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Quiz about Literary First Efforts
Quiz about Literary First Efforts

Literary First Efforts Trivia Quiz

Every author's first published book is special. How much do you know about ten famous authors and/or their first books?

A multiple-choice quiz by MotherGoose. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
MotherGoose
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
147,139
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
2187
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. A successful first book may be the start of a long and prosperous career but occasionally authors produce one masterpiece only. Such was the case with Harper Lee's first and only published work in the 20th century. What was the name of her Pulitzer Prize-winning book? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. The first works of many famous authors can be dismal failures. Stephen King's first novel, however, was an immediate success. It was published in 1974 and made into a film in 1976. Which of the following novels was Stephen King's first published book? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. The first book of this famous American author was not at all successful, although he did eventually win both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Prize for Literature for his later work. His first book was "Cup of Gold", published in 1929. Who was this author? Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. Many authors and publishers offer the advice "write about what you know" as being one of the keys to success. One lawyer found this to be true when he wrote his first book, a legal thriller which was based on a real case. Which best-selling author's first novel was called "A Time to Kill"? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. Another author who wrote about what she knew was Agatha Christie. She learned a lot about poisons from her work as a dispenser in a hospital pharmacy during the First World War so naturally the plot of her first book involved murder by poison. What was the name of Agatha Christie's first published novel? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. Jane Austen only wrote six published novels in her short lifetime but her books have never been out of print. Which of the following was her first novel, published anonymously ("By a Lady")? Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss, is generally regarded as one of the best-selling children's authors of all time. He has published 48 books which have been translated into more than 20 languages. Which of the following was his first published book? Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. Patricia Cornwell is most well-known for her "Kay Scarpetta" series of forensic detective novels. However, her first published book was a biography. Whose life did she write about in her first book "A Time for Remembering"? Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) was a poet and Jesuit priest. What was so unusual about his first published book? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. Many authors are unable to find a publisher willing to print their work so they must finance their own book. One such author was Oscar Wilde who published his first book in 1881 at his own expense. Oscar Wilde is well known for the diversity of his literary works. What type of work was it? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. A successful first book may be the start of a long and prosperous career but occasionally authors produce one masterpiece only. Such was the case with Harper Lee's first and only published work in the 20th century. What was the name of her Pulitzer Prize-winning book?

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

 Authors who publish only one successful work are referred to in the book trade as "one and done" writers. Like Harper Lee ("To Kill a Mockingbird"), Margaret Mitchell ("Gone with the Wind") and Emily Bronte ("Wuthering Heights") are "one and done" writers. "The Grapes of Wrath" won a Pulitzer Prize, but for John Steinbeck, not Harper Lee.

Oprah Winfrey once asked Harper Lee why she only ever wrote one book. Harper Lee replied that she had said everything she had to say. In 2015, however, it appears she changed her mind, with the publication of her second book, "Go Set a Watchman", 55 years later.
2. The first works of many famous authors can be dismal failures. Stephen King's first novel, however, was an immediate success. It was published in 1974 and made into a film in 1976. Which of the following novels was Stephen King's first published book?

Answer: Carrie

 "Carrie" is the story of a young girl with telekinetic powers. When he wrote this book, King was a high school English teacher in Maine. At one stage he threw the manuscript in the bin but his wife, Tabitha, rescued it and encouraged him to finish it. The success of "Carrie" enabled him to leave teaching and write full-time.
3. The first book of this famous American author was not at all successful, although he did eventually win both a Pulitzer Prize and a Nobel Prize for Literature for his later work. His first book was "Cup of Gold", published in 1929. Who was this author?

Answer: John Steinbeck

 Despite an inauspicious start, Steinbeck was destined to become one of America's greatest authors, winning a Pulitzer Prize for "The Grapes of Wrath" in 1940 and a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. His works included 19 novels and 8 non-fiction books.

He also wrote thousands of letters, some of which were published after his death by his wife in a collection called "Steinbeck: A Life in Letters".
4. Many authors and publishers offer the advice "write about what you know" as being one of the keys to success. One lawyer found this to be true when he wrote his first book, a legal thriller which was based on a real case. Which best-selling author's first novel was called "A Time to Kill"?

