First Line Game Chapter 7

It was suggested that a new thread be started, as the other one is almost 200 posts long. I hope I'm not out of line in doing this, since I don't "own" the game. If I am just slap me and put me in place. :-D

So here's my First Line:

Holly Held the blue cotton sweater to her face and the familiar smell immediately struck her, an overwhelming grief knotting her stomach and pulling at her heart.

I've been lurking, so I hope it's ok to jump in since I think I know the answer. Is it P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern?

Yup, that'd be the book. ;-D Your turn virgiahomeschooler.

Yay. Ok, here's mine.

From the Preface (because ch. one's first line is a tad vague): "In the summer of 1967, when I was ten years old, my father caved in to my persistent pleas and took me to get my own dog."

Chapter 1: "We were young."

Just a guess, so I can see this thread in 'Your Posts' and not have to search through endless unread posts to find it.

Old Yeller by Fred Gipson?

eta: Heh, I googled it and Old Yeller was written in 1956. I'm off by a few years :o)

Nope, not Old Yeller.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed by Alan Alda?

Nevermind...couldn't be. He was born in '36.

No, not that either. Though, I guess since it's been a while it's ok to tell that you're on sort of the right track genre-wise.

I know it's not Urban Dog by Will Cohu but I have a feeling it's along those 'me and my dog' lines.

There's been one released not so long ago and can I remember the title of it? No. I bet Booksloth's read it though.

Oh, Jody! You know me so well! It's Marley and Me - heart-warming, heart-breaking, beautiful Marley!

I did just check mine and I know that's right so I'll be back with a post in a sec but I've just been reminded that I already owe one elsewhere too!

Something in the back of my head tells me I may have done this one before. I've checked back and can't find it anywhere but I'll just say - if I have done it before then this is a test to see if you were listening. Here it is -

" Beyond the Indian hamlet, upon a forlorn strand, I happened upon a trail of recent footprints."

I think I've seen you do this before but I can't remember what it was. The worst thing is I ought to know it because I think I've read it.

I knew you'd know the other line.

I'm now getting the feeling that you knew it the last time too! At least I have the excuse of being very nearly senile - you shouldn't be there yet! And thanks for the tip-off!

If you had met my family you would know I have a good excuse for being very nearly senile.

We get forgetful young in our family. On the bright side, this forgetting of details in books means we can happily reread something for the fourth or fifth time and still be surprised by it.

Well, at least you get a cookie for recognising it from the first time, which is more than anyone else has so far!

I keep wanting to say The Song of Hiawatha by Longfellow but I know it's wrong.

It's really annoying me now, I know I know it, I just can't think of it. It's like an unscratchable itch in my messy brain. HA! Just had a vision of a far side cartoon that ought to exist, someone shouting at a young Einstien type child to go tidy his brain.

You might have noticed I am having an odd day.

It's not Hiawatha, but then you already knew that!

We have done that one, and it's Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

This one's probably fairly easy, but I like it and am going to use it anyways:

"The morning after noted child prodigy Colin Singleton graduated from high school and got dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine, he took a bath."

Don't know that one but it sounds good. Looking forward to finding out the answer.

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

edited to add: And it was good.

Since I'm sure that's it, I hope it's ok to go ahead and post the next one...

"Early this morning, 1 January 2021, three minutes after midnight, the last human being to be born on earth was killed in a pub brawl in a suburb of Buenos Aires, aged twenty-five years, two months and twelve days."

I tried to check, and I don't think this one's been done.

Children of Men by P. D. James. I'm fairly certain it's this, but not enough to go on without affirmation. :-p

Yep, that's it!

aw dang I knew that one! koolaidmom is too fast for me. I will now stalk the thread for the next line.. :)

I can't believe I forgot Cloud Atlas. I wish I had read An Abundance of Katherine's, it's going on my wishlist right now. And I would have known Children of Men straight away too so now I have to start stalking the thread.

Glad to see this thread alive and kicking again :)

Bad thing is, I've never read Children of Men, just seen the movie. The movie starts out with the same line. :-p

Here's my first line:

It was a pleasure to burn.

