ATD: first sentence WAS: Atd : page 542---starts on page 524.Big Ass Spo...

[MalignD at aol.com]

<< The first sentence may be the most important in any novel, because if the 
reader doesn't finish it and move on, no way she's reading the book. >>

While this is undoubtedly true in theory, one might wonder how many people 
toss a book across the room after one sentence.

I know of only one such instance (which of course suggests there may be 
others and so I may be arguing against myself; however ...) and that was a friend 
of mine in college who was assigned Giants in the Earth by O. E. Rolvaag and 
(it might not actually be the first sentence, but on the first page) read (and I 
think this is correct, in translation) "'Tish-a,' said the wind.  'Tish-a, 
tish-a,'" and wouldn't read another line.