The First Lines meme

[lls_mutant]

This looked like a fun little meme, gakked from marauderthesn.

1. Choose ten of your all time favorite books.
2. Take the first sentence of the first chapter and make a list in your journal.
3. Don't reveal the author or the title of the book.
4. Now everyone try and guess

I think some of these are ridiculously easy (like, oh, number 2, perhaps? Or number 10 for this crew?), but some of them should be a nice little challenge. Of course, the list changes rather daily, except for number 1, but I think it's a good list anyway. Also, even though I ADORE certain authors, I only put one book by each of my favorite authors on the list.

So, in no particular order (except for number 1)...

1.) “Who is John Galt?” Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Guessed by ignipes

2.) Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were. -Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (yeah, that one was impossibly easy), guessed by froda_baggins

3.) "Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug. -Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, guessed by froda_baggins

4.) When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. -To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, guessed by froda_baggins

5.) This is my favorite book in all the world, though I have never read it. The Princess Bride by William Goldman, guessed by ignipes

6.) Ria's mother had always been very fond of film stars. It was a matter of sadness to her that Clark Gable had died on the day that Ria was born. Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, guessed by katilara

7.) "I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's one. Or at least as close as we're going to get." Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, guessed by happyreaper and midnitemaraud_r

8.) I will not drink more than fourteen alcohol unit a week. -Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, guessed by froda_baggins

9.) The Sun rose slowly, as if it wasn't sure it was worth the effort. -The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett, guessed by cloudlessnights

10.) The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there. -Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which is my favorite despite the lack of Lupin!) by J.K Rowling, guessed by froda_baggins

And after exploring a little....



gakked from ignipes

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
This is embarrassing, but I've never READ Fahrenheit 451. But making the assumption it's a book that must be saved from people burning it... Atlas Shrugged. In a heartbeat.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character? Who?

Well, both Remus and Sirius, of course. But let's go for the less obvious.

Rhett Butler. (SO much less obvious.) Johnny in The Outsiders. F'nor in the Dragonriders of Pern series. I'm adoring Will Parry in His Dark Materials, but given the age I wouldn't call that a crush.

Hank Rearden. Generally I don't crush on Ayn Rand characters, as I find them to be remote and too entrenched in her ideals. But I loved Hank Rearden.

The last book you bought is:
Three at once: The Princess Diaries V by Meg Cabot, The Amber Spyglass by Phil Pullman, and What to Expect when You're Expecting :):):)

The last book you read:
The Princess Diaries V by Meg Cabot at home, and The Subtle Knife by Phil Pullman at work.

What are you currently reading?
The Amber Spyglass. Detecting a trend here?

Five books you would take to a deserted island:
1.) Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. If I've already read two copies into rags and not gotten sick of it, why should I think I would EVER get sick of it?

2.) The entire Harry Potter series, bound into one book. HAH! I cheat.

3.) Lord of the Rings, because then maybe I'd actually get through it. God, but Tolkien is DRY!

4.) The Bible. See above.

5.) "Surviving on a Desert Island for Dummies."


Five “Hidden Treasures” books (books you like but no one else has ever heard of):
Hmmm. Most of mine are pretty common, so we'll see what I can come up with.

1.) The Chocolate War and Beyond the Chocolate War. Yes, they're pretty well-known, but not so much these days, I think. These were so compelling and such sad reads, and what really got me into drama in the first place. Plus, the group mentality is just terrifying.

2.) The Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy. So, Maeve Binchy is pretty well known, but no one I hang out with ever seems to have heard of her. The Scarlet Feather is my favorite of her books. It doesn't follow a few of her more predictable patterns, the issues are realistic and interesting, I love the structure of the book, and any book that talks a lot about food always interests me.

3.) Can't Buy Me Love by Chris Kenry. A story about two gay guys who, in order to pay off some debt, start a prostitution ring. It's absolutely hysterical, especially as the main character tries to keep it all very legal.


Most embarrassing books you like:
Hmmm. What am I embarressed by? Not much, to be honest. I suppose I should be embarrassed that I ADORE the Princess Diaries, but really? How many books are there with a strong, funny, articulate heroine for 15 year old girls? Heck with societal expectations- I love my Princess Diaries!

Book everyone likes that you hate:
Oh, so easy. LORD OF THE RINGS. I mean, I adore Tolkien for what he did for my all-time favorite drama. I appreciate the plot. BUT THE MAN'S WRITING IS DRY. VERY DRY. UGH! I read it in 5th grade (all I remembered was Gollum) and tried to read it again as an adult and just. couldn't. do. it.

I also hated The Devil Wears Prada, even though the chicklit circles were cavelling over it. The heroine annoyed me to no end. Give me Meg Cabot any day!

A “Wow, you actually READ that?” book:
Godel, Escher, and Bach. It's about systems in Math, art, and music. Very interesting.

Book you want to read really badly but somehow never get around to:
Fatherland. My husband even has a copy somewhere and says it's good, but I have yet to read it.

Book that makes you cry:
I cry every single time in Atlas Shrugged when Tony dies. I also always cry when I read Little Women, and at the end of Prisoner of Azkaban when Dumbledore says "those that love us never really leave us."

Book that makes you laugh:
The witches series by Terry Pratchett. Especially when Nanny Ogg and Casanunda are involved!

Non self-help book that nonetheless taught you a lot:
Atlas Shrugged. Look, there's a reason it's my favorite book of all time, okay?

Books you didn't get then but get now:
1.) Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander
2.) Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery


Book you know you’ll just never get:
Anything by John Steinbach. This man was considered a genius WHY?

Personal favorite book-to-movie adaptation:
Lord of the Rings. See, there IS value to Tolkien. The movies remove everything I hate about his writing.

Worst book-to-movie adaptation:
The Princess Diaries was definitely up there, because well over half the movie never happened in the book.

DREAM book-to-movie adaptation:
I have high hopes for the Narnia series.

Favorite book when you were ten:
Probably something from Lloyd Alexander's Black Cauldron series, except for Taran Wanderer, which is now my favorite but then was my least.

Favorite book when you were fifteen:
I read the Fountainhead when I was 15, so that was probably near the top of my list.

Favorite book freshman year college:
I really, really just don't remember.

Do you still like these?
Yes.

At least one book that made you who you are today:
Aside from Atlas Shrugged? Probably Lloyd Alexander's work, because that was what made me want to write.

What book do you want to read next?
I have a copy of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell waiting for me to finish with His Dark Materials.