I am a book snob. I read the first few pages of a book before buying it, and I will only read the book if it draws me in. Drawing me in happens through the writer's rhythm, the vocabulary, the voice of the author, and the philosphical connection felt within those first pages. It could be likened to a kind of courting. One of my favorite books, Life of Pi by Yann Martel, had me at the author's note: "This book was born as I was hungry"(VII). I still close my eyes at this sentence. To know that a book was created to satiate a hunger necessary for survival creates a physical response--I cannot help but close my eyes and lift my head in wonder. Then, the first chapter solidified my desire to buy this book: "My suffering left me sad and gloomy" (3). The same holds true for Yellow Birds, The Things They Carried, and Atlas Shrugged. For this week's blog, I want you to think about what draws you to a book. How do you settle in, accept the dance, and invest your time? Once you have explained this, I want you to introduce us to a book whose pick up line was so inviting you could not refuse. Explain how this first line influences the entire story and how it engaged you in conversation.
As cliché as it sounds, the title and the book cover originally draws me into a book. If the title and book cover are interesting, then I will pick up the book and examine the contents inside. When I look inside the book, I am drawn to uniqueness; I love books that have a unique rhythm, unique characterizations, a unique plot. The first page of the book is another thing I examine before I invest my time in a book. Books that have a powerful opening page that jump right into the plot are much more captivating than books that start off with a lot of background information.
ReplyDeleteImpulse, by Ellen Hopkins, is a book that I read in middle school but is still one that I will reread. Books written by Ellen Hopkins are completely different than any other book I have read because they tackle heavy topics, such as drug abuse and suicide, in the form of narrative poetry. Impulse is my favorite book written by Hopkins because it is even more unique as it is told from three different troubled narrators: Tony, Conner, and Vanessa. The opening line of Impulse quickly throws the reader into the lives of these three narrators: “Without warning sometimes you’re traveling a highway, the only road you’ve ever known, and wham! A semi comes from nowhere and rolls right over you.” This line was so inviting to me because of its strong intensity. After reading this opening line for the first time, it made me want to continue to read the book and discover what happened to these characters.
When looking for a book to read, I examine the book’s title, cover, and opening page for uniqueness.
Impulse was the first book I read by Ellen Hopkins and I am so drawn to her style. As the occasional poet myself, I loved that she took the typical approach to chapters and spun it as a series of narrative poems. I found it really interesting that after a while I didn't seem to need the names at the top of the page to indicate who was narrating; each of the characters had their own style and Hopkins did such an eloquent job of writing them. Simple changes in font or punctuation made all the difference in the poems. However, as this was my first Hopkins novel, I read straight through it; I want to reread the book to take the time to find more of the symbolism behind the structure of the poems. What really drew me to the book in the first place was the except on the back "Act on your impulse, swallow the bottle, cut a little deeper, put the gun to your chest." In hindsight, it probably was not a healthy book for me to read because so much of it is triggering, but I loved, like you said, that Hopkins tackles issues that most books completely leave out.
DeleteA book needs to be comprehended, examined, understood. I am drawn to a book’s title and author for this reason. I go slow with each word, phrase, sentence, or idea present and look in previous sections to find where it might relate. I have done the occasional mistake of reading the back cover to get a summary of the book, but I continue reading if the basis of the book is there, and it matches my favorite particular genres of science fiction, mystery, and horror. I came to Stephen King easily because I appreciated the simplicity of his rhythm and his language. Not only was it clear to understand, but I was able to make connections to characters whenever they were mentioned again. Investing my time comes when I have the time to sit down and engage in the text, but can also analyze it accurately based on my interpretation.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite pick up line is in Stephen King’s The Shining. Though slightly offensive, it reads, “Jack Torrance thought, officious little prick”. While it is obscure, the first line accurately defines Jack Torrance as a character. He is a very aggressive individual who is a recovering alcoholic with an ill temper. He has been assigned as a janitor of the Overlook Hotel, and is unappreciative of Mr. Ulbanks’ decision. In the novel, there are mentions of him breaking his son’s arm over spilt beer on his important writing/playwright papers, and him beating a kid for slashing his tires on his car. I was engaged because it wanted me to continue reading to find out if he ever would change, and from the end, he does not, but the way King described feels like it is happening right in front of the reader.
-Katie Burke
ReplyDeleteI’ve always be fascinated with reading since I was in second grade and I picked up my first chapter book which was one of the Magic Tree House books. I feel in love with the magic and wonder that came with reading and going to a place outside of the real world. For me to fall in love with a book, I need to see it from the inside out. Not for the cover or the ratings, reviews, or the book summary on the back of the book, but for the words on the pages and the music they produce. I love to open my mind to new books and the ideas, concepts, and enlightenment that they portray. Reading gives me an escape from reality and lets me inside of a place where I can be apart of the story too and experience what the characters are experiencing. A book that drew me in by the opening line was, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. The books opens up with the lines, “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home” ( Hinton 1). The words are so easy, yet can produce so much meaning behind the bland and simple dance that they begin. If you are not familiar with The Outsiders, the protagonist, Ponyboy, is a 14 year old teenage boy who had to grow up too fast. Throughout the story, Ponyboy experiences hardship with family, friends, and the world around him. The book had me at the first line and had me through the entire story. The first lines of the book is what draws you in and transports you into the book and has you stand alongside the characters. The first words of a novel are one of the most important aspects of a novel. They are what set the story up and how it will turn out in the end.
