First Impressions

This week's competition, in which you have to identify a book from its opening sentence, is taken from a work by a Nobel prize-winning mathematician:

"In all history, nothing is so surprising or so difficult to account for as the sudden rise of civilisation in Greece."

The winner receives a £25 Blackwell's voucher and the closing date is October 23.

Entries, including postal address, should be sent to

First Impressions
The THES
Admiral House, 66-68 East Smithfield
London E1W 1BX

faxed to 020 7782 3300
or emailed to theschat@thes.co.uk

The winner of last week's competition, who correctly identified C. L. R. James's The Black Jacobins , is Paul Mackney, general secretary of Natfhe.

THES (TSL Education Ltd) and its associated companies may from time to time wish to process, or disclose your data to approved third-party companies, in order to monitor our service and send you future promotions. If you do not wish us to do this, please notify us by writing 'No promotions' on your entry.