It sounds like it should be something said by Trashcan Man from The Stand but that's not how it starts.

Fahrenheit 451? I read it a while ago, but I think I remember it starting out with a sentence like that.

Thalia you got it :) too fast again!

Jodyreadseverything: I hadn't thought about that, but now that you mention it it does sound like something Trashcan would say... lol

but, Thalia is correct. It's Farenheit 451. I almost put the second line in, thinking that one line wouldn't be enough. Guess it was ;-)

Ooh. I knew the last two as well. Just too darn slow. And I even got the reference to Trashcan Man since I just finished reading The Stand. I'd be on a roll if I actually answered these :o)
Eagerly awaiting your line Thalia!

Sorry, had to go to bed ;-)

Here's the next line:

Time is not a line but a dimension, like the dimensions of space.

A Brief History of Time? Just a guess. Not pretending I read it.

Nope. I actually haven't read the book I'm quoting either, but I like the first sentence and I plan on reading it soon.

My son has nearly finished A Brief History! I just needed to tell someone that! I'm so proud!

Is this Margaret Atwood? Cats Eye.

Jody got it I think!

Yes, Jody got it! Your turn.

Thank you. Here is my line:

"It is freezing, an extraordinary -18°C, and it's snowing, and in the language which is no longer mine, the snow is qanik - big almost weightless crystals falling in stacks and covering the ground with a layer of pulverised white frost."

I have no clue, but it sounds very intriguing. I love everything with ice and snow in it.

Smilla's Sense of Snow by Peter Hoeg. Good book.

It is and it is.

Well done Jolene. Your go.

Ch. 1
"I knew it would begin with the end, and the end would look like death to these eyes."

(Let's see who's reading recent releases....)

The Host! saw it in borders, creepy cover too.

Heres mine:

"I shall now do a little ventriloquism of my own."

Nice job dancingstarfish. The Host is REALLY good so far! I'm about half-way through.

I have no idea bout yours, though. It sounds very familiar.

gosh darn it... that sounds like one I've recently read... Or it's on my TBR pile, one of the two. I know that line... grrrr

</i>ooo its good? damn, ok maybe I will buy it. I'm trying not too because I have so many already!

my book is fairly recent, it was a new release in 2007.

I think someone may have forgotten to close their italics....i don't know if this will fix it, I can but try. Did that work?

Apparently not. Either koolaidmom will Have to fix hers or someone with more html knowledge will have to come along and close them off

I think it worked dream!

'Tweren't me... I checked... :-p But ya closed it anyway.

I have no clue on this one.

I am a bit confused........are we waiting for another clue?

"I shall now do a little ventriloquism of my own."

Magic? by George? The Lost Memoirs of Charlie McCarthy???

I'm pretty sure you're right with by George, extrajoker. Maybe we can get someone to verify that for sure?

Wesley Stace's website says that extrajoker is correct. http://www.wesleystace.com/bygeorge.html
There is an excerpt of Chapter 1 and sure enough the first line is "I shall now do a little ventriloquism of my own."

I think it's safe to say it's extrajoker's turn to post...

it is extrajoker's turn, by george was correct. :) sorry guys! work kicked my ass this week, no time for LT. take it away joker!

*shocked and disgusted* So what your saying, dancingstarfish, is that work is more important than your friends here at LT? You seriously need to rethink your priorities! *storms off in a huff*

Wow -- I got one!

I haven't actually read it yet, but it's on my "books to buy" list (since I enjoyed Stace's Misfortune so much).

I'm off to find a good first line....

Okay, here's one of my favorites:

"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."

I have no idea, but I totally read that as "the cheeses we make". Guess it's time for a snack, eh?

61> LOL

Oooo...I don't think I know this one. But I'm definitely intrigued!!

Is it from a humor piece by Woody Allen?

:-)

Haha! No, I'm afraid not.

I'll take a stab at it.........The Count of Monte Cristo ?

Nope.

oh! I think I read this on another thread recently but I can't think of the title. It has to do with Prometheus, no? Am I on the right track?

Sorry, no. (Prometheus was chained to a rock, I think.)

Hmmm... I know I read this somewhere recently. Think..think think think.