Words are artists, composers, masters of their trade. They have flow like brush strokes on a canvas. They hit the piano keys with just the right pressure and play entire ensembles in a few seconds. Sometimes I think it's entirely imagination but then something subtle is said and the dance begins. All books have their own tempo, their own swing. The beat either draws me in or pushes me out; it's a natural rhythm. I don't pick and choose which books are worth my time, they naturally kill my interest. When opening a book there is always a spark of intrigue, but if the author is unable to kindle it into a flame, then it sits as hot coals in the back of my mind. But it will always be there. Everything you read sticks with you, even if you don't necessarily want it to.
ReplyDeleteLolita by Vladimir Nadbov was one story that I never put down, but often pick back up. It starts, "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta." AMAZING. Amazing. Reading it now is getting me excited all over again. Beautifully written and controlled, Nadbov hypnotizes us with the introduction of his obsession and hooks us with this curiosity for the name he is chanting. Did I say amazing? Because it is amazing.
The old saying goes “don’t judge a book by it's cover”, but that’s exactly what I tend to do. If I’m in the mood for a light, entertaining read, I am drawn to the more girly or fun covers. If the cover catches my eye, I will then go on to read the synopsis on the back cover and see if I’m willing to venture in. A lot of my favorite authors will release the covers of their books before the actual book is released, which offers a bit of a sneak peek of what the story might entail, and therefore makes me much more excited to read it. While sometimes as I previously mentioned, I am looking for something light to read, other times I am looking to feel something, to experience an emotional catharsis. On this endeavor I am often drawn to author’s names, often classic authors such as John Steinbeck, who I know writes something that contains ideas and characters that will make me think and stay with me for the long haul.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most emotional books I have ever read is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. While this is a contemporary book, the author is now one I am drawn to when searching for another read. This work opens with the words “First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.” Upon reading these first few sentences, the reader is unaware that the piece is narrated by Death, leaving a bit of mystery as to who would see things like that. The words are lyrical, separated in four lines, but still woven together to create the mystery which draws readers in. While this book is in no way light, it was still one I could not put down, keeping me actively engaged the entire time. The emotional catharsis I experienced in this work is unparalleled by any other works I have ever read. I carry these characters and this story with me. My journey with this piece did not end when I read the last sentence: my journey is still going on. I continue to ponder the lives of the characters and the beautifully written words within the text. I continue the journey that began with the mentioning of the colors and the humans.
As odd of a ritual as this is, before I buy or start reading a new book, I always read the first and last page. I know sometimes it can spoil parts of the plot, but there is something so satisfying about being able to piece the plot together in my head and watch the storyline come full circle from those few lines that I read. It makes every book I read a little bit of a mystery. First and foremost, before even reading the first and last lines, I think a creative title is what draws me in the most. The way I see it, the title is like the authors pitch. It’s the first chance they have to introduce and sell their idea to the reader. If the title does not grab my attention or make me further question the details that could be inside the book, I most likely will not invest my time in it. When starting a new book I want to be hooked by the first few lines. I want to already be able to feel the story taking off, or at least be interested enough to stick around until it does.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book at the moment is Looking For Alaska by John Green. Although this book is fairly popular and will soon be made into a movie, It had a huge effect on me. This book starts off with the heading, “One Hundred and Thirty-Six Days Before” Which immediately caught my attention, because right off the bat there’s that feeling of suspense that something huge is in store for the characters, and as the reader you get a personal countdown for it. Another thing that drew me in right on the first page was how easy it was to relate to the character from only the first few lines of dialog. He is portrayed as so honest and sure of who he is, that it’s hard not to want to see what he has to say. The first time the main character speaks is both humorous and shows a great deal of his personality. The first few lines of the book are as follows,“The week before I left my family and Florida and the rest of my minor life to go to boarding school in Alabama, my mother insisted on throwing me a going-away party. To say I had low expectations would be to underestimate the matter dramatically. I was more or less forced to invite all my “school friends,” i.e., the ragtag bunch of drama people and English geeks I sat with by social necessity in the cavernous cafeteria of my public school...” I love how the author and this character hit realistic teen emotions right on the head. It’s not some rinky dink, sing along high school love story, this book is just about a kid trying make his life a little more worthwhile, which I think almost everyone can relate to. I found my attitude to be very similar to the main character’s and I think that’s why I was drawn to this book even after only a few pages.
For the most part, I am very forgiving in terms of exposition and will tough out a book at least until have read a third of it. In terms of choosing these books, I look towards trusted friends and critics. I am open to reading anything if enough people agree it is worth a read. I do this because there are so many classic and successful books, I find it a waste of time to go searching for a hidden gem. Why look for a diamond when the walls are plastered with gold? Once I have picked up gold it's only a matter of determining weather or not I'll finish the book.
ReplyDeleteThe two most important part of determining whether or not ill read a text all the way through is the like-ability of the characters and the element of unknown. For example, if a book is heavily predictable, containing elements and themes that are basic and without depth, and overall not a learning experience, the book will be put down after the exposition. Furthermore, if i cannot attach myself to the conflict the characters are experiencing, or cannot to relate to their idiosyncrasies and traits their book is as good as garbage. One of my favorite books, "Les Miserables" set the book up to be intriguing immediately. First and foremost we follow a former criminal being rejected from every lodging in town simply because he served time. Every one can relate to rejection based on ones past. The book also hooks the readers intrigue by leaving out odd aspects of the story that encourage the reader to continue. In the first sentence Hugo writes, "An hour before sunset, on the evening of a day in the beginning of October, 1815, a man traveling afoot entered the little town of D______." This immediately grabbed me and asked me to keep reading because he blatantly leaves out the town our character has arrived in. This encourages the reader to find out more, is open to interpretation, and shows open ended conclusions will be present throughout the book.
