One of the most memorable first sentences I've ever read in a non-fiction book was from a book titled Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. The opening sentence reads: "It is not the brightest that succeed, nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift."
I was struck by the powerful imagery, which seems to suggest that our successes don't always come from our own decisions and hard work, but can sometimes be the result of luck or serendipity. Furthermore, I felt it deserved to be mentioned here because it emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of chance and opportunity in achieving success. To me, this sentence was thought-provoking and inspiring - a reminder that none of us can accomplish anything without help from our environment.
On a related note, I also find the first sentence of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger to be particularly memorable - "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." This sentence immediately draws the reader in with its profound relatability and dark humor.
These are two rather different examples of memorable first sentences, but it is hard to deny that both of them had an immense impact on me and made me want to read on.