Answer: John Grisham

 John Grisham was a practising lawyer in Mississippi when his first book, "A Time to Kill" was published. The book was rejected by 28 publishers before Grisham managed to find one who was willing to print a short run of 5,000. When he found fame with his second book, "The Firm", Doubleday bought the rights to "A Time to Kill" and republished it.
5. Another author who wrote about what she knew was Agatha Christie. She learned a lot about poisons from her work as a dispenser in a hospital pharmacy during the First World War so naturally the plot of her first book involved murder by poison. What was the name of Agatha Christie's first published novel?

Answer: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

 "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" was Christie's first book, published in 1920. In this novel, we are introduced to her famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, and his sidekick Captain Arthur Hastings. Murder by poisoning was her favourite theme and it appeared in many of her novels, short stories and plays.

In her autobiography, she wrote "since I was surrounded by poisons, perhaps it was natural that death by poisoning should be the method I selected".
6. Jane Austen only wrote six published novels in her short lifetime but her books have never been out of print. Which of the following was her first novel, published anonymously ("By a Lady")?

Answer: Sense and Sensibility

 Jane Austen's limited productivity was due to her ill health and she died at the age of 42 of a hormonal disorder called Addison's disease. Her novels, in order of publication, are "Sense and Sensibility" (1811), "Pride and Prejudice" (1813), "Mansfield Park" (1814), "Emma" (1816), "Persuasion" (1818) and "Northanger Abbey" (1818).

The latter two books were published posthumously after her death in 1817.
7. Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr Seuss, is generally regarded as one of the best-selling children's authors of all time. He has published 48 books which have been translated into more than 20 languages. Which of the following was his first published book?

Answer: And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street

 Theodor Geisel's first book, "And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street", was rejected by dozens of publishers before he finally had it published by a friend in 1937. He chose "Dr Seuss" as his pen-name because Seuss was his mother's maiden name.
8. Patricia Cornwell is most well-known for her "Kay Scarpetta" series of forensic detective novels. However, her first published book was a biography. Whose life did she write about in her first book "A Time for Remembering"?

Answer: Ruth Bell Graham (Billy Graham's wife)

 The Graham family lived near Patricia Cornwell when she was a child. Ruth Bell Graham gave her a leather-bound journal and encouraged her to write. Cornwell's biography of Ruth Bell Graham was published in 1983 and earned her a Medallion Award. According to some sources, Mrs Graham was not pleased with her biography and it caused an estrangement between Cornwell and Graham which lasted several years.
9. Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) was a poet and Jesuit priest. What was so unusual about his first published book?

Answer: It was not published until about 30 years after his death

 Hopkins was offered a scholarship to Oxford but not because of his book being published. Hopkins had given copies of his poems to Robert Bridges, a friend from Oxford (incidentally, Bridges became Poet Laureate of England in 1913). Bridges arranged the publication of Hopkins' poems in 1918, almost 30 years after his death.
10. Many authors are unable to find a publisher willing to print their work so they must finance their own book. One such author was Oscar Wilde who published his first book in 1881 at his own expense. Oscar Wilde is well known for the diversity of his literary works. What type of work was it?

Answer: a book of poems

 Oscar Wilde produced many poems, plays, short stories and one novel ("The Picture of Dorian Gray"), however, his first book was a book of poetry, simply entitled "Poems". Since he was famous for his wit and creativity, you would have thought he could have come up with a less mundane title. The book was highly regarded in London's social and artistic circles after it was released.
Source: Author MotherGoose

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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Referenced Topics
Literature   World   Agatha Christie   Stephen King   Poetry   Literature: Something in Common   Jane Austen   Hercule Poirot   Non-Fiction   Plays   John Grisham   Pride and Prejudice   Harper Lee   John Steinbeck   Margaret Mitchell   Oscar Wilde   Patricia Cornwell   Hit or Miss   Persuasion  

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