What attracts me to a book at first is not the title, not the cover, and absolutely nothing that has to do with its appearance. When i scour through a bookstore i'm in constant motion. Pulling books off the shelves and quickly finding the last page. Once i've found the last page I read the last sentence or paragraph of the book. If it interests me then i look for the summary, author's name, title, and cover. If it doesn't then I simply put it back and move on to the next. The beginning of a book does not provide enough detail for me, it lacks motivation to convince me. It does not attract me, and I know that's why you must read the book more into the beginning in order to find interest in it, but the end is what draws me in. It leaves me curious and wondering. It makes me want to read more, it drives the story forward towards me.
ReplyDeleteLooking For Alaska by John Green for example. I came across this book about 2 years ago. Back then I didn’t know much of the author and his books nor what they would someday become, only that The Fault In Our Stars was the hype during that time and since nearly everyone was reading it, I didn't want to. I wanted to read something else written by John Green out of curiosity so, I went to the bookstore and picked up Looking for Alaska, which would later enlighten me in many ways while reading it, turned to it’s last page and read the last paragraph, “So I know she forgives me, just as I forgive her. Thomas Edison’s last words were: ‘It’s very beautiful over there’, I don't know where there is, but I believe it's somewhere, and i hope it's beautiful,” this was what compelled me to read the novel.
When I crack open a book, I enjoy being able to be curious. When authors are able to make something as simple as an introduction exciting and do not give away every detail about a character from the get-go, I am assured that the rest of the book will be just as, if not more so, compelling. If a book's first few pages do not grip me, I will turn to a random page in the middle of the book and read that. I usually do not spoil anything and it sometimes gives me a better indication of how the book will read for me. Many authors struggle with creating an enticing introduction but the rest of the book is far more interesting. I do not want to miss out on a book that I could really enjoy so I give it a sort of second chance.
ReplyDeleteAyn Rand's first page of "The Fountainhead" describes the main character in a way that is so unique and interesting that I immediately wanted to continue reading. The first line is, "Howard Roark laughed." It is a very simple line, but draws the reader in. Readers want to know who Howard Roark is, and why he is laughing. Such a small statement brings up questions the convince the reader to continue reading. In the story, Roark is a man unfazed by practically anything. The first line gives the feeling that he is a man sure of himself and his actions. He has so little to worry about that he can laugh and just exist because he knows the path ahead of him already. The ability to communicate so much in only three words is the mark of a great author who knows exactly how to keep someone reading. Rand and Howard Roark grabbed my attention at the first line and kept it for long after the last.
I hate to admit it but I am a typical book browser, immediately judging a piece by its cover. A visually appealing image or array of colors will often catch my eye in the book store. Once I approach a book I typically analyze the title and look at the author’s name. I try to relate the piece in hand to other works of the author. Then, more often than not, I flip to the back cover and read the brief summary. Once I begin the novel I often settle in for about 50-100 pages before I decide to accept the dance or let it go. I can measure my interest level based on the time that it takes to work through the novel. Sometimes I feel like a child going shopping with their parents, as if I am being dragged along with the narrator. This is when I know my interest level is at an all time low. Coming to this realization typically breaks off my future with the particular book. I know the song has come to an end and the dance must as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a novel about a young orphan growing up during the time of Nazi occupation and literary censoring. The girl is welcomed into a new home and thanks to her foster father, falls in love with literature. The opening lines of the novel are: “First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try. ***HERE IS A SMALL FACT*** You are going to die.” This introduction immediately leads to questioning and a desire to delve further into the novel. The language usage and brevity of each line allow for a foggy understanding of what is to come. The reader struggles to grasp who is narrating the piece, let alone anything about the plot or characters. Another intriguing factor about the opening of this book is the title of the first chapter: Death and Chocolate. These two words seemingly have nothing in common and only add to the mystery of what is to come.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have a giant bookcase in my room. It is so big I sometimes get lost in it. It has grown up with me. I have books on there that were my favorite when I was nine, and books that I bought last week. Only about 75% of them have actually been read, but I am working on it. I know I will never read some of them. I bought a couple only because they were on sale and I had a space to fill. Others, I thought I would enjoy, but when I read the first chapter I just could not relate. I pick out books because there is something familiar about them. I hear about books from friends, from posts online, or because I have been a fan of the author. I am also a synopsis reader. Whenever I pick up a book I flip it right over to the back and read that little sales pitch. If I can relate to the story in some way, or if it interests me, I read it. I also believe in the importance of the title and the first sentence. Whenever I have to write, those are the two hardest things to get right. They are the most important, and require the most time. In the case of my Common App essay, I had the first sentence written for months before I could piece the rest of it together. I like words that pack a punch, and if a book does not, it often is not worth the read.
ReplyDeleteI was first drawn to I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak after reading The Book Thief by the same author. I am the Messenger always resonated more with me. I relate to the narrator, Ed Kennedy, because he lives a completely ordinary life. That is, until he stops a bank robbery and is given the power to change the lives of those around him. Now, I have never stopped a bank robbery or anything of the sort, but I like to think that I can change some lives. From the first sentence, “The gunman is useless,” I knew it would be an unconventional book, and the writing style is some of the best I have seen. Although the story was not suspenseful, it kept me on the edge of my seat. It was like the narrator was speaking directly into my heart, and I became absorbed in his world. Ed Kennedy tells it like it is, which is seen by his first sentence. He was not going to try and trick me or play with me. He was going to tell me a story, and tell a story he did.
