06 June 2014

Book Riot's Favorite Sentences

Note: This post originally appeared on Book Riot on May 19, 2014.

For some reason, whenever I hear that someone writes “great sentences,” my ears always perk up. Which is funny because, if pressed I couldn’t really tell you what exactly makes a great sentence. For me it’s kind of like the Supreme Court and pornography: I know it when I see it.
Or at least I think I do.
Rather than trying to come up with a definition of a great sentence, I thought it’d be more productive to just showcase some. So I asked my fellow Book Riot contributors for some of their favorite sentences. Lucky for me, they were more than up to the challenge.
And as always, we want to hear from you too. So please enjoy and then let us know what some of your favorite sentences are in the comments section.
So, without further ado, I present to you (drumroll please)… Book Riot’s Favorite Sentences:
Click here to read all the full post with all these wonderful sentences.  But while you're here, here are my three choices:
“And who shall say–whatever disenchantment follows–that we ever forget magic; or that we can ever betray, on this leaden earth, the apple-tree, the singing, and the gold?” – Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel
“In a hallway I saw a sign with an arrow pointing the way, and I was struck by the thought that that inoffensive symbol had once been a thing of iron, an inexorable, mortal projectile that had penetrated the flesh of men and lions and clouded the sun of Thermopylae and bequeathed to Harald Sigurdson, for all time, six feet of English earth.” – Jorge Luis Borges, “Mutations” from Dreamtigers
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
“Sam said her mother was a mermaid, when everyone knew she was dead.” – Evaline Ness, Sam, Bangs & Moonshine

15 First Picture-Book Gift Ideas for Children’s Book Week



A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to write a guest post for Reading Rainbow... and if my elementary school self knew that he'd get to recommend books for Reading Rainbow, he would totally pee his pants.

So, here are 15 First Picture Book Gift Ideas for anyone with a new baby on the way.  But you don't have to take my word for it...