>58 thekoolaidmom: hahaha.. of course not koolaidmom! My apologies, I meant that regardless of how much i adore and am completely devoted to LT and my friends here, my work doesn't always let me come play :)

*offers homemade cookies to everyone as peace offering*

LOL

*eats a cookie while confessing*

I couldn't help but look up this title (because I was so intrigued...). So I guess I'm out of this round. I don't know that I would actually like the book. It seems thought provoking, though.

Is it Dust by Elizabeth Bear?

Uh - wah? There were cookies? I wasn't here? Any left?

I think dancingstarfish made enough for everyone. They're homemade, too!!!! LOL

Nope, not Dust.

of course Booksloth, there are always cookies for you! and yes.. they must be homemade, that break and bake crap is no good!

I cheated and googled the line too because it sounded interesting, so i'm out but happily baking cookies for all those who are hungry while they think... :)

*oooooh cookies!* Are they Oatmeal Raisin? (That's my favorite :-D )

This first line is really cool, and it sounds like a book on my BM wishlist, but I can't think of the name of it.... I'll have to go look...

edit after looking: Is it Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts?

yes koolaidmom it is!

your turn :) *hands you oatmeal raisin cookies as prize*

Ooh, that's on my TBR pile! Better move it up a notch or two.
BTW thanks for the cookie - you are a great cookie-baker, Star!

Yay! I'm glad I didn't kill this thread. :)

*crunches oatmeal raisin cookie... brushes the crumbs off the keyboard...*

Okay, here's my first line:

"I warn you that what you're starting to read is full of loose ends and unanswered questions."

heres a message of my firstline in the book that Im reading:

Once on a dark winter's day,when the yellow fog hung so thick and heavy in the streets of London that the lamps were lighted and the shop windows blazed with gas as they do at night,an odd-looking little girl sat in a cab with her father and was driven rather slowly through the big thoroughfares.

haha funny face i love it how did you do it I really want to know

I know it! I know it! At least, I think I know it. Is it The Invasion of the Body Snatchers by (thanks touchstones) Jack Finney?

I just googled it to make sure and you are right Booksloth.

Booksloth, you are correct... I recently watched the Kidman-Craig movie, "Invasion," which is a modernaized version of this book... Though, after reading the book description of The Host, it sounds like The Host is based on the movie, Invasion...

Your go, Booksloth!

I just finished this book tonight!! It was SO amazing. I suppose it has similarities to Invasion but I put it more on the level of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World or Lois Lowry's The Giver.

It's amusing that The Host has shown up twice in the same thread... I used the quote from Ch. 1 earlier...lol!

Sorry I made you all wait - have been out all day. Anyway . . . .

"There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills."

Umm....
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton???

Crikey! Too darn quick, Jolene! At least pretend you don't know it for a while! All yours then.

LOL...sorry Booksloth. (Actually, that's a book that I didn't finish.)

Here we go, from the Prologue:

"The Summer King knelt before her."

The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge?

Is it Wicked Lovely?

I hath googled! Yes, hemlokgang, it is Wicked Lovely.

You got it hemlokgang...your turn.

I am feeling a little like Goldilocks, not wanting to make it too easy or too hard:)

"I am what they call in our village 'one who has not yet died' - a widow, eighty-eight years old."

I know this one. I've got it. now I have to try and remember what it's called!

No, no, NO!! I've just walked round all my bookshelves, discounting the ones I know it definitely ISN'T and checking the ones I thought it might be. I can't find it! It's going to drive me crazy. I'm absolutely certain I read it not very long ago. Please help me out here hemlokgang - have I got it or am I going crazy?

I'm gonna guess it's a foreign book (as far where it takes place.) an asian or african one...

OK, Booksloth...I checked, and you have it!

thekooaidmom...........on the right track!

Off to bed now, will check in the am. Sleep well, all.

Grrrrr,nghghghghg! Still can't find it. Which leads me to believe it's in my list but has been sold or given to charity. It's not The God of Small Things, is it?

Heat and Dust?

You don't really want me to turn out every single book I own, do you?

Not Heat and Dust..................

