Friday Memes

I'm reading a book of short stories, so we'll see what I can do for my two Friday snippets.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme now sponsored by Rose City Reader (who originally inspired the meme). Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Gilion's place.

 

Here are the first few lines from "The Rival Ghosts" by Brander Matthews in Famous Ghost Stories edited by Bennett Cerf:

The good ship sped on her way across the calm Atlantic.  It was an outward passage, according to the little charts which the company had charily distributed, but most of the passengers were homeward bound, after a summer of rest and recreation.

[A rather mild beginning to a ghost story.....]

The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate. Just grab a book, any book, and turn to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs you and post it.


Here is a line on page 56  from "The Phantom Rickshaw" by Rudyard Kipling in Famous Ghost Stories edited by Bennett Cerf:

Speaking now as a condemned criminal might speak ere the drop-bolts are drawn, my story, wild and hideously improbable as it may appear, demands at least attention.