Silly game- anyone up for it?

Yes, quite, ffin. Well said. I'm adding to my reading list too.

Darwin, yes, but The Origin of Species.

Guessing agin because I didn't read any books on raising kids: Spock or Whitehorn

It's in the pleasure of finding the answer, not in how the answer is found surely. It's all good stuff to become informed and educated. Some of the books on this thread haven't even been on my horizon, but I don't mind, because it's fun and interesting - and get's me shooting off to google or jotting down info. for future reference.

Yes it's Gilbert White.

The Voyage of the Beagle. Darwin.

Here's one that many on here will have read - many moons ago

"it is a truism that dealing with small children is not just a matter if deciding what is the best thing to do, and then doing it"

Good thinking, elegran. That's why you got points. Have I to give the book title now?

I don't know, mice, but Selborne comes to mind.

On a similar theme, here's an easy one: "When on board H.M.S. 'Beagle' as naturalist, I was much struck with certain facts in the distribution of the organic beings inhabiting South America, and in the geological relations of the present to the past inhabitants of that continent."

Love that sentence! Especially 'organic beings'.

Ah! I was making a deduction from insufficientl evidence, Thatbags The only thing I could find on Google was everyone at the party was useful to GL, so I assumed the party was for him.

The party wasn't for Gulzari Lal. It was for "a very insignificant guest indeed", elegran, but you do get points for that .

Yes! It's the Pope translation from an edition published in 1872 which was my grandfather's. Much thumbed - but not looked at by me for a long time.

I remember reading a story by Agatha Christie called Parker Pyne Investigates many years ago, but I can't remember anything at all about it apart from the title.

And here's one for Bags to calm her down

"1774 January 1. Larks congregate. Sunday 2 Thermom abroad 25 1/2"

Can't do yours, Thatbags, but with the help of Google I have detected that the party was for Gulzari Lal, a former Prime minister of India. Do I get any points for that?

Googling successfully is an intellectual exercise. It might be cheating, but just how many people have every word of every book they have ever read in their memory? Maybe (just maybe) Googling the whole quotation is a bit much, but following clues must be OK?

Homer's Iliad MiceElf, and that was from memory and without even checking, though I have checked on previous ones that I thought might be a certain book.

"The steamer from Barcelona to Majorca landed Mr Parker Pyne at Palma in the early hours of the morning - and straightaway he met with disillusionment."

Why is it that every thread eventually founders? No, don't anwer that, it will only be the bell for another round.

BTW, I don't think it's a silly game. I'm just no good at it.

For pity's SAKE! I rarely get this angry.

I saw that googling stuff was frowned upon and put in a view that in certain circumstances it was the same as checking a book.

THAT's ALL!!!

God! I can see why jings loses patience sometimes and tells people to fuck off.

Pity? Why? Good grief! What is there to be upset about? I wasn't being nasty or unfirendly. I even donated one of my own from a fairly famous Ruth Prawer Jhabvala book!

Yikes, talk about touchy! I'm stunned that anyone has found anything problematic about my posts on this thread!!!!!!!!!!!

HeyAriadne don't give up on this thread! Some years ago my book cub compiled a " first line" quiz which we all enjoyed I thought it worth a try!

I only went to the bookcase and picked out a book I hadn't read once, bags and that was "The story of Pi" which I chose especially for you as a small, but obviously ineffective joke. See earlier posts.

This is all such a pity, as I was really enjoying the thread, and going back to my beloved books. Maybe this time I'll learn not to join in too freely. But I doubt it.

I am often told I need a Kindle, but I love the feel and smell of a book.

Do you know, I often don't even remember the title of the book I'm reading, so the first line has no chance! I just plunge in for the story and the lovely insights that jump out of the page and the beautiful turns of phrase ditto, that you stop and read again and even copy down or underline so you can get at them again. Warm feeling . Love good writing.

Oh, I agree if you've no idea at all, but if you have a clue, it's OK, as is checking the book if you own it.

Yes, you can google. But if you've absolutely no idea at all, then it's a bit, just a bit, like cheating. And I don't do that.

No

All the ones I've answered (and I got one wrong) are on my shelves.

Now, Bags, have a go at mine. It's REALLY easy. Even if you haven't read it.

Do you know the party one? Vaguely?

Yes, but you can do it on google if you don't own the book because, say, you borrowed it from a library. No?

Ooh bags, you have to check your memory . And you have to ensure your quotes are accurate.