We have all heard the saying, “Curiosity killed the cat.” However, that expression is only half true. The original saying really goes, “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” Personally, fewer things are more difficult than walking away from something that intrigues me. I will do as much research necessary and dig as deep as i need to go to answer my questions. While starting a new book, the most important thing an author can do is peak my curiosity. Phrases that don’t make sense or anecdotes that leave more questions than answers are perfect ways to do this. As long as the author gives enough information to keep me confused, I will finish that book. A Clockwork Orange is a perfect example. Personally, elements such as tone, voice and diction mean very little. More importantly, the plot and how the author presents that plot determines weather I will read a book or not.
ReplyDeleteI found one of my all time favorite books my sophomore year. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho made me look at the world in a new perspective and has changed the way I feel about life in general. The first paragraph of the novel reads, “The boy’s name was Santiago. Dusk was falling as the boy arrived with his herd at an abandoned church. The roof had fallen in long ago, and an enormous sycamore had grown on the spot where the sacristy had once stood.” The author gives the who and where, but leaves out the what, when why and how. Enough information is provided to spark curiosity; which is why from the first two sentences I was drawn into the novel.
My personal journey with literature has been a long and winding one. I remember when I was very, very young, I would take all of the books not only from the bookshelf at the top of my family’s stairs but also in my room, forming a long line of books going all the way from one end of the house to the other. I love organization; one day I would separate by color, the next day ordering them by author’s last name, the next by title, and so on. Oftentimes when I was younger, this is what I would do; I would read all of the Goosebumps, Harry Potter or Nancy Drew books in order of number, or the Newbury medal winners in order of year. I would go through my grandfather’s old bookshelf full of Reader’s Digest classics and go through all of the Sherlock Holmes novels in order, and the rest alphabetically. Looking at the A.R. list at Huntington Elementary, I would start at the top of the list and read in descending order, skipping none, and as a middle schooler I read through all of the young adult novels for the letter A (these are all true).
ReplyDeleteAs I’ve grown, my tastes have changed, and my methods of choosing have, as well. As the designated literature buff for our Academic Challenge team, I’ve done a lot of research on classical works, and generally those are my preference; contemporary works aren’t usually what satisfy my thirst for prose, and, seeing as I have a very good idea of many time periods, authors, and works, I can usually pick out what I believe I want. The ladies at the bookshelf in Medina are always especially helpful, and I can prove with assorted selfies that the library ladies and I are also pretty close. Nonetheless, bearing in mind that I think I know a lot about literature, it is important for me to remind myself that I truly know nothing about a work until I have consumed and experienced it for myself; I never judge a book by its cover or by the first or last few lines, as Mrs. Perrin described. Sometimes, as with some of my favorite works (Wuthering Heights, the Age of Innocence, Anna Karenina, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and so on), I’ve found that my experience with literature is not always instantaneous. Immediate gratification, I believe, does not exist in these works, and that their merit is not necessarily determined by how well you “gel” with the author and get along with what they have to say; rather, I feel that once one spends some time with them, gets to know them, and is assimilated into the world that they create, then one can begin to feel truly at home and feel the impact of a work as deeply as the author intended. I give books time; although I don’t always feel at home right away, when I trust that the author will give me what I want and make me feel comfortable in time.
(continued)
ReplyDeleteThe first few lines of Wuthering Heights, for example, are as follows: “1801 – I have just returned from a visit to my landlord – the solitary neighbor that I shall be troubled with. This is certainly a beautiful country! In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society. A perfect misanthropist’s Heaven – and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow! He little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name.” The pages that follow introduce a series of characters that are altogether unlikable living in a horrendous environment, people with whom I would not wish to engage nor whose lives I would normally be invested. However, by giving the novel a chance and allowing for Bronte to create for me a scenario in which I would normally be uncomfortable, my perception of the piece and things which it has taught me regarding the human condition and the depth of conviction and consequence of passion are much greater than if I had simply chosen a piece whose opening statements made me feel comfortable. I would not nearly have learned as much nor grown with such great magnitude.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I begin to read I find myself looking for an escape. I want a book that will allow me to leave reality and find myself in another world, a world full of events and people that I would never typically meet or experience in my own life. For this reason, it is an unusual situation that gets me hooked on a novel, something that stands out from the habitual occurrences in my life. When a book has an unusual start to it that is assurance to me that the book will indeed serve as an escape, enabling me to be part of a story completely different from my own. This is why I am drawn to stories involving magic and fairytales, upon reading them I become immersed in such an extraordinary universe where the characters (and therefore myself) are not hindered by the limitations present in our world.
ReplyDeleteI have grown up on Harry Potter, and though I have read the series more than once, the wizarding world created by J. K. Rowling is truly a world with which I have fallen in love and one that I return to as soon as I turn to any given page of one of the Harry Potter novels. I read each book before watching the movie, ensuring that any interest that I had in the series was a result of the books themselves, not their film counterparts. It has been said that the beginning of the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, is boring and is difficult to really get into, bet I beg to differ. The novel opens with Rowling’s description of the Dursley family: “ “Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much”, but I immediately got a sense that this was not a typical family, there was something peculiar about them, something unfamiliar that drew me in and promised me that this book would give me an experience unparalleled by any other. Low and behold, by the eighth page I was introduced to the magic of the wizarding world and was strapped into my seat, captivated by Rowling’s story and ready to invest my time in it. The first line sets the tempo for the rest of the story in my opinion, it needs to be representative of the tale in some way. For Harry Potter it was the unusualness of the “perfectly normal” Dursley family that set the tone for a unique tale in a foreign world full of other unusual characters and happenings. If an author does not find some way to represent his or her story in the first line than either those who might be interested in the actual story might be put off by the first line, or those drawn in by the first line might be put off by the actual story.
