First Impressions

This week's First Impressions, the competition in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, greets the opening of the Referendum season with a cult work by a writer who, in spite of his surname, will be voting on Thursday: "The sweat wis lashing oafay Sick Boy; he wis trembling. Ah wis jist sitting thair, focusing on the telly, trying no tae notice the ****. He wis bringing me doon."

Entries should be submitted to First Impressions, The THES, Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1 9XY. Fax:0171 782 3300. Email:theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a Pounds 20 book token and the closing date is September 9.The winner of last week's competition, who identified Reminiscences by Thomas Carlyle, is Gary Wilmer of Maida Vale, London.