Learn English – “Already” at the beginning of a sentence

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Is it considered good form to use the word already at the beginning of a sentence? For instance:

Already in 1930, certain people were watching television in their homes.

I have seen it used in many history books and even in a speech by President Obama, but a friend of mine who is an excellent writer and one of the most prolific Wikipedia editors said that it was not good practice to use it like that.

Best Answer

This sounds like a personal preference rather than anything to do with the way English is actually used. It was good enough for such talented writers as Robert Louis Stevenson:

Already in our society . . . the bourgeois is too much cottoned about for any zest in living.

and Betrand Russell:

Already in December 1676 Leibniz held that not all possibles exist.

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