“The one about the trans girl with the t-shirt that transforms into a dress on the front” is how my boyfriend and I reference a book that I still forget the name of. Book covers are the first introduction I have when it comes to finding a good book. And while I try to follow the age-old “don’t judge a book by its cover”, when I am looking for a new book to read, I am drawn in by the images that stick out. More times than not these days, I follow recommendations rather than start fresh. Many people may refer me to a variety of novels, but I tend to only listen to a few of them. For example, when a person I want to know more about refers me to a book, I will typically read it because that piece of writing is a part of what makes them who they are; it’s an outside view into them. To me, loving a book is more than just following its plotline and enjoying a good story. Novels say so much more about the person who adores them than the book itself. That’s why, for me, relating to a character or idea is one of the most important pieces of reading; I want to read something that means something to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger, I loved reading sci-fi adventure books that could sweep me away and take me on some new adventure. As a freshmen, of course I fell for the dystopian love triangles that seem to be taking over young adult literature. Nowadays, I look for a book that can either help me find my way through this life or at least present a challenge to something I haven’t questioned before. Specifically for the former, I want a novel that tackles depression, anxiety, sexuality, gender, suicide, self harm- any of the things that society has deemed inappropriate to talk about. Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story dives right in with the line “It’s so hard to talk when you want to kill yourself.” From the start, I knew I had found a book that was not going to sugar-coat mental illness like so many others do. The narrator, Craig Gilner, has everything that one needs to be considered successful in material terms, as laid out by the synopsis on the back: attends the school of his parents dreams, is in several clubs, and is applying to the perfect college to get the perfect job. But all he wants is to die and even he doesn’t know why anymore. The struggles Craig faces are similar to the ones I went through around the time I first read this book, during the summer before my junior year. After the first line he continues to say “That’s above and beyond everything else, and it’s not a mental complaint- it’s a physical thing, like it’s physically hard to open your mouth and make the words come out. They don’t come out smooth and in conjunction with your brain the way normal people’s words do; they come out in chunks as if from a crushed-ice dispenser; you stumble on them as they gather behind your lower lip. So you just keep quiet.” The first paragraph and summary was all I needed to know that I would be giving my heart to this book.
Each time I find myself digging into a good book, I often give it my all. When I was a young child, this would mean sitting in my family room chair and reading a Junie B Jones book cover to cover. Now, this means filling every free moment I have in with reading, and staying up late and telling myself, “just one more chapter.” For a book to hold my attention, it must hook me in within the first chapter. If I see an interesting cover, read an interesting synopsis on the back, or have heard a positive recommendation from a friend, I am immediately grasped into the text.
ReplyDeleteOne book that has done this for me recently is Paper Towns by John Green. While I was on vacation, I often found myself lying on the beach, sitting in the corner of my bedroom, or floating in the pool while reading. I could not put the book down, and was constantly turning pages to learn what would happen next. The opening of Paper Towns caught my attention because it came across as not the average love story. “The way I figure it, everyone gets a miracle. Like, I will probably never be struck by lightning, or win a Nobel Prize, or become the dictator of a small nation in the Pacific Islands, or contract terminal ear cancer, or spontaneously combust. But if you consider all the unlikely things together, at least one of them will probably happen to each of us. I could have seen it rain frogs. I could have stepped foot on Mars. I could have been eaten by a whale. I could have married the queen of England or survived months at sea. But my miracle was different. My miracle was this: out of all the houses in all the subdivisions in all of Florida, I ended up living next door to Margo Roth Spiegelman.” Immediately I was pulled in by the wit and my curiosity of why Margo Roth Spiegelman was described as a miracle.
Many different aspects make a book a great one. For me, seeing those aspects within the first chapter makes for a memorable book and a memorable read.
First and foremost I am drawn to a book based on its genre. When I’m in a bookstore, I typically tend to wander through the science fiction, fantasy, or mystery section. I enjoy these books because they take you out of yourself and introduce you to a new world with a rich culture and new perspectives. However, in order for a book to truly pull me in, it must also have some level of suspense and a relatable protagonist. The relatable protagonist is probably the most important aspect of a good book. If I can’t see even a fraction of myself in the main character then it becomes impossible for me to become absorbed by the novel. This is why when I pull random books off the shelves I read the back in order to decide if they have potential. If I like what I see then I read the first chapter before deciding if I want to continue with the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been reading for as long as I can remember, and one of my utmost favorite books has to be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The first paragraph states that, “The two men appeared out of nowhere, a few yards apart in the narrow, moonlit lane. For a second they stood quite still, wands directed at each other’s chests; then, recognizing each other , they stowed their wands beneath their cloaks and started walking briskly in the same direction” (1). These first few sentences caught my attention by causing me to ask questions. Who are the two men? Why did they feel threatened by each other upon arrival? Not only did the book manage to peak my curiosity, but it also introduced magic in the very beginning. The magic is what separates the world in the novel from our own, and thus creates a new, rich culture that can only be seen through the imagination. By introducing the new world right away, it was easy for me to lose myself in the story throughout the duration of the novel. In the end, that is how I determine whether or not I should put time into a book, if I can’t truly engage myself in the story, then it’s not worth it.
