This week's First Impressions, the competition in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, comes from a novel that one might hesitate to show one's servants:
"Ours is essentially a tragic age, so we refuse to take ittragically."
The winner receives a £20 book token andthe closing date is January 20.
Entries should be sent to
First Impressions
The THES
Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield
London E1 9XY
faxed to 0171-782 3300
or emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk
The winner of last week's competition,who identified Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Paul Clifford , is David Mackinder of Northwood, Middlesex.