Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate, just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do or do not like this sentence.
Here's mine from Death Is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury:
"Venice, California, in the old days had much to recommend it to people who liked to be sad."
I'm not sure exactly whether I like the first sentence. It does bring the reader in and make you start asking questions. The question right away for me was "Is the narrator sad? Did s/he come here to be sad? Is this story about the sadness of death?"
I do like so many of Bradbury's sentences, though. I particularly like this one from page two: "I became aware of him finally because of him swaying, swaying, standing there behind me for a long time, as if undecided because there were forty empty seats and late at night is hard with so much emptiness to decide which one to take."
Mystery Lover...but overall a very eclectic reader. Will read everything from the classics to historical fiction. Biography to essays. Not into horror or much into YA. If you would like me to review a book, then please see my stated review policy BEFORE emailing me. Please Note: This is a book blog. It is not a platform for advertising. Please do NOT contact me to ask that I promote your NON-book websites or products. Thank you.
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Thursday, August 26, 2010
8 comments:
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Sounds familiar but I don't remember reading the specific Bradbury book.
ReplyDeleteMy beginning is from The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.
I think any opening line that invites questions is a good one.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
I'm with Cat. I think that any opening line that reels you in, piking your interest so you're saying: hmm what's going on here? Is a good start to a novel.
ReplyDeleteWonderful opening lines..
ReplyDeleteHere is my post!
I find it to be a bit disjointed, but then I suppose that's the point.
ReplyDeleteI like that we know, immediately, where the story is set...it conjures up images of the place. When we read that it's for "people who like to be sad," I get the feeling that maybe this is a place to go to "lick your wounds."
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Here's mine:
http://laurelrainsnowswonderland.wordpress.com/2010/08/27/friday-memes-56-and-book-beginnings-2/
I liek the opener, but I really like the other line you shared. I've never read anything of his. Here's my BB.
ReplyDeleteI like the tone that it sets. Hope you enjoy it
ReplyDelete