Top Ten Books with the Best Opening Lines

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. - fruitslicer2000

Call me Ishmael. - fruitslicer2000

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. - fruitslicer2000

Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed. - fruitslicer2000

Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing. - fruitslicer2000

Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. - fruitslicer2000

A screaming comes across the sky. - fruitslicer2000

You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino's new novel, If on a winter's night a traveler. - fruitslicer2000

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. - fruitslicer2000