When it comes to books in general I either tend to read it quickly or drag it out or not even finish it depending on the first few pages of the book. Unfortunately this has probably led to me not reading a few books that I probably would have loved if I had just kept reading a little longer. When it comes to the first few pages of a book I seem to prefer when the author engages me in a type of conversation. A conversation that makes me think about what I'm reading. Once I start thinking then I get drawn into the world of the book and get invested which leads to me reading the book. Then sometimes I turn out to be a biased reader as well. I try not to biased against certain books but I turn out to prefer reading books that are full of suspense and action. Not that I won't like a book that isn't full of action and suspense but it will take a stronger introduction to pull me into a book that isn't in my preferred genre. For example, The Great Gatsby and Life of Pi were two books that took a while to drag me in before I became consumed in the books and in the end they ended up being two of my favorite books.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians is an example of a genre of book that appealed to me but still grabbed my attention from the start and never let it go. "Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now" (Riordan 1). Once I read the first two lines of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief I was hooked. We all try not to judge something by what it looks like at first but in reality we all judge a person or a book book based off of its appearance and first impression. If it doesn't leave a good first impression then it will be harder to get hooked to a book. For me, Percy Jackson hooked me right from the get go because it starts right in the middle of the action and asks the reader if they are a half blood or not. For me this immediately created a sense of intrigue and then I continued to read and then read the entire book in about two days. Overall, it just depends on how interested the reader is in a certain type of genre in books, and how intriguing the title and first few pages turn out to be to determine how fast we as readers will want to read a book.
There’s really no one element that draws me to a book, on account of books being unique and all. What I find to be my primary source of enjoyment in one book may be completely absent in another. That being said, I’ll do my best to pick a few elements that help me to enjoy a book. The characters play a pretty big role. Do they have distinct personalities? That I can answer easily by seeing if I can identify what character is speaking without looking at dialogue tags. I can appreciate social commentary as well, although it should never supersede plot, and has to be exceedingly blunt if I am to pick up on it.
ReplyDelete“Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.
“Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-eight million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.”
Thus begins Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
How could I resist?
This introduction is captivatingly sarcastic and blunt in its poking fun at the human race. Then in the first chapter, the main character is introduced and he turns out to be exactly unlike a stereotypical hero kind of character. On the contrary, I’d describe him as someone who is almost, but not quite, entirely not unlike a bumbling idiot. The rest of the characters are unbelievably varied and unique, from Slartibartfast to Marvin, Wonko the Sane to Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. I can’t hope to fathom the extent of Adams’s imagination. Add to that the blatant ridicule of society found throughout the entire series, as well as a spattering of science jokes and it’s just too intelligently funny not to like.
I’m drawn to a book to learn. I have an insatiable drive to understand the world around me, so I read a lot of nonfiction or watch innumerable hours of documentaries. Often it is the amply named title that arouses my interest rather than the splendor of the cover. The cover of any book can be deceptive or completely pointless, in the case of Sun Tzu's Art of war there is no set picture as it is over two thousands year sold. Suspense rather than beauty is my primary concern in picking what to read, but, because I do not give enough credit to my own judgement, I do not simply pick up a interestingly titled book and start reading. I must have a reference point in picking what to read. No piece of literature will warrant my notice if it has not been recommended or is nonfiction. In the case of nonfiction I already come in with the understanding that I am being informed first, entertained second, so i am already partially engrossed into the work. The possibility that a randomly chosen book could be an engrossing masterpiece goes without saying, but the fear of wasting my time or money is what has caused my cautious approach to reading.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite books is peter Hart’s The Somme, the Darkest hour on the western front. The preface of the book begins by simply stating that:” The Battle of the Somme will always be controversial”(Hart, 11).” This sentence accurately encompasses the entire message of the novel, that the Battle of the Somme was the biggest amalgamation of failure in British military history until World War Two. Throughout this piece of nonfiction the reader is introduced the meticulous horror of the First World War. All of the grandeur that the British Expeditionary force carried with it on July 1st, 1916, the first day of the battle, was massacred in only a few hours. Over fifty thousand casualties in a single day. I gained an innate understanding of trench warfare, and although i have never truly finished The Somme it provided me with one of the greatest examples of military failure in all of history.
I love walking into a bookstore. I love gliding my fingertips from one spine of a book to the next in appreciation of the result of an author’s long hours of hard work. When choosing a book, I have no exact method. It could be that the cover catches my eye when skimming through shelves, or even that the title seems interesting. Before I take it home, though, I always do some sampling. Usually, I will start off by reading the back cover, and if that makes me a little more interested, I will move to the author’s note or introduction chapter (if applicable). If after this I still am interested in the book, that is when I dip my toe into the water a little further and read the first couple pages. In short, I always look before I leap.
