10 books with the most recognizable first lines.
The opening line of a book is critical. It can make or break the story, sell or sway the reader. Many writers say it is the most important writing your entire book can have. If you’re in need of inspiration, here are some of the most recognizable opening lines in literary history.
1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
2. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
“All this happened, more or less.”
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
“It was a pleasure to burn.”
4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
“The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.”
5. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board.”
6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.”
7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
8. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
“Call me Ishmael.”
9. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
“I am a sick man, I am a spiteful man, I am an unattractive man.”
10. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
“You better not never tell nobody but God.”
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Migz
Carley Bishop
Carley is an editorial lifestyle writer and aspiring novelist. She is based in North Carolina where she resides with her husband and their puppy, Daisy, and is a proud graduate of University of South Carolina. Carley is a lifelong bookworm who enjoys reading everything from the classics to modern romances. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys traveling, getting outside and trying new recipes at home.
