Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Opening Sentence: Half of a Yellow Sun



Master was a little crazy; he had spent too many years reading books overseas, talked to himself in his office, did not always return greetings, and had too much hair.
-- Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

What a terrific first sentence! 

This won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction.  It is set in the 1960s in Nigeria, leading up to and during the civil war and brief existence of the independent country of Biafra.  I am about half of the way through it and it is very good.

9 comments :

  1. LOL!! I love that he had too much hair. My bald hubby would ask if that were even possible.

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  2. This is one of my all-time favourite books, so I am glad you are enjoying it :)

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  3. Dana: It is a great opening.

    Sam: I put off reading it because of the violence, but it is so well done that I can't put it down.

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  4. That is a delightful opening sentence. Even though you described this one as fitting my Top Ten Tuesday theme, it definitely sounds like one I would like to read.

    (Also, thanks for stopping by my blog, I'm so pleased to have discovered yours as well!)

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  5. I loved this book and learned so much from reading it--I'd never even heard of Biafra before that book.

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  6. Lisa: It is a great book, but at halfway through it is already breaking my heart and I fear it is only going to get worse.

    As the Crowe Flies and Reads: So many people love this book, so that gives me hope that it isn't going to be entirely devastating. I never knew anything about Biafra either.

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  7. I just read this a few months ago and really enjoyed it. It was heartbreaking on many levels, but I'm still glad I read it.

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  8. Such a moving book! Enjoy!

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  9. Oh man, this book has been on my TBR for so long. I really want to get to it soon. The first sentence just makes you want to dive right in!

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