The last theory about this iconic first line is that melville is about to establish a casual introduction a call to familiarity by introducing the novel this way it allows readers to get comfortable with the narrator and first person story that is about to unfold last line and i only am escaped alone to tell thee. The first line of a book is a written invitation addressed to the reader if the reader likes the invitation they read on if they dont like it they close the book and read something else finding the best combination of words for that first line can take a while some authors devote months of time to develop the opening line of their book. Dont judge a book by its cover instead try and wait for the last line following our massively popular and lovingly selected list of the 100 best opening lines from books its now time . Postwar american first lines dont come much more angsty or zeitgeisty than the 10 best closing lines of books in pictures what is the best last line of a novel published 1 feb