Literary One-Liners: Name the Book By Its Famous First Words

Every author knows that any story worth its salt must draw a reader in. That's why these thirty authors came up with some of the best first lines of all time. 

From "Call me Ishmael" to "It is a truth universally acknowledged...", navigate the words of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Kurt Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, and many more, as you recall these famous first words.

These thirty new beginnings will have you leafing through the pages to discover what's next. Now, let's get started with our Literary One-Liners Quiz!

Test your Literary Knowledge

"I have never begun a novel with more misgiving." If that isn't a way to start out a book, I don't know what is. Our fun Literature Quiz will draw you into these thirty books with their intriguing and novel first lines. Whether you're a literature buff or a not-so-avid reader, these lines are so famous that you're sure to name the right book by its famous first words.

How does A Tale of Two Cities start? How about Anna Karenina? Better yet, do you know the first line of Harry Potter? You don't have to have them memorized to ace this Literature Quiz; you just have to recognize them. And, hopefully, you'll recall the colorful stories that unfold thereafter.

Books are more exciting than ever before with the famous first words of this Literature Quiz! 

Try all of our History Quizzes

History, literature, art. They're all intermingled, but not to worry – you can test your knowledge on all fronts with our collection of history quizzes, starting with some of history's best books and writers.

Join us in our history quiz series to see if you're a history buff or just a novice. Explore the World Wars, U.S. presidents, political scandals, revolutions, inventions, and so much more by taking our history quizzes. Whether you're a know-it-all or know not much, you're sure to learn something along the way!