Hint: Closing line - "Please hear my words. Please forgive me."

And you've got it too?

The Alchemy of Desire?

Hear that? Go on, listen harder . . . .Hear it now? It's the sound of despair; the sound of me sobbing slightly hysterically into a cushion. The lower, rhythmic noises are the sound of me banging my head repeatedly on the floor. I've just looked right through my entire catalogue and I've come to the conclusion that the book doesn't actually exist. You, hemlokgang, clearly made the whole thing up then somehow managed to hypnotise me, through the magic of the interweb, into believing I had read it. It's a dirty trick, if you ask me.
Oh, pleeeease - one more eentsy-weentsy clue.

I just googled it because I don't know it and it's not any of the ones that you guessed so far. You have got it in your catalogue though Booksloth.

I've checked all my asian TBR books, and have found it:Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

My first line:

There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever.

I totally agree with this, btw, and I can think of at least three in mine. :-p

You got it thekoolaidmom! Take it away!

Please stop sobbing Booksloth.........I would have given you that extra clue, but I had to go out and mow the lawn.

Don't you come creeping around me with your 'please stop sobbing', you! I don't have the book any more but I must say I barely even noticed it in my catalogue. I was sure it was something Chinese too. Any chance of a consolation cookie here?

I don't know koolaidmom's but I've definitely met those men.

BTw - Hemlok - haven't we got some great books in common? Just added you to my 'interestings'.

Offering you a warm oatmeal chocolatechip cookie just out of the oven, still gooey on the inside!
Forgiven?

Are you kidding? Not just forgiven - I will even adopt you for one of those!

Don't have any cookies, but I do have a bag of Krispy Kreme Mini Crullers and coffee.

See, Booksloth.....you are being wooed!

Yes, we do share some wonderful books!

Ooh, I like being wooed. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Are we too busy being wooed to guess?

Janet Evanovich's One For the Money

I've got a few...

JoleneConnelly is correct!

Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite authors :-D

Queen Jolene... you're up!

Thanks koolaidmom.

Let's see...
*runs through the stacks*
Hmm...let's go with something new.

Chapter 1:
"When I opened my eyes I knew that nothing in my miserable life prior to that moment could possibly be as bad as what was about to happen."

I definitely don't know that one, but I can't wait until someone guesses it--sounds really interesting :)

She's Come Undone?

nope. (I actually haven't started reading it yet.)

It's one of the ones that are next up on my list.

I think I know this one...........it's on the tip of my tongue.............

lol

It's got to make it's way to the tips of your fingers.

The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins..

I love the name Higgins, always makes me want to sing My Fair Lady.

that's it dancingstarfish..
It was The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins. I can't wait to dig into it!

Looks like it's your turn!
Just you wait 'enry 'iggins, just you wait!

#126 - Same here, the bit where the servants sing "poor Professor Higgins."

It also always then makes me think of Bilbo Baggins.

hahaha because of the ggins?

I shall search for a book.. brb

"This is going to be a horror story."

Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America?

#129 - It is because of the ggins but also because Henry and Bilbo seem to have a similar characters. They like their comforts and their studies and sitting in front of the fire. I can picture them together chatting quite happily while taking tea.

I don't think I know your line but it sounds good.

extrajoker...it's either that or Is Our Children Learning?: the case against George W. Bush by Paul Begala

LOL

LOL ... sounds extremely appropriate, but no!

more guesses? :)

That, my friends, is Amulet by Roberto Bulano(?) - 'cos I picked it up in a bookshop only the other day. In fact, I thought I'd bought it, but when I got home and went through my pile of new books, I discovered that I must have put it down again. Stupid! Next time I'm definitely getting it 'cos it looks great!

(I'm 99% sure but need someone to confirm as I don't have my own copy to check.)

You're right, Booksloth. I checked, and it is Amulet.

Dang! And I was so certain I was right! ;)

Fantastic! Just finish this phone call then I'll be back with another.

"When we looked upwards we saw beneath us a sky of rosebushes, gravel paths, equipment and thick, healthy, but slightly too-dry grass."

No guess, but what an intriguing opening line!

aw good guess!