ReplyDeleteI read a book a couple years ago in middle school that has one of the most intriguing first couple of pages of any book I have read so far. The title is, ‘The Name of this Book Is Secret’ by Pseudonymous Bosch (get it? as in pseudonym...ha ha ha). Before the first chapter, there is a page of black paper with big, bold, white words on it that read, “WARNING: DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS PAGE!” and as a curious little girl who was always in love with books about mystery, of course I just had to read on. That is where I was drawn in. Big, bold words shouting at me to go no further, yet there were 363 pages of unexplored territory that held a secret I was absolutely dying to discover. As if the title, author’s name, and first page weren’t enough to grab my attention, I would also like to share the intro, the part just after the warning. This was the part that spoke to me and made me lick my lips in excitement to read this novel. It sort of sums up some my favorite things about books: they make us think, they provoke emotions, and they contain secrets--beautifully coded messages hidden carefully by the author between the lines. So please read on, if you were drawn towards that first sentence just as young Amber was.
The introduction reads, “Good. Now I know I can trust you. You’re curious. You’re brave. And you’re not afraid to lead a life of crime. But let’s get something straight: if, despite my warning, you insist on reading this book, you can’t hold me responsible for the consequences. And, make no bones about it, this is a very dangerous book. No, it won’t blow up in your face. Or bite your head off. Or tear you limb from limb. It probably won’t injure you at all. Unless somebody throws it at you, which is a possibility that should never be discounted. Generally speaking, books don’t cause much harm. Except when you read them, that is. Then they cause all kinds of problems. Books can, for example, give you ideas. I don’t know if you’ve ever had an idea before, but, if you have, you know how much trouble an idea can get you into. Books can also provoke emotions. And emotions sometimes are even more troublesome than ideas. Emotions have led people to do all sorts of things they later regret--like, oh, throwing a book at someone else. But the main reason this book is so dangerous is that it concerns a secret. A big secret. It’s funny the way secrets work. If you don’t know about a secret, it doesn’t bother you. You go about your business without a care in the world. La la la, you sing. Everything’s fine and dandy. (Maybe you don’t actually sing “la la la,” but you know what I mean.) But as soon as you hear about the secret, it starts to nag at you. What is this secret? you wonder. Why am I not supposed to know about it? Why is it so important? Suddenly, you’re dying to know what the secret is. You beg. You plead. You threaten. You cajole. You promise to never tell anyone else. You try anything and everything. You dig into the secret-keeper’s belongings. You pull his or her hair. And when that doesn’t work, you pull your own. Not knowing a secret is just about the worst thing in the world. No, I can think of one thing worse. Knowing a secret. Read on, if you must. But, remember, I warned you.”
The novel’s setting and conflict draw me in. When the environment is new or stimulating, when I am immersed so fully into the environment that the characters’ problems feel like my own, when those problems stump me and get me to think about the solutions and implications, I involuntarily continue reading, unable to stop until the end. But if the book is so long that I must sleep, I continue reading immediately upon waking.
ReplyDeleteThe River is the second novel in a survival series by Gary Paulsen. In the first novel, “Hatchet,” a teenager named Brian is marooned by a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness and miraculously survives in the brutal environment for two months before being rescued. The River starts off with three governmental agents showing up at Brian’s front door. Brian asks, “What do you want with me?” One of the agents, Derek, replies, “Well, to make it short, we want you to do it again.” This line implies something quite insane –the government wants to maroon Brian in the wilderness again. They want Brian to willingly redo his debilitating, harrowing fight for survival so they can learn from him and teach survival skills to pilots. Ironically, the initial problem in the novel is that when Brian and Derek are dropped off at a random lake in the Canadian wilderness, Brian’s previous experience allows them to build a comfortable lifestyle in just four days - too quickly, too easily. They failed to recreate the most important part of the experience: the debilitation, the tension, the danger, and the hopelessness and failure. Without those psychological effects, the operation could teach them nothing. They failed to “do it again." It turns out that the initially unassuming opening line and its failure embodies the theme that Brian’s horrible survival conditions are the only thing that can teach survival.
The first thing I always notice about the book is the title, it sounds cliché but I will not even pick up a book without a good title. I always read the back next, and then the first page. If I’m still interested I’ll buy the book so I can read it at home in my favorite spot by the window, or outside. I always seem to want to find a book that relates to me in some way. The books I love the most are the ones that say something to me. I usually hate to stop reading midway through a book and really enjoy reading the story all at once. I have a hard time analyzing books because I want to read them for what they are, not try to apply something that might not be there. I want to feel something when reading a book, and the worst books for me are when I can tell that the writer is not passionate. When reading a book like Notes From the Underground or Stephen King’s On Writing or a history book I was reading today entitled Five Empresses, you can tell that the writer is passionate and that they want to share everything with their readers. It feels more personal that way, like they were telling me a story, I wasn’t just reading it.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book of all time is entitled Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It starts with ‘“Sir?” she repeats. “How soon do you want it to get there?” I rub two fingers, hard, over my left eyebrow. The throbbing has become intense. “It doesn’t matter,” I say. The clerk takes the package. The same shoebox that sat on my porch less than twenty-four hours ago; rewrapped in a brown paper bag, sealed with clear packing tape, exactly as I had received it. But now addressed with a new name. The next name on Hannah Baker’s list.” The first thing I noticed was the name Hannah Baker. I wanted to know who she was, how she related to the main character, why there was a list, and what was in the shoebox. For the rest of the book I was searching for the answers to my questions, and along the way I learned about Hannah Baker, who committed suicide because of these 13 reasons. When I first read the book, it was the spring of my 8th grade year, I knew suicide was a reality, and for being a young teen, I actually knew too much to comprehend the topic fully. It was there that I struggled, and this book was one of the things that saved me from a lot of regret. When I read the first lines, I was intrigued, as I continued on to the first chapter, I instantly connected, and I never put the book down until I had finished it. Hannah Baker, through the use of cassette tapes, told of 13 people who she claimed drove her to commit suicide, the main character being the only one whom she regretted leaving. The stories she told were an explanation to him, she did not have him as one of her thirteen reasons, but she felt like he had a right to know why she left him. It engaged me because I wanted to know why someone would want to kill himself/herself- it made me feel sick to my stomach and my heart feel like it was in knots, but I had never known what made a person feel that way. At the time, I had just wanted to find a simple answer that was universal for everyone, what I learned was so much more.
