Good first lines

[Krafft, John M.]

The latest list is semi-interesting, but it disappoints, as all such lists must, by what it omits. Every time this topic has come up here, I've been tempted to post one of my own favorites, so here goes:

I have often thought that with any luck at all I could have been born a werewolf, because the two middle fingers on both my hands are the same length, but I have had to be content with what I had. I dislike washing myself, and dogs, and noise. --Shirley Jackson, _We Have Always Lived in the Castle_ (1962)

OK, it isn't just one sentence (I couldn't resist going on a bit more), and it isn't actually quite first, but it's close enough (third, if you must know).

John



--

John M. Krafft / English
Miami University–Hamilton / 1601 University Blvd. / Hamilton, OH 45011-3399
Tel: 513.785.3031 or 513.868.2330
Fax: 513.785.3145
E-mail: krafftjm at muohio.edu
WWW: http://www.ham.muohio.edu/~krafftjm or http://PynchonNotes.org