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March 27, 2008

Last and first lines

The 100 best last lines from novels as chosen by the American Book Review. One that's there (in third place) and should be (but higher up):

So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. (F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby)
One that isn't there but should be:
For that is the truth of it - that we all know, God, that we know, that we know, we know, we know. (Saul Bellow, Mr. Sammler's Planet)
The list is here [pdf]. They also have a list of the 100 best first lines [pdf].

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