Saturday, June 18, 2011

Book Beginnings on Friday: Never Any End to Paris


This week, as I entered a hiatus between classes at the University, I started a new book, Never Any End to Paris by Enrique Vila-Matas. Here are the first couple of lines:


I went to Key West in Florida this year to enter the annual Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest.  The competition took place at Sloppy Joe's, the writer's favorite bar when he lived in Cayo Hueso, at the southern tip of Florida.  It goes without saying that entering this contest--full of sturdy, middle-age men with full gray beards, all identical to Hemingway, identical right down to the stupidest detail--is a unique experience.


Given the title of the book, which is what intrigued me enough to consider this novel by the author of Bartleby & Co., the opening paragraph suggested a comedy that just might lead back to Paris.  One hopes.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by A Few More Pages.
Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read,
making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.
If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

2 comments:

Katy said...

Hooray for breaks between school terms! I'm nearing the end of mine right now, since I'll be teaching a class over the summer term. I hope you enjoy your book!

Thanks for participating in Book Beginnings!

James said...

Thanks for your encouraging comment. This is a fascinating meme.