Tuesday, December 15, 2015

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Guest Room; Chris Bohjalian


Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two from a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.  Today's selection is by a favorite author - the first paragraph is soon long - sorry

The Guest Room; Chris Bohjalian
January - 2016 - Doubleday

CHAPTER 1 

"Richard Chapman presumed there would be a stripper at his brother Philip’s bachelor party.  Perhaps if he had thought about it, he might even have expected two.  Sure, in sitcoms the stripper always arrived alone, but he knew that in real life strippers often came in pairs.  How else could there be a little pretend (or not pretend) girl-on-girl action on the living room carpet?  Besides, he worked in mergers and acquisitions, he understood the exigencies of commerce as well as anyone:  two strippers meant you could have two gentlemen squirming at once.  You could have two girls hovering just above two sets of thighs—or if the girls saw the right combination of neediness and dollar signs in the men’s eyes, not hovering but in fact descending upon each of the men’s laps.  Richard wasn’t especially wild about the idea of an exotic dancer in his family’s living room:  there was a place for everything in his mind, even the acrobatically tensed sinews of a stripper.  But that place wasn’t his home. He didn't want to be a prig, however; he didn't want to be the guy who put a damper on his younger brother's bachelor party.  And so he told himself the entertainment would be some girl from Sarah Lawrence or Fordham or NYU with a silly, mellifluous made-up name making a little money for tuition.  He didn't completely believe this, but in some backward universe sort of way, he felt a little less reprehensible--a little less soiled--if he were getting turned on by a twenty-one-year old sociology major with a flat stomach and a Brazilian who understood intellectually the cultural politics of stripping and viewed herself as a feminist capitalist."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 
(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?



31 comments:

  1. I loved The Guest Room! Hope you are enjoying it.

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    1. I am glad to hear u enjoyed, The Guest Room. I have not started it yet.

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  2. I've read and enjoyed other books by this author (loved Midwives) and this sounds like another good one.
    Thank you for hosting us!

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  3. I've not read anything by this author but do like that intro very much indeed!

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  4. I've already put this one on my to-read list. I like that first paragraph a lot. It promises a good story.

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    1. It seems like a departure for him, but agree it sounds good.

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  5. A favorite author, so yes! I do plan to read it.

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  6. Oh! Somebody else used this one last week didn't they? Or sometime? Anyway, I was intrigued by this opener the first time around, and now the second.

    My First Chapter post is here: http://www.bookpunks.com/begins-smoke-gets-eyes-caitlin-doughty/

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  7. I haven't read anything by this author but it sounds like a good one. I'd keep reading.

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  8. He's a good storyteller, so this one is going on my list.

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  9. Laurel liked it and now you have featured it. I put in it on my list for 2016. This author is new to me, so I have lots of catching up to do.

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    1. Judy - you need to try his books, I've read them all and love how he writes.

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  10. It sounds like he has a bit of difficulty with reality. I'm not sure it's my kind of read although I'm having trouble nailing the genre. Thanks for sharing it.

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  11. I just downloaded this in audio. I haven't read anything other than the synopsis, but I like the author and definitely be reading it.

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    1. Can't wait to compare notes. Hope to start it tomorrow or by the weekend.

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  12. I'm another that has never read anything by this author.

    Love your holiday header!

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  13. That's way too long of a first paragraph.

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    1. LOL - I felt like that when I read it the first time, but I'm hooked on the author so I know better LOL

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  14. I can't wait to read this one! It's on my must read list. :-)

    I didn't participate today. :-(

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    1. Glad to hear you will be reading this too.

      You were missed Wendy, but I understand the hecticness of the month:)

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  15. That's certainly a unique opening paragraph! It sounds like a promising novel. Thank you for taking the time to share the opening, Diane. I hope you enjoy this book.

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    1. I hope so as well. I am optimistic that I'll enjoy this one.

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