First Impressions

This week's competition, in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, is from a work by a novelist:

"Victoria Sackville-West was thirty when she went into labour for the first and last time at midday on 8 March 1892."

* Entries, including postal address, should be sent to First Impressions, The Times Higher , Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield, London E1W 1BX, faxed to 020 7782 3300 or e-mailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a £25 book voucher. The closing date is January 9.

The winner of last week's competition, who identifed Aphra Behn's The Unfortunate Happy Lady: A True History , was Philip Greenwood of Banstead, Surrey.

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