First Impressions

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

"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. In the month of Ramadan AH 899/June AD 1494 and in the twelfth year of my age, I became ruler of the Domain of Fergana."

* 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 March 12.

The winner of last week's competition, who identified Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's Dangerous Liaisons , was Suzanne Alexander of Leicester University.

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