I’m not sure how many entries there will be, but I wanted to share this poetic beginning from the novel ‘Garman & Worse’ by Norwegian writer Alexander Kielland. It was first published in 1880.

This is an old translation from 1885, but it’s the only one I could find:

Nothing is so boundless as the sea, nothing so patient. On its broad back it bears, like a good-natured elephant, the tiny mannikins which tread the earth; and in its vast cool depths it has place for all mortal woes. It is not true that the sea is faithless, for it has never promised anything; without claim, without obligation, free, pure, and genuine beats the mighty heart, the last sound one in an ailing world. And while the mannikins strain their eyes over it, the sea sings its old song. Many understand it scarce at all, but never two understand it in the same manner, for the sea has a distinct word for each one that sets himself face to face with it.

It smiles with green shining ripples to the barelegged urchin who catches crabs; it breaks in blue billows against the ship, and sends the fresh salt spray far in over the deck. Heavy leaden seas come rolling in on the beach, and while the weary eye follows the long hoary breakers, the stripes of foam wash up in sparkling curves over the even sand; and in the hollow sound, when the billows roll over for the last time, there is something of a hidden understanding--each thinks on his own life, and bows his head towards the ocean as if it were a friend who knows it all and keeps it fast.

But what the sea is for those who live along its strand none can ever know, for they say nothing. They live all their life with face turned to the ocean; the sea is their companion, their adviser, their friend and their enemy, their inheritance and their churchyard. The relation therefore remains a silent one, and the look which gazes over the sea changes with its varying aspect, now comforting, now half fearful and defiant. But take one of these shore-dwellers, and move him far landward among the mountains, into the loveliest valley you can find; give him the best food, and the softest bed. He will not touch your food, or sleep in your bed, but without turning his head he will clamber from hill to hill, until far off his eye catches something blue he knows, and with swelling heart he gazes towards the little azure streak that shines far away, until it grows into a blue glittering horizon; but he says nothing.

Continuing the sea theme. A short(ish) story and a Nobel prize winner no less. No word for word annotation from me, instead a photo will suffice.

'It was a bright, cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen' ....

1984, George Orwell

(This fairly bust my head when I read it as a young teenager. It's a marvel for conveying such a vast picture in so few words. There's a huge amount of discussion about this one line online, and I've just discovered that Hitler once said that he made it a principle not to stop until the clock strikes thirteen - a reference to him never 'giving up' as Germany had done in WWI... This was surely woven in to Orwell's thinking when he put down this first line)

strapline wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 9:53 am Continuing the sea theme. A short(ish) story and a Nobel prize winner no less. No word for word annotation from me, instead a photo will suffice.
IMG_1448.jpeg

A favorite of mine!

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

The opening line from my favorite novel. The whole story in one line. Who can name the story?

I haven't read it, but "Call me Ishmael" is ithe start of a seafaring novel as well.

I know the first few words of a number of novels. Given the words, I would identify the novel, but given the novel I probably couldn't repeat the words accurately. A Take Of Two Cities, I know.

jkbarnes wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 1:42 pm “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

The opening line from my favorite novel. The whole story in one line. Who can name the story?

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy.

Neil

'In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.'

One of my favourite books ever

JAFO wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 3:42 pm I haven't read it, but "Call me Ishmael" is ithe start of a seafaring novel as well.

Moby Dick, I believe, although I confess to never having read it.

Des

missF wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 3:47 pm 'In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.'

One of my favourite books ever

Now we’re talking.

Along similar lines, this was one of my favourites growing up and my daughter liked me to read it to her when she was younger……

Two of my favorites:

"I came across a photograph of him not long ago, his black face with
the long snout sniffing at something in the air, his tail straight and
pointing, his eyes flashing in some momentary excitement. Looking at
a faded photograph taken more than forty years before, even as a
grown man, I would admit I still missed him."

and - not really the beginning but the start of chapter 2

"Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time."

Moby Dick, I believe, although I confess to never having read it

Started reading it years ago but gave up. Very rare I do that but just couldn't get into it. And I'm not much of a Hemingway fan either. Oh dear.

This is the beginning of "The Nutmeg of Consolation" by Patrick O'Brian.It is number 14 of a series of 21 seafaring novels centered around the Napoleonic Wars.

21 novels isn't completely accurate,as, unfortunately O'Brian died halfway through writing the last one --so 20 1/2 is probably the truth.

All are eminently readable (I've read them all ,twice over).

Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities

“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.”


Austen - Pride and Prejudice

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”