First Impressions

This week's competition, in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, is from a novel by a writer born in Shanghai:

'Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral piers of the Chinese Bund.'

* 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 emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner receives a £25 book voucher. The closing date is February 13.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Sartor Resartus by Thomas Carlyle, is Kamel Mellahi, associate professor in international strategic management, Nottingham University Business School.

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