Famous Opening Lines in Literature

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

by Rowling, J. K.

Book - 2015

Famous Opening Line "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." Famous Opening Line "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 2 on 5 copies

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Rebecca

by Du Maurier, Daphne

Book - 1968

Famous Opening Line "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Famous Opening Line "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 55 on 10 copies

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Love in the Time of Cholera

by García Márquez, Gabriel

Book - 1989

Famous Opening Line "It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love." Famous Opening Line "It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love." Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 18 on 0 copies

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Anna Karenina

A Novel in Eight Parts

by Tolstoy, Leo

Book - 2002

Famous Opening Line “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Famous Opening Line “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Show less

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The Great Gatsby

by Fitzgerald, F. Scott

Book - 2018

Famous Opening Line "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Wheneve...Show more Famous Opening Line "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Show less

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A Tale of Two Cities

by Dickens, Charles

Book - 2011

Famous Opening Line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch o...Show more Famous Opening Line "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only." Show less

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Peter Pan

by Barrie, J. M.

Book - 2003

Famous Opening Line ""All children, except one, grow up." Famous Opening Line ""All children, except one, grow up." Show less

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The Hobbit

An Illustrated Edition of the Fantasy Classic

by Dixon, Chuck

Book - 2012

Famous Opening Line “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” Famous Opening Line “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” Show less

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The Catcher in the Rye

by Salinger, J. D.

Book - 1951

Famous Opening Line "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childho...Show more Famous Opening Line "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." Show less

All copies in use. Availability details Holds: 23 on 13 copies

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Catch-22

by Heller, Joseph

Book - 2011

Famous Opening Line “It was love at first sight." Famous Opening Line “It was love at first sight." Show less

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Jane Eyre

by Brontë, Charlotte

Book - 1997

Famous Opening Line “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.” Famous Opening Line “There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.” Show less

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David Copperfield

by Dickens, Charles

eBook - 2012

Famous Opening Line "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." Famous Opening Line "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show." Show less

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