Five ways to open a story. Three ways to end it. One writer's attempt to master resonance. Lesson 12 of my self-study writing journey is live.
medium.com/evolution-of...
#WritingCraft #FirstSentences #AmWriting
"Nationalism demands that rulers and ruled hail from the same ethnic background."
Wimmer 2013, Waves of War. Nationalism, State Formation, and Ethnic Exclusion in the Modern World
#firstsentences #polisci #history
"Nature (the art whereby God hath made and governs the world) is by the art of man, as in many other things, so in this also imitated, that it can make an artificial animal."
Hobbes 1651, Leviathan or The Matter, Forme & Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall & Civil
#firstsentences #philosophy
A blog post of memorable #firstsentences from @jackewilson.bsky.social's list of the 25 greatest books of all time. #books #booksky #literature
"The definite object proposed in this work is an examination of the general history of Europe and America with particular reference to the effect of sea power upon the course of that history"
AT Mahan 1890, The Influence of Sea Power upon History
#firstsentences #erstesätzehistoriker #navalhistory
"Many in the West seem to believe that 'perpetual peace' among
the great powers is finally at hand."
Mearsheimer 2001, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
#firstsentences #politicalscience #polisci #internationalrelations
"Our fundamental argument is that a common ideology inspires, informs, and shapes the political thought of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle."
Wood/Wood 1978, Class Ideology and Ancient Political Theory. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle in Social Context
#firstsentences #philosophy #skystorians #history
"The analysis of political development has had about the same relationship to historical experience as a dog on a long leash to the tree at the other end of the leash."
Tilly 1975, The Formation of National States in Europe
#firstsentences #erstesätze #polisci #politicalscience #skystorians 🗃️
"Some books present fresh evidence; others make arguments that urge the reader to see old problems in a new light."
#firstsentences #polisci #politicalscience
Theda Skocpol 1979, States and Social Revolutions
"The snowdrops in the gardening book are mocking me." Ma'am, I can relate. My thumbs are so black I could be a witch in Gretel & Hansel.
#FirstSentences #booksky #ADarkAndStarlessForest #SarahHollowell
BWAHAHAAAAAAA #FirstSentences #OpeningLines
Copy of the Ravan Press edition of Sol T.Plaatje's "Native Life in South Africa" (1916); cover art by Mzwakhe Nhlabatsi. Back cover text: 'Most black South Africans,' writes Bessie Head in her foreword, 'suffer from a very broken sense of history. "Native Life" provides an essential missing link. This book may have failed to appeal to human justice in its time, but there is in its tears, anguish and humility, an appeal to a day of retribution. "Native Life in South Africa" is one of South Africa's great political books by one of the most gifted and influential writers and journalists of his generation. First published in 1916, it was first and foremost a response to the Natives' Land Act of 1913, "Native Life" traces the origins of this crucially important piece of legislation, and provides a devastating description of its immediate effects. Plaatje spent many weeks travelling in the countryside and the most moving chapters in the book tell us what he saw. His book explores the wider political and historical context that produced policies of the kind embodied in the Land Act, and documents meticulously steps taken by South Africa's rulers to exclude black South Africans from the exercise of political power. "Native Life" speaks directly to the present debate about the need to redress the wrongs of the past — which includes the restoration of expropriated lands to their rightful owners. ' … one of the most powerful political polemics ever written about this country.'—Christopher Saunders, "South African Outiook", 1985. 'Plaatje's most famous work.'—Roger Omond, "The Guardian", 1984.
Cover of the 2007 Picador Africa edition of Sol T. Plaatje's "Native Life in South Africq" (1916); cover design by Donald Hill. Text from inside cover and back cover: "Native Life in South Africa" is one of South Africa's great political books. First published in 1916, it was first and foremost a response to the Native's Land Act of 1913 and was written by one of the most gifted and influential writers and journalists of his generation. "Native Life in South Africa" provides an account of the origins of this crucially important piece of legislation and a devastating description of its immediate effects. Plaatje spent many weeks traveling in the countryside and the most moving chapters in the book tell us what he saw. "Native Life in South Africa" explores the wider political and historical context that produced policies of the kind embodied in the Land Act, and documents meticulously steps taken by South Africa's rulers to exclude black South Africans from the exercise of political power. Nearly 100 years have passed since "Native Life in South Africa" was first published, but it still resonates with ideas which have relevance to our political and cultural life and which should inspire us today. Most black South Africans suffer from a very broken sense of history. "Native Life in South Africa" provides an essential missing link. This book may have failed to appeal to human justice in its time, but there is in its tears, anguish and humility, an appeal to a day of retribution. —Bessie Head (1982) Sol Plaatje cannot give us all the answers, but his life and work teach us two indispensable lessons. First, to be a humanitarian it is not necessary to efface and extinguish one's own cultural identity and heritage, Second, in honouring one's own language and history it is entirely unnecessary to dishonour the language and history of anyone else. —Professor Kader Asmal
Film still from Stephen Daldry's "The Hours" (2002) adapted from Michael Cunningham's 1999 novel' in which the subtitles show that she says, "Leonard, I believe I may have a first sentence."
Film still from Stephen Daldry's "The Hours" (2002) adapted from Michael Cunningham's 1999 novel' in which the Dutch subtitles show that she says, "Ik denk dat ik m'n openingszin heb."
Awaking on Friday morning, June 20, 1913, the South African native found himself, not actually a slave, but a pariah in the land of his birth.
▪️Sol T. Plaatje, NATIVE LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1916
#FirstSentences #BookSky 📚💙
Tall And True Short Reads, Ep 47/100: I post a #bookcovers and #firstsentences homage on Instagram. In 2018, I shared a favourite tear-jerker, #TuesdaysWithMorrie. 😢 #storytelling #podcasts #applepodcasts #spotify #youtube
Screenshot of the cover of On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2000 and 2020).
This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullsh-t. ~ On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft by #StephenKing (#HodderStoughton 2000, 2020) 📚
#books #BookCovers #FirstSentences #homage #writers #writing
It’s safe to say that police officers aren’t the smartest.
#nanowrino2023 #firstsentences
That glorious first sentence in full from @AdamOuston’s splendid debut novel Waypoints, out in March from @PuncherWattmann in Oz, & @thisissplice in the UK. #firstsentences #thatswhatIcallananticipatedbook
