Ask any writer you know, all of them will probably admit their biggest struggle is finding the right first sentences of books. Sometimes it's easier to draft an entire story and actually write a nice ending paragraph before deciding on the good starting sentences of their pieces.
The beginning of a story carries the daunting task of hooking the prospective reader in, and adding your work among best selling books. You get only a few sentences and maybe less than two minutes to write good opening lines which will pass the vibe check between the reader and the book. If you’re an inspiring writer, our list of 83 famous opening lines of books will show you how to write books that grab attention from the beginning.
In a recent survey from Amazon Literary Partnership, British book lovers voted for the timeless French Revolution-era classic novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” published in 1840. Charles Dickens wrote the most iconic novel opening that still wins in polls:
“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”
Scroll through our list with literary masterpieces and the best books of all time if you want to become the next Charles Dickens who writes the best opening sentences. Be sure to let us know which book you didn’t judge by its cover, but by its opening lines. And if you haven’t laid your eyes on any of these books, you will definitely pick your next read here.
