Writers and Places Trivia

1. What was Agatha Christie's birth or maiden name?

From Quiz Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

Answer: Miller

Agatha Christie's birth name was Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller. She was born on 15 September 1890. In her autobiography she explains, "I was called Mary after my grandmother, Clarissa after my mother (Clara), and Agatha as an afterthought, suggested on the way to the church (for her christening) by a friend of my mother's who said it was a nice name". Boehmer was her mother's maiden name and Christie became her name by virtue of her first marriage.

From Quiz The Author Challenge

Answer: Mexico

Octavio Paz Lozano was born in Mexico City, Mexico in March 31, 1914. He went to a private college in Mexico named Colegio Williams. "The Labyrinth of Solitude" was written as a nine essay book analysing Mexico. Octavio died in Mexico City on April 19, 1998.

From Quiz Literary Lights from the Land of Pleasant Living

Answer: James M. Cain

James M. Cain (July 1, 1892 - October 27, 1977) was born in Baltimore, Maryland to an educator and an opera singer. Although, Cain initially desired to be a singer he lacked the level of talent necessary for establishing a professional career. Cain therefore turned his sights on becoming a journalist and subsequently contributed work to many newspapers and periodicals, such as, the "Baltimore Sun", the "Baltimore American", and the "New York World". As his career progressed he began to write screenplays, but only received professional credit for three of them. Finding more success as an author he became renowned for writing hard boiled crime novels. Among his most popular novels, which were also produced as major motion pictures are "The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1934), "Double Indemnity" (1943), and "Mildred Pierce" (1941). Reference: Wikipedia. "James M. Cain"

From Quiz Alfred Wainwright: Fell-Walker

Answer: AW

He is known to readers of his books and fellow walkers as AW but amongst friends and family he signs his letters Alf. He was born on 17 January 1907 in Blackburn and was the youngest child of Albert and Emily Wainwright.

From Quiz Children's Books on a Journey Round the World

Answer: Sweden

Pippi Longstocking, her best known character, was translated into many different languages. A few other good books by the Swedish author are: "Emil Gets into Mischief", "Children of Noisy Village", "The World's Best Karlson".

From Quiz 19th Century Massachusetts Literary Scene

Answer: Concord

Largely drawn by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Concord hosted an impressive array of authors, artists, philosophers, and other intellectuals.

From Quiz The Hemingway House

Answer: Key West, Florida

Hemingway was apparently very fond of polydactyl cats, which are cats with more than 5 toes on any given paw. Some of the cats in residence are descendants of his first polydactyl cat.

From Quiz Writers And Where They Lived

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

John Dos Passos (1896-1970). F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940). Erskine Caldwell won some fame with "God's Little Acre"

From Quiz Authors Birthplaces

Answer: Canada

Margaret wrote 'The Stone Angel' and 'The Diviner' amoung other works.

From Quiz Authors: British or American?

Answer: American

Burroughs was born in Chicago.

From Quiz Writers from Wisconsin

Answer: American History

Stephen Ambrose, who grew up in Whitewater and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, was a noted historian. He wrote biographies of Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. However, his primary interest was military history. His "Band of Brothers" (1992) is one of the best books about the Second World War, and was turned into an Emmy Award winning miniseries by Tom Hanks. Ambrose won an Emmy Award for his writing on the mini-series. Lewis and Clark was another interest of Ambrose. "Undaunted Courage" (1996) and "The Vast Land" (2003) both deal with the explorers. Ambrose wrote 27 books over the course of his career. He died in October 2002.

From Quiz Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

Answer: Madge and Monty

Agatha Christie had two older siblings - Margaret or Marjorie Frary ("Madge") and Louis Montant ("Monty"). Madge's real name is uncertain as some sources say Margaret and others say Marjorie. Agatha Christie did not mention Madge's real name in her autobiography. However, given that Agatha's mother was raised by her aunt Margaret, it is likely that the Millers named their firstborn daughter after her. According to Agatha Christie, she herself was named after her maternal grandmother, and Monty was named after his father's greatest friend in America, so it is logical that Madge was also named after someone. When describing her childhood, Agatha Christie stated that she remembered little of her brother and sister and she presumed this was because they were away at school, whereas she herself was home-schooled. The incorrect answers are all character names from her novels. Thomas and Prudence are Tommy and Tuppence Beresford (who appear in four novels and a book of short stories). Letitia and Charlotte were the Blacklock sisters from "A Murder is Announced" and Arthur and Dulcie were Captain Hastings (Poirot's "Watson") and his wife.

From Quiz Authors from the Emerald Isle

Answer: Millington

John Millington Synge was born in Dublin in 1871 and died there, aged only thirty-seven, from Hodgkin's disease. Synge was one of the co-founders of the Abbey Theatre in his home town, where 'The Playboy of the Western World' received its premiere in 1907. The play caused controversy, and a riot on its opening night, as it was considered to be immoral - the lead character (the 'playboy') having claimed to have killed his father. The play is the best known of Synge's writings, with his early death giving him little time in which to build on his success.

From Quiz The Author Challenge

Answer: USA

Thomas Coraghessan Boyle was born in New York in 1948. As a student, he attended the State University of New York in Potsdam. His third novel, "World's End" was written in 1987 and won him the PEN/Faulkner award in 1988.

