First lines from famous novels rewritten to catch attention today (pictures)

If you loved classic book titles re-written to get more clicks, you’ll enjoy the new stuff from BuzzFeed.

JennyChang and Jennifer Schaffer prepared a set of pictures where they adjusted first lines of famous novels into something that would get more attention and clicks in the present day.

Not only the beginnings of novels were rewritten, but also their titles. So, instead of Moby Dick we read Moby Click. We see also Catch-404, Re:Lolita or, our favorite, If on a Winter’s Night a Lost WiFi Signal.

Some first sentences are rewritten entirely. In some, one word makes the whole difference. You’ll find here references to Vine, Snapchat, Twitter hashtags, selfies, among others. All cleverly building up on original texts.

For the fun of finding the differences, we places under each picture the original and rewritten beginnings of classic novels.

Find all the images and book cover credits in the original post on BuzzFeed.

Famous first lines rewritten for the 21st century (pictures)

1. Moby Dick – Herman Melville

Then: Call me Ishmael.

Now: Tweet me @Ishmael.

2. The Catcher in the Rye – J. D. Salinger

Then: If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.

Now: If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, so just scroll through my Facebook timeline, if you want to know the truth.

3. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Then: In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”

Now: In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone’s selfie,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the lighting that you’ve had.”

4. Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov

Then: Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.

Now: Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the finger taking a trip of three steps down the iPhone to tap, at three, on the screen. #Lo #Lee #Ta.

5. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens

Then: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Now: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of YOLO, it was the age of unemployment, it was the epoch of Snapchat, it was the epoch of Snowden, it was the season of Rising Oceans, it was the season of Perpetual Drought, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of crippling student debt.

6. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler – Italo Calvino

Then: You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino’s new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler.

Now: You are about to download Italo Calvino’s new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler. Do you accept these terms and conditions?

7. The End of the Affair – Graham Greene

Then: A story has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.

Now: A Vine has no beginning or end; arbitrarily one chooses that moment of experience from which to look back or from which to look ahead.

8. Catch-22 – Joseph Heller

Then: It was love at first sight.

Now: It was love at first swipe.

9. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen

Then: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Now: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be working in the tech industry.

Famous first lines rewritten for today (all-in-one)

Via Design Taxi.

There is more geek stuff to explore:

50 neat literary clothes and other fashion items
– November 8, 2021

Contemporary book quotes designed to look like old book titles
– July 26, 2021

12 fascinating book machines before the Kindle
– March 22, 2021

Reading time of terms of service compared to books (infographic)
– May 12, 2020

11 beautifully illustrated foreign words that don’t translate to English
– April 24, 2020