The guess the opening line of great novels game

[Goldstone1976]

"It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come to see me."

Wow! That's "Earthly Powers".

"The first place I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it."

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Read this for the first time a couple of months ago as part of a quest to broaden my literary experience & tick off a few more classic novels. Next up: The Great Gatsby

Now you're talking to yourself.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

Wow! That's "Earthly Powers". The breadth of reading on NSC is brilliant!

Read it years ago, and the opening line stayed with me. This is a great thread for recommendations as well; I'll be reading the The Unlimited Dream Company in due course.

 

[Goldstone1976]

"The timing of the start of it all was so unfootball"

No idea...

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

"Having placed in my mouth sufficient bread for three minutes' chewing, I withdrew my powers of sensual perception and retired into the privacy of my mind, my eyes and face assuming a vacant and preoccupied expression."

 

[Goldstone1976]

Read it years ago, and the opening line stayed with me. This is a great thread for recommendations as well; I'll be reading the The Unlimited Dream Company in due course.

Me too!

 

[Goldstone1976]

"Having placed in my mouth sufficient bread for three minutes' chewing, I withdrew my powers of sensual perception and retired into the privacy of my mind, my eyes and face assuming a vacant and preoccupied expression."

nope. clue?

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

nope. clue?

Irish writer, well known for his newspaper columns.

And feel free to give us a clue on yours

 

[Goldstone1976]

I disappeared on the night before my twelfth birthday.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Irish writer, well known for his newspaper columns.

And feel free to give us a clue on yours

Brian O'Nolan??

Neigh.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

Brian O'Nolan??

Neigh.

Yes, using a pseudonym. Black Beauty?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Marley was dead to begin with.

And

All children, except one, grow up.

I like both of these.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

Marley was dead to begin with.

And

All children, except one, grow up.

I like both of these.

Is the first one A Christmas Carol?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Is the first one A Christmas Carol?

Yep!

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yes, using a pseudonym. Black Beauty?

OK - Flann O'Brien. I haven't read any of his, so I'll plump for The third policeman.

Yep.

 

[Goldstone1976]

All children, except one, grow up.

Peter Pan.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

OK - Flann O'Brien. I haven't read any of his, so I'll plump for The third policeman.

Yep.

It is Flann O'Brien, but it isn't that one.

 

[Tarpon]

Marley was dead to begin with.

And

All children, except one, grow up.


I like both of these.

Is the second Peter Pan?

 

[Goldstone1976]

It is Flann O'Brien, but it isn't that one.

Then I'd be into Google, I'm afraid!

 

[Tarpon]

"The timing of the start of it all was so unfootball"

I'm taking liberties with the thread title somewhat...