#142 I've now ordered Amulet - so thanks for the reminder Star! I think this guy is the very author I've been looking for for a while.

ETA - Come on - nobody going to guess mine?

It's really pretty, but not even vaguely familiar.

Hint?

Okay. First I'll admit that I have abandoned my usual rule of 1,000+ owners as nobody else seems to be using it, so this one is a bit more obscure than usual. Still, it's a great book so I'm hoping someone out there will know it.

It's a dark (very dark) coming of age novel by a living British author. There will be more and bigger clues later but a few guesses wouldn't hurt.

It's deadkidsongs by Toby Litt, isn't it? And it is indeed dark.

My suggestion is from my current read:

'High in the Australian Alps a little stream, just born, moves invisibly beneath the snow, or can be glimpsed through a blue-shadowed hole between the melting snow-bridges.'

Good luck!

It sure is! I love that book!

hmm...can we get a hint?

I'm going to guess Heidi by Johanna Spyri. It's been a looonng, long time since I read it but it's worth a try.

ETA - except it says Australian Alps, so it's not. I need to read things more carefully.

The Secret River?

150 - Heheh, I read Austrian Alps first time through as well.
No guess to what the quote is though.

Me three! I didn't even know Australia had Alps.

How about The Thorn Birds, for the sake of a completely random guess?

We do (have alps that is) but they're not very alp-y. They're basically just small mountains pretending to be alps and hoping no one will notice.

My guess would also have been the Secret River but Booksloth got there first. I'm in suspense as to whether it's right or not.

Sorry, no luck just yet!

As for a hint, it was published in the 1950s and filmed in the 1980s.

Any help?

Was it that thing Kylie Minogue was in? The Desperations or The Delinquents or something?

Oooh! Or Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - I don't know if that's a book but I loved that film. Was that later than the 80's though?

No, it's not a Kylie vehicle, nor is it Priscilla. Thanks for bringing The Delinquents to mind though, I haven't thought about that film in years.

I loved Priscilla too!

Is this a children's book?

No, and although I'm loath to be prescriptive, it's hard to picture it being enjoyed by a child.

Is it the Harp In The South?

Or The Silver Brumby? Though that one is a kids book....

Neither of those, I'm afraid, though in terms of genre The Harp in the South is on the right track.

I have no idea but I'm going to guess Walkabout by James Vance Marshall.

163 - Oh! You just reminded me, I have read one other book about Australia (not that I can now remember much about it). I know it's not In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. How about Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan?

Well, we were force-fed Walkabout while in secondary school. Reproducing it verbatim for three years meant that I shall never quote from it again, so sorry, no luck there.

And I have never heard of Mutant message down under, but am intrigued by the title.

I read Mutant Message Down Under after spending a year in Oz, and I remember it being interesting for that reason. Not gripping, but interesting. Unfortunately, that's all I remember :op

So - any chance of a clue?

Yes! Clue!

Okay!

The (female) protagonist shares her name with a U.S. city. Both begin with P.

So she's called Phoenix?

Nope, a couple of hundred miles north, several hundred more east and you're nearly there!

Pitsburgh? Pughkipsie? Philadelphia? Pucksatawny?

*apologies for poor spelling and geography (and possibly for making places up completely)*

Puebla? Portland? Providence?

Good guessing. Philadelphia it is!

Well, now I know for sure I don't know it! In fact, I knew that already, so why was I trying so hard?

If no-one has an objection, I might post the title of the book later. I'm off to Croatia tomorrow and have no desire to hold the game up while I'm off exploring.

Can we get another clue? Or you could private message someone the title to keep the game going...

Have fun in Croatia, regardless!

Of course you can have another clue!

The title consists of four words and a particular form of water travel is a major player in the book.

Good luck!

I hope I'm not spoiling anyone's fun, but in the interests of keeping it all on the move, I'll post the title for my first line.

It's from All the Rivers Run by Nancy Cato. Despite my best efforts to finish it before I leave, this big Australian saga will be in my hand luggage on my way to Croatia.

So is anyone going to post a new one? I'll do it if no-one else wants to.

New thread at:

http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=37848

Thanks for that fyrefly!