--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love great first lines and paragraphs…" description: "\"“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/michael-chabon-627_crime_love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-fr_47539.jpg" --- # Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish… ![“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his fellow residents managing to get themselves murdered. Now somebody has put a bullet in the brain of the occupant of 208, a yid who was calling…” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/michael-chabon-627_crime_love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-fr_47539.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/michael-chabon-627_crime_love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-fr_47539.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/michael-chabon-627_crime_love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-fr_47539.jpg) > ““Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his fellow residents managing to get themselves murdered. Now somebody has put a bullet in the brain of the occupant of 208, a yid who was calling himself Emanuel Lasker. ”” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote praises compelling openings that hook readers, using a vivid example from a novel to illustrate how a striking start can set tone and intrigue. **In simple terms:** Effective openings captivate readers. Key Takeaway Strong openings drive engagement. Themes Narrative technique Storytelling Engagement Hook Literary style Mood Intrigued Excited Type Literary quote Advice When to use this quote - Writing workshops - Literature classes - Book clubs - Creative writing sessions Key Concepts Opening lines Character introduction Suspense Practical Applications - Teaching narrative hooks - Analyzing opening paragraphs Questions to Reflect On - What makes an opening line memorable? - How does a strong start affect reader expectations? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Nine months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine-months/) [Yiddish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yiddish/) ## Related quotes > [“Jesus Fucking Christ,” she says with that flawless hardpan accent of hers. It is an expression that always strikes Landsman as curious, or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/jesus-fucking-christ-she-says-with-that-flawless-hardpan-accent-of/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Fuck what is written," Landsman says. “You know what?" All at once he feels weary of ganefs and prophets, guns and sacrifices and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/fuck-what-is-written-landsman-says-you-know-what-all-at-once-he-feels/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Like most policemen, Landsman sails double-hulled against tragedy, stabilized against heave and storm. It's the shallows he has to worry about, the hairline fissures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/like-most-policemen-landsman-sails-double-hulled-against-tragedy/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [...Landsman doesn't buy that. Bina never stopped wanting to redeem the world. She just let the world she was trying to redeem get smaller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/landsman-doesn-t-buy-that-bina-never-stopped-wanting-to-redeem-the/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He has the memory of a convict, the balls of a fireman, and the eyesight of a housebreaker. When there is crime to fight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-has-the-memory-of-a-convict-the-balls-of-a-fireman-and-the/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [I don't care what is written," Meyer Landsman says. "I don't care what supposedly got promised to some sandal-wearing idiot whose claim to fame…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-don-t-care-what-is-written-meyer-landsman-says-i-don-t-care-what/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“But there is no Messiah of Sitka. Landsman has no home, no future, no fate but Bina. The land that he and she were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/but-there-is-no-messiah-of-sitka-landsman-has-no-home-no-future-no/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Landsman recognizes the expression on Dick's face...The face of a man who feels he was born into the wrong world. A mistake has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/landsman-recognizes-the-expression-on-dick-s-face-the-face-of-a-man/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [None of the great players has been so incomprehensible to the majority of amateurs and even masters, as Emanuel Lasker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-raul-capablanca/none-of-the-great-players-has-been-so-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Jose Raul Capablanca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-raul-capablanca/) > [No other great master has been so misunderstood by the vast majority of chess amateurs and even by many masters, as has Emanuel Lasker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-raul-capablanca/no-other-great-master-has-been-so-misunderstood-by-the-vast-majority/) [Jose Raul Capablanca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-raul-capablanca/) > [I heard Yiddish when my father's family came to the house, which was as seldom as my mother could arrange it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-heard-yiddish-when-my-father-s-family-came-to-the-house-which-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My Grandmother Bella would say in Yiddish, "Gouta Zeh,Gouta Zeh,Let The Other One Be Right!" My Italian friend Nick's Grandmother said,"It is A Better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandma-bella-and-belli/my-grandmother-bella-would-say-in-yiddish-gouta-zeh-gouta-zeh-let-the/) Grandma Bella and Belli > [On a crowded bus in Israel, a mother was speaking to her son in Yiddish. An Israeli woman reprimanded her. "You should be speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/on-a-crowded-bus-in-israel-a-mother-was-speaking-to-her-son-in/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [“He was distressed to learn that the Pottery Barn Kids gift registry did not extend to children's books in Italian or Yiddish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/he-was-distressed-to-learn-that-the-pottery-barn-kids-gift-registry/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“LIFE is the biggest bargain you can get.You get it for FREE! Yiddish saying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiddish/life-is-the-biggest-bargain-you-can-get-you-get-it-for-free-yiddish/) Yiddish ## More by Michael Chabon > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [A father is a man who fails every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/a-father-is-a-man-who-fails-every-day/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) [Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More Crime quotes > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [“The jailers, the Court, everyone in that building – it wasn’t about justice; it was about obedience and intimidation…about maintaining order. Fear accomplished that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-allan/the-jailers-the-court-everyone-in-that-building-it-wasn-t-about/) [Jay Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-allan/) > [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Nations sometimes flourish by denying the crimes that brought them into being. Only when the original invasion, occupation, extermination or usurpation has been safely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/nations-sometimes-flourish-by-denying-the-crimes-that-brought-them/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Too much virtue can be criminal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-racine/too-much-virtue-can-be-criminal/) [Jean Racine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-racine/) > [The federal prison population increased by almost 800 percent between 1980 and 2013, often at a far faster rate than the Bureau of Prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-yates/the-federal-prison-population-increased-by-almost-800-percent-between/) [Sally Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-yates/) > [ \[P\]rogress, however, has not sufficiently infiltrated the Interior Ministry, affording protection to those who participated in the Bytyqi murders and other egregious Milosevic-era crimes. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avis-bohlen/p-rogress-however-has-not-sufficiently-infiltrated-the-interior/) Avis Bohlen [Browse all 8,359 Crime quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Love great first lines and paragraphs. 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