15 Vendémiaire CCXIV (October 6, 2005)
It's Full of Charts, and Facts, and Figures, and Instructions for Dancing
Yes, this is a meme (and an old one at that) but I've been debating doing it for some time, as it's fun. As always: I promise not to make a habit out of this. So, here we go:
- Choose ten of your all time favorite books.
- Take the first sentence of the first chapter and make a list in your journal.
- Don't reveal the author or the title of the book.
- Now everyone try to guess.
Now, in no particular order:
- "What's it going to be then, eh?"
- There once was a boy named Milo who didn't know what to do with himself—not just sometimes, but always. — Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth (guessed by Nancy)
- I knew she was a virgin because she was able to ruffle the silken mane of my unicorn. *
- It was love at first sight.
- In the mists before the Beginning, Fate and Chance cast lots to decide whose the Game should be; and he that won strode through the mists to MĀNA-YOOD-SUSHĀĪ and said: "Now make gods for Me, for I have won the cast and the Game is to be mine."
- All this happened, more or less. — Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five (guessed by happiestsadist)
- It was a nice day. — Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchet, Good Omens (guessed by Nancy)
- Once a guy stood all day shaking bugs from his hair.
- Mother died today. — Albert Camus, The Outsider (guessed by some alex)
- In my younger and more vulnerable years father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.
* Since the meme isn't too clear on what to do with this particular case, the following text could also be used:
No use pretending: too many of the "young people" (whatever that means, 4-6 year olds, 10-13, 15-20ish?) I'm thrown into contact these days are, in the words of Daffy Duck, maroons . . . ultramaroons.
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And You, You Can Read Me Anything from This Space Intentionally Left Blank
"Here're the answers to last week's post: "What's it going to be then, eh?" — Anthoney Burgess, A Clockwork Orange There once was a boy named Milo who didn't know what to do with himself—not just sometimes, but always. —..." [Read More]
I don't know any of them. The movie meme is much easier.
Posted by peterjm at 15 Vendémiaire CCXIV 13:07 (2005/10/06)
Really? I expected you to get one or two. Then again, I expected Becca to get more than one. (As for other expectations: there's at least one there that Nancy should be able to recognise — that is, if she even checks the site anymore.)
Now, enlighten me: what is the movie meme?
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And, since I mentioned it somewhere else:
Number 7 is actually better known as "In the Beginning It was a nice day.", despite the fact that "In the Beginning" is actually the section title, and not part of the first sentence.
I still read. I'm just usually to lazy to bother typing comments these days.
#2 is The Phantom Tollboth by Norton Juster, and #7 is Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett. Incidentally, just "It was a nice day." was good enough for me. : )
A couple of others sound familiar, but I can't put my finger on them.
Posted by Nancy at 15 Vendémiaire CCXIV 17:23 (2005/10/06)
Fuck. to == too
I'm still not too lazy to correct my own grammar, though.
Posted by Nancy at 15 Vendémiaire CCXIV 17:24 (2005/10/06)
Well, it's likely some of the others are familiar, as numbers 1, 9, and 10 are fairly well known openings. Number 9 being especially well known.
The movie meme is similar to the book meme, but you guess movies based on still shots.
My inability to get these basically stems from my inability to remember books. A couple years later, I'm lucky to remember the basic plot of a book, let alone the opening sentence. Plus, I suspect I haven't read as many of these as you think (I'm one for three, so far -- I read Good Omens sometime in early high school, and liked it much less than anyone else I know).
Posted by peterjm at 15 Vendémiaire CCXIV 18:35 (2005/10/06)
Ah. I wondered if it was something like that. It does indeed sound easier.
There used to be a site on the 'net that ran a weekly quiz that was something like that; it was frames from movies, only the actors were digitally removed (I believe their clothes were left in, but I can't recall). Wish I could remember what the URL was, as it was tough.
#9 is The Outsider (or Le Stranger) by Albert Camus - awesome book.
#5 sounds a bit like pratchet ... but nah i dont think it is.
Right you are about number 9, whoever you are.
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