Famous First and Last Lines

"A screaming comes across the sky."

Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon is a lengthy WWII novel published in 1973, a winner of the 1974 national book award. The story follows a character named Pirate Prentice, a Special Operations Executive employee. The first few pages follow the character first in his dreams then in his home during wartime London. The story starts some months after the Germans first started releasing bombs and missiles over London. 

I actually haven't heard of this novel until now, which surprises me - it's apparently really famous. It's often described as extremely dense, hard to read, with a complex, and unique writing style. The reviews I've seen all had something to say about the writing style, and most agreed it was simply very dense - even those who liked the novel. It's for that reason I pray I never have to read this novel, as interesting and challenging it might sound. 

"It was a fine cry - loud and long- but it had no bottom and it had no top, just circles and circles of sorrow."

Sula is a novel written in 1973 by prominent author Toni Morrison. It is about a mostly black neighborhood in Ohio, and two heroines. One, named Nel Wright wishes to stay in the town, and become a part of the community. The other, Sula Peace, wants more and decides to go to college. When she returns she has changed significantly. It has important themes of motherhood, friendship, and contrast. The contrast between friends Sula and Nel is an integral part of the story, and the novel became a significant part of the black feminist criticism movement. 

The last line, the one above, is a powerful one, the cry coming from Nel. I think I'll add this book to my to read list (even though I already have a huge amount of books on that list). The story sounds profoundly moving and interesting.