Literature
This month, The Classics Club asks: What is your favorite opening sentence from a classic novel (and why?)
This is a tough question for me to answer because there are just too many great opening sentences to choose from! Through much pain-staking deliberation, I finally settled upon A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgress:
"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie and Dim and we sat in the Korova milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening."
The playful tone and unusual vernacular should immediately strike the reader. The use of slang (droogs, rassoodocks) can be understood through context but this opening sentence is so incongruous with the typical use of language found in English literary works that it has the mesmerizing effect to instantly captivate the reader. Why is the narrator speaking like this and what exactly is a Korova milkbar? By eschewing with lengthy explanations or purple prose, Burgress wastes no time and launches the reader directly into the story, which creates a strong sense of curiosity and fascination. I have yet to come across many opening sentences as unique and intriguing as this one that instantly hooks the reader.
Cheers.
- Friday Memes: Book Blogger Hop, Book Beginnings, Friday 56
This week sure went by fast didn't it? Daylight savings time certainly didn't help matters but it won't take much longer to fully adjust to the time change. Of course, the big literary news this week is the death of Terry Pratchett, who sadly...
- Book Beginnings On Friday: Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
I can't believe its Friday already. This week has gone by exceptionally fast but that means it is time for another Book Beginnings on Friday held by Rose City Reader. To participate, share the first line or two of the book you are currently...
- Book Beginnings: Herzog By Saul Bellow
This will be my first time participating in this meme hosted by Rose City Reader! The task is to share the first line or two from your current read and provide any first impressions. Sounds like fun! Here's mine: "If I am out of my mind, it's...
- Book Blogger Hop!
My apologies for being late for the Book Blogger Hop party because of stupid work, ugh. Crazy-For-Books hosts this wonderful weekly event on Fridays where other bloggers have the opportunity to connect with others who share a similar passion for literature....
- A Clockwork Orange By Anthony Burgess
"What's it going to be then, eh?" O, my brothers, I viddy that A Clockwork Orange is a real horror-show! Having seen the wonderful Kubrick film adaptation a few years ago and finally getting around to reading the actual novel now, I...
Literature
June Meme: Question #11
This month, The Classics Club asks: What is your favorite opening sentence from a classic novel (and why?)
This is a tough question for me to answer because there are just too many great opening sentences to choose from! Through much pain-staking deliberation, I finally settled upon A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgress:
"There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie and Dim and we sat in the Korova milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening."
The playful tone and unusual vernacular should immediately strike the reader. The use of slang (droogs, rassoodocks) can be understood through context but this opening sentence is so incongruous with the typical use of language found in English literary works that it has the mesmerizing effect to instantly captivate the reader. Why is the narrator speaking like this and what exactly is a Korova milkbar? By eschewing with lengthy explanations or purple prose, Burgress wastes no time and launches the reader directly into the story, which creates a strong sense of curiosity and fascination. I have yet to come across many opening sentences as unique and intriguing as this one that instantly hooks the reader.
Cheers.
- Friday Memes: Book Blogger Hop, Book Beginnings, Friday 56
This week sure went by fast didn't it? Daylight savings time certainly didn't help matters but it won't take much longer to fully adjust to the time change. Of course, the big literary news this week is the death of Terry Pratchett, who sadly...
- Book Beginnings On Friday: Memento Mori By Muriel Spark
I can't believe its Friday already. This week has gone by exceptionally fast but that means it is time for another Book Beginnings on Friday held by Rose City Reader. To participate, share the first line or two of the book you are currently...
- Book Beginnings: Herzog By Saul Bellow
This will be my first time participating in this meme hosted by Rose City Reader! The task is to share the first line or two from your current read and provide any first impressions. Sounds like fun! Here's mine: "If I am out of my mind, it's...
- Book Blogger Hop!
My apologies for being late for the Book Blogger Hop party because of stupid work, ugh. Crazy-For-Books hosts this wonderful weekly event on Fridays where other bloggers have the opportunity to connect with others who share a similar passion for literature....
- A Clockwork Orange By Anthony Burgess
"What's it going to be then, eh?" O, my brothers, I viddy that A Clockwork Orange is a real horror-show! Having seen the wonderful Kubrick film adaptation a few years ago and finally getting around to reading the actual novel now, I...