RHBNCA

[Shameless]

OK, same as before these are the first lines (or moreover the first sentences) from books in my library. Since I have many fewer books than I have albums there's only ten. I hope they're also a little less obscure! Same scoring as before, one point for title, one for author.


1. I am an invisible man.

2. A squat gray building of only thirty-four stories.

3. 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.

4. On the 24th of February, 1815, the lookout of Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon, from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.

5. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table.

6. 3 May. Bistritz. - Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:46, but the train was an hour late.

7. It was love at first sight.

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

9. When Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventyifirst birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.

10. Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.


Good luck!

[Psymon]

5. Arthur Conan Doyle -

9. J R Tolkien - Lord of the Rings Book 1

10. Douglas Adams - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

[SILV3R]

i think...
3 is catcher in the rye.
7 is any of the mills and boon collection.
9 is the hobbit.
10 is the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.

i'm not going to throw out stupid guesses at number 5, its obviously holmes, but i've never read one.

[Psymon]

While I would find it personally hillarious i doubt shameless has any mills and boon

[SILV3R]

me too, it's just a particularly generic reference.

[Shameless]

5. Arthur Conan Doyle

One point, for Sir Arthur.

9. J R Tolkien - Lord of the Rings Book 1

You're missing an R but seeing as you seem to hate middle names I'll allow it - two points

10. Douglas Adams - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

...and another two points. (Apostrophe notwithstanding.)

3 is catcher in the rye.

It is. One point.

7 is any of the mills and boon collection.

You think I own Mills & Boon? :-O

9 is the hobbit.

No, it is not. But Andy got it anyways.

10 is the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.

Correct, but beaten to it again.

[OrbitalPete]

2. is Brave New World By Aldous Huxley.
8. 1984 by George Orwell.

[OrbitalPete]

I've got a niggling feeling that 6 might be Dracula by Bram Stoker. Bloody horrible book. Not gory horrible; terribly written horrible. It's all diary and letter entries that make it an absolute bugger. Our GCSE English Lit class were doing Brighton Rock by Graham Green. Fat bear and I hated it so much we asked if we could do something else. Teacher said provisionally yes as long as we found a classic book to replace it and study ourselves. We went along to Waterstones in Cambridge and found Dracula on special offer (in a volume which also contained Frankenstein and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Never has a summer passed so slowly as trying to get through, analyse and annotate the unabridged Dracula.

[OrbitalPete]

I can't help but invoke Occams Razer and wonder if number 1 is going to be a book called the Invisible Man or something. But that's just me betting on publishers/authors getting straight to the point.

[Psymon]

3 is catcher in the rye.

It is. One point.

I'll have a point for J D Salinger then!

[OrbitalPete]

Well if we're playing that game I'll have a guess at number 5 being The Hound of the Baskervilles.

I'd have trouble naming another mind you...

[Shameless]

2. is Brave New World By Aldous Huxley.
8. 1984 by George Orwell.

Both correct, four points.

I've got a niggling feeling that 6 might be Dracula by Bram Stoker.

Your niggle is quite accurate for another two points.

I can't help but invoke Occams Razer and wonder if number 1 is going to be a book called the Invisible Ma.

Sharp guy that Occam. One point.

I'll have a point for J D Salinger then!

Yes, yes you will.

Well if we're playing that game I'll have a guess at number 5 being The Hound of the Baskervilles.

What a fine guess. One point.

Er, what's left then?

[OrbitalPete]

Woo 8 points.

[Psymon]

I think that just leaves 4 & 7 and the author of the invisible man then

[OrbitalPete]

Is 7 Catch 22 by Joseph Heller? It seems very familiar...

Hunchback of Notre Dame is the only thing I can think of for 4. Pretty certain that's nonsense though as it was set in medieval Paris as far as I remember.

[Shameless]

Is 7 Catch 22 by Joseph Heller?

Yes, it is. Two more.

Hunchback of Notre Dame is the only thing I can think of for 4. Pretty certain that's nonsense though as it was set in medieval Paris as far as I remember.

Nope!

[OrbitalPete]

I have no idea then. And it could be basically any genre.

[Psymon]

so the author of the invisible man and no.4...

a clue for 4 perhaps?

[Shameless]

A clue you say? Pah! If you insist.

[Psymon]

The Count of Monte Cristo - by Dumbass (shawshank anyone?)