An author must have some reason to write his book, and so the audience must have one to read it. Both parties here are dictated by the author; he has his motivation to write, and he must give the audience motivation to continue reading. First impressions mean everything, and can set the tone for the entire piece. I want something thats controversial, or something that raises a question. That way, I can read the book until it gives me an answer. Sometimes books are better off ending and not giving an answer at all. Regardless, its that first few lines and pages that set this question up that snags me and keeps me reeled in to the end.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite book, "Hyena," by "Rude Jude" Angelini, is an example of a controversial question. It starts with a chapter named "top gun" with the opening lines, "I'm in a cab leaning my face out the window, gone of Percocets and ketamine." This use of descriptions and mentions of drugs sets the setting of this chapter, and also the outline of how the book will be told as a whole. The author is high off prescription drugs, and his description of "leaning" his face out the window comes off as comical and childish. This hazy, drugged out description sure testifies to the authors drug use, sure, but it gives the setting a hostile, uncomfortable environment. The chapter transitions from weird and humorous to serious and regretful. It is a dark and hysterical book, but the seriousness of it is highlighted by the humor that it juxtaposes. This opening line has the absurd and then serious word choices that makes it a subtly genius way to introduce the book.
When I pick up a book to read the first thing that I do is read the synopsis of the book. The synopsis of a book to me is like the trailer for a movie, it tells you what the book is going to be about but doesn’t give away the whole book. If the synopsis sparks my interest then I will begin reading. However if I am wandering around the bookstore then I will look for covers or titles that appear to be interesting. I know that you are not supposed to judge a book by its cover or title but really that is what originally captures my interest. It would be too time consuming to read every book’s synopsis, as well as the fact that I really only enjoy specific genre of books. So if a book appears to have a cover of a genre that I personally do not enjoy then I will not read it. After finding the book though, it is the synopsis that keeps me interested.
ReplyDeleteOne of my most favorite books is James Patterson’s book Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. This book is one of the exceptions to what i previously stated in the first paragraph because I personally would not have ever read had my sisters not recommended it to me. The cover of the book looked dull and boring and the book title did not interest me. But once I read the opening paragraph of the book I could not put it down. “Congratulations. The fact that you’re reading this means you’ve taken on giant step closer to surviving till your next birthday. Yes you, standing there leafing through these pages. Do not put this book down. I am dead serious- your life could depend on it.” This opening statement was really enticing to me. Since the book directly spoke to me as a reader and told me my life was in danger I felt as though I was actually part of the book. The opening paragraph of the book really sets up for the fact that the book is about five human hybrids trying to survive in a world in which they are being hunted. The five main characters never know when they might die thus tying in the part from the opening sentence where it states that you might survive to your next birthday. The book overall was a high action thrill that makes you question right from wrong and keeps you wondering who can really be trusted.
I attended a seminar once on the importance of opening lines. One of the speakers, an editor of the Kenyon Review, spoke to us about how the writer only has one shot, they only get one phrase before a reader decides to stick with the work or walk away. They went on to say that they knew whether or not a piece was publishable within the first line, its importance is unparalleled. The rest of the work could be gold in the color of ink, but it would do no good. This is especially true in these times of ours, with the average citizen reading more advertisement than anything else. The group in charge of writing advertisements would be an interesting bunch to conversate with on the importance of the hook, for they must encourage the consumer to consume with only one phrase. This parallels the author, the poet, the journalist. The opening line must give a concrete image, it must give something tangible for the reader to hold on to. Starting a book or poem with an abstraction is an exercise in futility. Many will be steered away when they reach out and find their hands left empty. I did this with my opening line of this blog, just as Huxley did this in the opening line of one of my favorites, Brave New World.
ReplyDelete“A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories.” Stark naked, brutal language, harsh with consonants in the second word of the phrase. “Squat” implying short, hunched over, low to the earth. “Of only thirty-four stories” allows the reader reference to buildings surrounding this one, if this is only thirty-four, the others much be huge. This tangible and simple language allows the reader to have a means of understanding in the Brave New World. As with any work, it is necessary for the writer to give this to the reader, otherwise they are left adrift in a sea of abstractions, or they put the pages back in place and head elsewhere.
I love to read the acknowledgements in a book to get a feel for the author, and if I think I’d like the kind of person they are, I assume I’d like what they have to write as well. A dull acknowledgment (my diligent editor, my supporting husband), though not enough to turn me away, definitely doesn’t turn me on. In Jodi Picoult’s book, Nineteen Minutes, she begins by thanking a local police chief for helping her shoot a handgun in her woodpile. If this did not make me value her for her sense of humor, (the wording is fantastic she seems very cunning) I can at least take away the knowledge that she was so invested in her book that she carried it off of the comfortable oak desk and into an area of her life for further understanding and growth. If I can see an author has put more than just the inked idea into their work, I infer that I am capable of growing attached to it too, which is a dealbreaker(/maker) for me. What passionate reader or person wouldn’t want to feel a color or emotion from each page they turn?
ReplyDelete