Tweeting the classics

Tweeting the classics: John Sutherland has channelled the quintessence of six classic English novels into 140 characters. Can you guess the novel in question? (Answers below)

1. Milk, Murder, Big Stones, the Rope. But she’s got a little sister. Kissed her.

2. Horseshoes unlucky for me. I rise like the sparks from the forge and fall like soot.

3. If you have to ask what the noise means, Southerner, you’ll never know.

4. Two heroines, no heroes, big war, boring, boring.

5. Nice little girls don’t go down holes and stay nice.

6. Whatever you say, that old crook with the red beard was more fun than bald locks in the country.

Twitter challenge: Ultra-short stories in 140 characters or fewer: writers respond

Tobias Hill I’ll be wearing a red reincarnation, he says. He disappoints her in the end, but she keeps the flower he wore. It never needs watering.

Philippa Gregory If my mother had not been a witch descended from the water spirit Melusina, then none of this could have happened to me. But it did.

Jon McGregor Walking far out across bay, tide coming in behind me. Locals wave and call. Voices carry clearly across surging water. Gorgeous sunset.

John Humphrys One after the other, the politicians said sorry. Mea culpa. I resign. The interviewer said so do I. What’s the point of carrying on?

Kate Mosse I called. Then hung up. Will you know it was me? You are disconcerting. The sun is out. It is hard to see the glitter screen. Call me.

Colum McCann After supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, she no longer showed any desire for antidisestablishmentarianism.

Answers to John Sutherland's brainteasers:

1. Tess of the D’Urbervilles 2. Great Expectations 3. Wuthering Heights 4. Vanity Fair 5. Alice in Wonderland 6. Oliver Twist

Ulysses

jamesjoyce: Man walks around Dublin. We follow every minute detail of his day. He’s probably overtweeting.

Great Expectations

charlesdickens: Orphan given £££ by secret follower. He thinks it’s @misshavisham but it turns out to be @magwitch

The Catcher in the Rye

jdsalinger: Rich kid thinks everyone is fake except for his little sister. Has breakdown. @markchapman is now following @johnlennon

Pride and Prejudice

janeaustin: Woman meets man called Darcy who seems horrible. He turns out to be nice really. They get together.

Bridget Jones’s Diary

helenfielding: RT @janeaustin Woman meets man called Darcy who seems horrible. He turns out to be nice really. They get together.