wellinghall: (Old keeper)
wellinghall ([personal profile] wellinghall) wrote2009-01-11 04:16 pm
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First lines of books meme

1. The eyes behind the wide black rubber goggles were cold as flint.

2. My suffering left me sad and gloomy.

3. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn. The Portrait of Dorian Grey; Oscar Wilde [livejournal.com profile] wemyss

4. The blessed and ever glorious Virgin Mary, sprung from the royal race and family of David, was born in the city of Nazareth, and educated at Jerusalem, in the temple of the Lord.

5. The great bell of Beaulieu was ringing. The White Company; Arthur Conan Doyle [livejournal.com profile] wemyss

6. Imagine that you have to break someone's arm. The Gun Seller; Hugh Laurie [livejournal.com profile] tree_and_leaf

7. The architecture of ancient Egypt has much to commend it - size, dignity and durability - but nevertheless it must be admitted that it is a trifle monotonous.

8. Not since the Lord himself showed his stuff to Ezekial in the valley of dry bones had anyone shown such grace and skill in the reconstruction of animals from disarticulated skeletons.

9. After having been twice driven back by heavy south-western gales, Her Majesty's ship XXX, a ten-gun brig, under the command of Captain Fitz Roy, R.N., sailed from Devonport on the 27th of December, 1831.

10. On a bright autumn day, as long ago as the year 943, there was a great bustle in the Castle of Bayeux in Normandy.

NB These are the first lines of the books proper; I exclude all forwards, prefaces, introductions &c.

[identity profile] helflaed.livejournal.com 2009-01-12 08:17 am (UTC)(link)
Gotcha! Fitz Roy was the Captain of the XXX and he also had a young naturalist and budding meterologist on board...

But I haven't read the book, so can't identify it.

[identity profile] helflaed.livejournal.com 2009-01-12 08:18 am (UTC)(link)
ETA - Fitz Roy- of shipping forecast fame that is.

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2009-01-12 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
I didn't know it was the same one.

[identity profile] helflaed.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 08:33 am (UTC)(link)
I only knew because I read "Attention All Shipping- A journey round the shipping forecast" by Charlie Connelly recently.

Just imagine if that ship had sunk- no Met Office, no Beaufort scale and no XXX.

[identity profile] rosathome.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:03 am (UTC)(link)
The one who should still be Finisterre? Huh.

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:05 am (UTC)(link)
That's the one ...

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2009-01-12 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, you're right so far as you go ...

[identity profile] rosathome.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:04 am (UTC)(link)
I had a vague memory so I cheated Googled. So now I know but don't want to say.

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:05 am (UTC)(link)
I'm confused now as to which one we're talking about!

[identity profile] rosathome.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:06 am (UTC)(link)
The one featuring Captain Fitz Roy.

[identity profile] wellinghall.livejournal.com 2009-01-13 09:07 am (UTC)(link)
Ah yes.