Whether it’s your kid offering a slice of pizza to his sibling or your friend volunteering to babysit, the person might say, “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.” Many people know the line though they have never seen Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 movie, “The Godfather.” The dialogue has taken on a life of its own. There are many movies and novels like that; they are famous for zingers and memorable dialogues.

In this article, I gathered my favorite one-liners from novels and movies.

15 Most Memorable Lines from Movies

If you love films as much as my family does, then you’ll understand why our conversations are filled with famous dialogues from movies. A long face on Monday morning is begging for this memorable line: “Uh-oh, looks like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays” (from “Office Space”). A gaffe is likely to elicit a remark such as “You’re terrible, Muriel!” (“Muriel’s Wedding”).  When something goes wrong, whether it’s a misplaced key or the washing machine overflowing, the stress eases up a bit when someone says, “Houston, we have a problem!” (“Apollo 13”). Read the entire article.

Top 10 Opening Sentences of Novels

A novel’s first sentence is so important that Poets & Writers magazine devotes a section to the first lines of notable new books. In the same vein, I rounded up 10 of my favorite opening sentences. Each one is powerful, and the rest of the book delivers what the first sentence promises.

As Poets & Writers explains in its “Page One” section, a great first sentence offers a glimpse into a fictional world. The books on this list certainly do that and then some. They are listed in alphabetical order based on the author’s last name. Read the entire article.

13 Nuggets of Wisdom from Novels

I read novels for pleasure. I consider it a bonus when a book also enlightens or offers advice. Indeed literature can empower readers to take positive actions, according to a recent study.

“Reading acts as a window to the outside world that challenges our thinking and changes our lifestyles for the better,” according to the study titled “The Untold Power of the Book.” I rounded up 13 of my favorite pithy quotes from literature, with topics ranging from books and love to regret and death. Read the entire article.