One Line Novels

[Adam Smith]

Why spend all that time reading a novel when the entire plot could be summarized by one sentence from the book, or, at worst, a short paragraph?

Here's an example to start:

"The world is a fine place and worth fighting for."

Usual rules apply:
Identify both author and title.
First correct answer posts the next entry.
Googling the quote is considered gauche.

[Donegeal]

Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace?

[Edit] There is no edit. This line is here in error. [/Edit]

[Ninot]

since he didnt name the author, i'll try to steal

Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace?

edit: damn, i'm wrong. I got too curious and googled it, but I won't give it away

[Japher]

Independence Day

I think Will Smith said it

[Donegeal]

What are you talking about Ninot?

[loinburger]

It's from Hemingway, quoted in the movie Se7en, but I don't know the book title. (I'm not sure if the irony was pointed out in Se7en or elsewhere.)

[Elok]

Um, Robert E. Heinlein's Starship Troopers?

Though I think Heinlein's exact phrasing was, "The world is a fine place and worth a little jingoistic oppression and eternal horniness in those who fight for it. Really. I mean it. Hey, look, big robot suits!"

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Loinberger's right, it's Hemingway. I think it's "For whom the Bell Tolls."

[loinburger]

Google confirms that Rufus is correct.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Okay then:

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

[Cyclotron]

The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald... I think that's the last line...?

[Cyclotron]

... though I fail to see how that quote "summarizes the entire book."

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Cyclotron
... though I fail to see how that quote "summarizes the entire book."

yeah, I went for an easy one. And I think it summarizes the theme rather nicely. Anyway, your go...

[Cyclotron]

Well, I don't read many really famous books, but this one is one of my favorites.

"For Brother Joshua's group had only begun the first short lap of a long and doubtful journey, a new Exodus from Egypt under the auspices of a God who must surely be very weary of the race of Man."

[Bill3000]

....that's more than one sentence.