About First Words

The first words of a book set the tone for what’s to come. The writer aims to draw you in immediately–to care about their characters, fall in love with their voice, and be curious about what will happen next. The First Words newsletter will offer recommendations we hope you’ll love–some new titles but also a lot of our favorites from recent years (and sometimes from long ago). 

For each recommendation, we’ll pull out the first line and consider why the writer started here. What can we learn about what kind of book this is from its very first words? What expectations are set up? What keeps us reading? We hope this will give you a deeper sense of the book than a quick plot summary or teaser would, helping connect you to the right book at the right time.