10 of your favorite books.
2. Post the first sentence of each book. (If one sentence seems too short, post two or three!)
3. Let everyone try to guess the titles and authors of your books! (I'll take guesses in the comments.)
Choosing ten favorite books? Well, not so easy. The trick actually proved to be finding them on my shelves. I mean, where is my copy of Sula? I have no idea. You get a pass on Sula. Some of my favorites are not here, but I definitely love all of these. (Hint: As you can see in the photo, my tastes are all over the place.) And since number six is pretty much a giveaway, I’ve added one more...
1) The North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance agent promised to fly from Mercy to the other side of Lake Superior at three o’clock.
2) It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.
3) There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.
4) When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.
5) My journal is a private affair, but as I cannot know the time of my coming death, and since I am not disposed, however unfortunately, to the serious consideration of self-termination, I am afraid that others will see these pages.
6) Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again.
7) What was the worst thing you’ve ever done? I won’t tell you that, but I’ll tell you the worst thing that ever happened to me...the most dreadful thing...
8) “Next year at this time, I want carpenters working on our house,” Mama said.
9) It’s a new elevator, freshly pressed to the rails, and it’s not built to fall this fast.
10) Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago.
11) Almost everyone thought the man and the boy were father and son.
I didn't even get Jane Eyre, only Rebecca.
Do you really sort your books by color? Does it work out for you?
Posted by: Carrie K | May 08, 2009 at 05:13 PM
1. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.
2. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
7. Ghost Story by Peter Straub
9 The Heart of the Matter by Grahame Greene
10. A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
11: The Road by Cormac McCarthy (I hated this book BTW because the mother kills herself.
Posted by: Janet | May 06, 2009 at 11:07 AM
I remembered none of those sentences! Upon research, however, I discovered that I had read 1,2,3,4,6,7 and 11!
Posted by: Guinifer | May 05, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Hah! I haven't a clue... though I've probably read at least some of them... definitely if your other commenters are correct! You know, in one eye and out the other...
Posted by: lisa | May 05, 2009 at 06:42 PM
4. To Kill a Mockingbird: I just read it for the first time EVER last summer!
11. The Road: Had a deep, lasting impact on me, still does.
No one would like the books I have, much less know them I fear!
Posted by: deb | May 05, 2009 at 04:52 PM
I have absolutely no guesses...
but I have to say, I've never seen books arranged so prettily! The color!
Posted by: Kelly | May 05, 2009 at 04:39 PM
Boy, I thought I would do better than this:
2. love in the time of cholera - garcia marquez
3. Jane Eyre Ch Bronte
4.To Kill a Mockingbird harper lee
6. Rebecca Daphne Du Maurier
10: A Christmas Memory Truman Capote one my FAVORITES
Posted by: marylou | May 05, 2009 at 03:03 PM
Somehow I managed only
4 - To Kill a Mockingbird (I do love that book)
6 - Rebecca
Some sound familiar but I am not feeling too terribly sure of myself to guess.
Posted by: cursingmama | May 05, 2009 at 01:56 PM
I love this meme, even though I suck at guessing. Here goes:
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (?) (I guessed that over at Amy's, too -- maybe this time I'll be right)
6. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
11. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Several of your first lines sound familiar - 2, 3, 5, and 7, but I have no guesses for them.
Posted by: kmkat | May 05, 2009 at 12:23 PM
sadly, I can only get the 2 obvious ones:
#3, Jane Eyre, by that uber-brilliant Bronte, Charlotte
#6, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
It is an interesting exercise. I was going to post the first line of Anne of Green Gables, but lordy, talk about a run-on sentence!
Posted by: Amy | May 05, 2009 at 09:42 AM