most beautiful novel opening

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I'm reading it now too!

Laura
-----Original Message-----
>From: Robert Mahnke <robert_mahnke at earthlink.net>

>
>I like the first paragraph of the book I'm reading right now:
>
>Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but k!
> new it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.