Our Favorite Books Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tom Swift

Book reports are a staple of public school education. Rather than the daunting list passed out by the teacher, I looked to some very old and tattered books on the shelf in back of the room. There I discovered Tom Swift and his inventions and adventures and, as a consequence, a lifelong love of reading. From Tom I was able to move on to Jules Verne and to other genre of literature.

The orginal books are credited under the pseudonym Victor Appleton and ran from 1910 to 1941. Updated volumes have appeared in several series since then. Although a number of projects have been proposed to bring Tom to the screen, none have been successful to date. Many modern scientists and inventors have said that they were inspired in their careers by the Swift books.

Tom Swift still remains in popular culture through what is known as 'Tom Swifties'. A Tom Swiftie is an adverb attached to a quotation with comic results. Here are a few:

"It's a unit of electric current," said Tom amply.
"I want this statue to look like the Venus de Milo," said Tom disarmingly.
"I'm waiting to see the doctor," said Tom patiently.
"I wish I'd said that, Oscar," said Tom wildly.
And the beat goes on.

Answer: 1970s

Roots traces the struggle of African-American people in the United States from their African roots to modern times. The mini-series was one of the most watched at the time and was influential in changing the perceptions of many Americans in regard to race and color.

Haley had had previous success with "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (1965) based on thirty interviews with Malcolm. He was also a screenwriter and an interviewer for Playboy magazine.

Haley claimed to have been a descendant of characters in his book but this was proven false by researchers Elizabeth and Gary Milles. "Roots" was found to have 81 passages that had been 'borrowed' from Harold Courlander's book, "The African" (1967). Courlander was awarded $650,000 United States dollars in the plagiarism suit.

Haley's work has been not included in the "Norton Anthology of African-American Literature". The reason given is "Roots is a work of the imagination rather than strict historical scholarship". But it was translated into 37 languages and the initial run of mini-series was seen by an estimated 130 million people.

Answer: Demian

Seeking to address psychological difficulties experienced as a youth, Hermann Hesse underwent psychoanalysis (1916-1921) with Jungian analysts Dr Joseph Lang and Carl Jung. Drawing on these experiences Hesse employed Jungian archetypes and symbolism in writing his semi-biographical novel "Demian".

Hermann Hesse received the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature. Other works include "Steppenwolf", "Siddhartha", and "The Glass Bead Game". In each he explores man's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality.

Answer: The Eagle of the Ninth

"The Eagle of the Ninth" is set in Roman Britain. Roman officer Marcus Flavius Aquila was discharged from the military because he had been wounded. He set out to find out what happened to his father's legion, which had disappeared in the northern part of Britain. Marcus disguised himself as a Greek oculist and eventually learned that the Ninth Legion was annihilated but his father, along with a few others, held a last stand. This stand was held around the legion's eagle standard which Marcus was able to bring back. The bronze eagle could no longer be used to symbolize Roman defeat.

In 2011, Kevin Macdonald directed the film "The Eagle", with Channing Tatum playing the role of Marcus Aquila.

Rosemary Sutcliff lived from December 14, 1920 until July 23, 1992. She is best known for her works in historical fiction and children's literature. "The Silver Branch", "Sword at Sunset" and "Dawn Wind" are only some of her many literary accomplishments. She has earned many book awards including the Carnegie Medal in 1959 for the book "The Lantern Bearers" and The Phoenix Award in 1985 for the book "The Mark of the Horse Lord".

Answer: Bill Bryson

Bryson's memoir covers this prolific and best-selling author's early adolescence in Des Moines, Iowa. It is flat-out the funniest book I have ever read -- and I'm an English major! Full disclosure: I may be biased, as I, too, grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, during the same period of time. Although I didn't know him, Bill Bryson was just two years behind me in high school, and we had the same life-transforming English teacher, Everett Craft.

Bryson deftly combines observational humor with geographic and historic trivia in his travel books, e.g., "A Walk in the Woods," "I'm a Stranger Here Myself," "The Lost Continent," "In a Sunburned Country," "Notes From a Small Island," and "Made in America." His language books, which I highly recommend, include "The Mother Tongue," "Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words," and "Bryson's Dictionary for Writers and Editors."

Arthur Frommer wrote "Europe on $5 and $10 a Day." Gerald Durell was a respected travel writer born in India. Macon Leary was a fictional travel writer and the title character of Anne Rice's "The Accidental Tourist." William Hurt played him on film.

Answer: Captain W.E. Johns

Captain W.E. Johns was a World War I infantryman who served during the Gallipoli campaign and on the Macedonian Front. Johns was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and served as a flying instructor until August 1918, when he transferred to the Western Front. Johns finished the war in a German prisoner of war camp, having been shot down in a bombing raid on 16 September 1918. Johns continued to serve in the Royal Air Force (the Royal Flying Corps having been renamed near the end of World War I) until 1927 and, despite his authoring name, only reached the rank of Flying Officer. Johns died in 1968, leaving behind a legacy of 98 'Biggles' books and 12 chapters of an unfinished book, 'Biggles Does Some Homework', which were issued privately in 1997.

Answer: Catcher in the Rye

"Catcher in the Rye", since its publication in 1951, has seldom been out of print, selling about a quarter million copies a year. Although loved by many, particularly high school English teachers, it has often been banned from school libraries for its use of language, sexuality, and encouragement of rebellious behavior.

J.D. Salinger himself was a reclusive man. His passion for privacy was epic. He stubbornly refused to sell the film rights for his novel but many have tried. But Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, remains a symbol of the difficult years of adolescence. Mark David Chapman, the assassin of John Lennon, was reported to have had a well-worn copy of "Catcher in the Rye' in his possession.

Answer: The Bible

The Bible is the sacred book of Christianity while the Old Testament is part of the belief system of Judaism. The Bible has been translated into 1300 languages around the world, due in part of the evangelistic and missionary zeal of Christian churches.

Answer: The books were crude and poorly illustrated

Rudolf Flesch published "Why Johnny Can't Read" (1965) that put reliance on "Dick and Jane" as questionable. The books placed too much reliance on word recognition and not enough on basic phonics. There was also the charge that in the books the family portrayed were white middle class and and did not reflect economic and racial diversity.

Answer: Tomorrow Is Another Day

Margaret Mitchill's romance novel "Gone With the Wind"(1936) won both the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize. Eagerly awaited was the adaptation to the silver screen. Clark Gable was an easy choice for the engaging Rhett Butler but the role of Scarlett O'Hara was hotly contested with British actress Vivian Leigh being selected over Paulette Goddard, Betty Davis, Jean Arthur, and Joan Bennett. In spite of having controversy and three director, it garnered ten Academy Awards.

Margaret Mitchell in 1949 by a speeding automobile crossing Peachtree Street at 13th Street in Atlanta.

The final title was taken from a poem by Ernest Dowson.

"I have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,
Flung roses, roses riotously with the throng,
Dancing, to put thy pale, lost lilies out of mind"