From Quiz Literary Lights from the Land of Pleasant Living

Answer: Thorne Smith

James Thorne Smith Jr.(March 27, 1892-June 21, 1934) wrote many humorous science fiction and fantasy tales, but is best known for those that were made into movies and television programs. His books "Topper" (1926) and "Topper Takes a Trip" (1932) were made into three successful Hollywood movies (1937 - 1941) featuring such stars as Billie Burke and Cary Grant. In 1953, "Topper" also provided the basis for a successful television program of the same name starring Leo G. Carroll. Another of Smith's books, "The Passionate Witch", was produced as the movie "I Married a Witch" (1942), which starred Veronica Lake and Frederick March. The subsequent television program "Bewitched" (1964 - 1972) starred Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens. The program was such a hit that the series continued to be popular even after Dick Sargeant replaced Dick York as Samantha's husband Darren (or as Endora would say, "Durwood, Darwin, or What's his name"). References: Wikipedia. "Bewitched" Wikipedia. "Thorne Smith" Wikipedia. "Topper"

From Quiz Alfred Wainwright: Fell-Walker

Answer: Blackburn Rovers

He supported Blackburn Rovers all his life and formed the Supporters Club, of which he was Treasurer. After matches it was customary for people to queue up at fish and chip shops with basins to collect fish and chips for Saturday tea.

From Quiz Children's Books on a Journey Round the World

Answer: Germany

Funke is hailed as an international bestseller, so not many avid readers know she is really from Germany. She wrote the "Inkheart Trilogy", "Dragonrider" and "The Thief Lord". "Inkheart" and "The Thief Lord" have been made into good movies.

From Quiz 19th Century Massachusetts Literary Scene

Answer: Ralph Waldo Emerson

In addition to his own home, Emerson also owned Thoreau's property on Walden Pond, the Alcott's Orchard House, and Hawthorne's Wayside.

From Quiz The Hemingway House

Answer: a sea captain

Hemingway's first six-toed cat was a tomcat. Many years ago, ship captains believed six-toed cats to be good luck.

From Quiz Writers And Where They Lived

Answer: Vita Sackville-West

Vanessa Bell was Virginia Woolf's sister and mother of Quentin Bell; Violet and Rosamund were friends of Vita's. Vita's castle is now better known as Sissinghurst Gardens.

From Quiz Authors Birthplaces

Answer: United States

Truman is the author of such books as 'The Grass Harp' and 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'.

From Quiz Authors: British or American?

Answer: American

He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.

From Quiz Writers from Wisconsin

Answer: 1893

Frederick Jackson Turner was one of the foremost historians of the 20th century. His "Frontier Thesis" helped to shape most writing about US history over the last century. And it created new political phrases such as "The New Frontier." Turner's basic thesis, which he released in 1893, was that the westward expansion of the United States had shaped the character of the country, making it more democratic. Turner's version is obviously very Euro-centric. Native Americans might have a different interpretation of how expansion shaped the character of the country. Turner was born in Portage in 1861. Turner spent 20 years at the University of Wisconsin, where he did his most significant writing, before moving to Harvard. Not only was Turner an important writer, but he was a significant mentor to some of the more significant historians of the 20th century, such as Merle Curti, Herbert Bolton, and Carl Becker.

From Quiz Authors from the Emerald Isle

Answer: James Joyce

Nora met Joyce in 1904 at the age of twenty, having already seen two previous boyfriends die from natural causes. Their relationship began quickly, although they did not marry until 1931. Their two children were born in 1905 and 1907, in Europe, where the couple spent most of their lives. Nora is frequently described as Joyce's 'muse' and they stayed together until he died, in Zurich, in 1941. Nora stayed in Zurich after his death until she passed on in 1951.

From Quiz The Author Challenge

Answer: Ireland

Eilis Dillon was born in Galway, Ireland in 1920. "Across the Bitter Glass" is her most famous novel published after her husband's death. Eilis died in 1994 with over fifty books having been published. She was buried next to her husband in Clare County, Ireland.

From Quiz Literary Lights from the Land of Pleasant Living

Answer: Tom Clancy

Thomas Leo "Tom" Clancy, Jr. was not only born in Maryland, but also attended the local colleges of Loyola Blakefield and Loyola College of Baltimore. Among his best selling pre and post Cold War espionage novels that have been produced as successful films are "The Hunt for Red October", "Patriot Games", "Clear and Present Danger", and "The Sum of All Fears". Clancy has also lent his name and endorsement to a series of ghost written nonfiction books and independently developed video games. Reference: Wikipedia. "Tom Clancy"

From Quiz Alfred Wainwright: Fell-Walker

Answer: Office boy at the Town Hall

His first job was as office boy at Blackburn Town Hall. He was very bright at school and could have stayed on for further education but wanted to earn money to help out his mother as they were not well off. He was very meticulous at work, taking pride in keeping his books neatly and resolved to study and gain qualifications.

From Quiz Children's Books on a Journey Round the World

Answer: USA

He was born in New York. In 1999 he won the Newbery Medal for his novel "Holes" which has also been made into a movie.

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