Non-Fiction Trivia

1. This book is named "Philosophiae Naturals Principia Mathematica." Why was this book important?

From Quiz Famous Works of Non-Fiction

Answer: It clearly explained what we now call classical physics.

This book is commonly called "The Principia". It was written by Sir Isaac Newton and first published in 1687 in Latin. It was published in English in 1728.It explained natural phenomena derived from Newton's famous three laws and simple Euclidean geometry. He was able to prove Kepler's three laws and explain the mathematics of motion. It also stated the Universal Law of Gravitation. Classical (a.k.a. Newtonian) physics reigned supreme until the work of Einstein, Bohr, and Planck on relativity and quantum mechanics.

From Quiz Paradigm Shift

Answer: Everyone is under the law even the king

Until 1215 kings were considered as "primus inter pares", that is: the first among their equals. However, in order to appease the relationship between English king John, the church, and a group of rebel barons, the document Magna Carta Libertatum, known as Magna Carta, was prepared and was signed in June 1215. In the Magna Carta it was established that everyone is under the law, even the king, and guarantees rights of individuals, the right to justice and the right to a fair trial. It was a document in which, for the first time, the king had his power limited by the law of men. The document was written in Latin and is considered one of the most famous historical documents because it laid the foundations for the modern democracy.

From Quiz Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

Answer: make sense to you

"Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" was written by Neil deGrasse Tyson in order to provide a starting point for those people who are interested in astrophysics, but have little or no education on the topic. It was written to allow the reader to obtain basic knowledge of astrophysics in the hopes that it would inspire those interested to seek further education in the subject. In the preface, Dr. Tyson warns the reader that "the universe is under no obligation to make any sense to you."

From Quiz 'Night' & Other Books About the Holocaust

Answer: Dawn

'Night' and 'Dawn' are actually part of a trilogy with the third book called 'Day' or 'The Accident'. Elie Wiesel, often called 'the prophet of the Holocaust', wrote and spoke about his experiences in the Holocaust. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

From Quiz The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Answer: Desire

Covey, born in 1932, earned a Harvard MBA and quickly became a prolific author of business-related books. He claimed to have taken over a decade to compile the information to put together "7 Habits". Covey's simple yet powerful definition of habits sets the scene for the book: setting out the how (skills), why (knowledge) and want (desire).

From Quiz Non-Fiction Books of the 1990s

Answer: Angela's Ashes

"Angela's Ashes" chronicles a childhood filled with a father's alcoholism, premature deaths of children, poverty, deplorable living conditions, and near starvation. Yet Angela, the mother, strives through it all, and provides the one stabilizing force in the family. The family lives in a hovel next to public latrines. The father spends his wages on drink. They are at the mercy of the welfare system for even meager subsistence. For instance, the family believes that welfare will provide them a holiday ham but it turns out to be the head of a hog from which they must scrape tiny fragments of meat. McCourt followed up "Angela's Ashes" by telling his life as a teacher in New York City with "'Tis"(2000) and "Teacher Man"(2005). Angela, McCourt's mother, always claimed that her son exaggerated.

From Quiz Non-Fiction of the 1960s

Answer: Chemical industry

Carson documented the detrimental indiscriminate use of pesticides. She also accused the chemical industry of being less than candid on the dangers. Both public officials and the general public were complicit for accepting claims without investigation. Partly the banning of DDT was a result of the stir caused by the book.

From Quiz Non-fiction Books of the 1950s

Answer: Better Homes and Gardens

Under the label of "Better Homes and Gardens" there were individual volumes on barbequing, decorating, diet, flower arrangement, salads, handyman, gardening, and cooking. The magazine was established in 1922 and was called "Fruit, Garden, and Home", but changed to its present name in 1924. Worldwide, "Better Homes and Gardens" has a circulation of over seven million. As a corporate entity it has lent its name to a number of projects in cook books, real estate, radio and television.

From Quiz Non-Fiction Books of the 1940s

Answer: Anna and the King of Siam

"Anna and the King of Siam" as been listed both as non-fiction and novel. The explanation has been that is 75% fact and 25% possible. Landon's 1944 book has been adapted for the stage and screen several times: in 1946 staring Rex Harrison and Irene Dunn; a Broadway musical in 1951 starring Gertrude Lawrence but with Yul Brynner who made the part of the king his own; in 1956 with Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner that had nine Academy Award nominations with four wins (the most notable was for Brynner for best actor); a 1972 television series with Samantha Eggar and Brynner that was cancelled mid-season; a cartoon version in 1999 with Martin Vidnovic and Miranda Richardson as the main voices (a box office failure); and a 1999 so-so retelling with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat.

From Quiz Outstanding Non-Fiction Books

Answer: Silent Spring

Carson also warned that chemical poisons kill insects only in the short term but insects develop resistance to these chemicals. The chemicals also kill the natural predators of insects so insect populations may increase. Probably more important was that Carson initiated a dialogue on the relationship of man to the environment.

From Quiz November 22, 1963 Part Two

Answer: Mark Lane

"Rush to Judgement" was very controversial because it not only challenged the conventional wisdom that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin but was harshly critical of the investigation of the shooting and the Warren Commission's conclusion that Oswald acted alone.

From Quiz Writes of Passage

Answer: A fridge

"Round Ireland With a Fridge" was the result of a drunken bet that Tony could not hitch-hike round the circumference of Ireland with a fridge. Did he manage it? You'll have to read the book to find out!

From Quiz The Right Stuff

Answer: Mercury

"Project Mercury" lasted between 1959-1963 and featured "The Mercury Seven", a group of seven astronauts. It was the personal aspects of the astronauts' lives that was chiefly depicted, as opposed to the technicalities of the missions themselves.

From Quiz Women Write on Women's Rights

Answer: Jane Anger

Very little information exists on this pioneering author, other than she wrote the pamphlet 'Jane Anger Her Protection for Women', published in 1589 in response to the misogynistic text 'Thomas Orwin Book His Surfeit in Love'. Rarely in 16th century did women write publicly on non-religious or non-domestic themes, much less question male supremacy. Jane Anger's name, which may have been a pseudonym, was apt, because she voiced a fervor if not a rage against patriarchy, making her possibly the first female polemicist, if not the first feminist, in English literature. (A polemicist is a writer skilled in disputation or argument, usually attacking or defending a doctrine or practice). Educational opportunities were very limited for women in the early modern period, making the quality of the pamphlet all the more remarkable. "To all Women in generall," begins the 'Protection for Women', "and gentle Reader whatsoever. FIE on the falshoode of men, whose minds goe oft a madding, & whose tongues can not so soone bee wagging, but straight they fal a railing. Was there ever any so abused, so slaundered, so railed upon, or so wickedly handeled undeservedly, as are we women?"

From Quiz The Joy of Cookbooks

Answer: Babylonian

Babylonian tablets have been found dating from around 1750 BCE which contain recipes, making these the oldest known cookbooks.

From Quiz Wainwright's Highs and Lows

Answer: Blackburn

He was born 17th January 1907 into a poor stonemason's family. He did very well at school, leaving at the age of 13.

From Quiz Love, Guidedly

Answer: Sensual pleasure

In Sanskrit, 'kama' means sensual, or sensual pleasure, in all its forms (i.e. taste, touch, sight, smell and sound). 'Sutra' means held together (literally, by a thread or string, but the word is also used in the metaphorical sense). The English word 'suture' comes from 'sutra'. Kama is one of the four purusharthas, or life goals, of the Indian philosophies. The other three are dharma (virtuous living), artha (material wealth), and moksha (liberation at the end of the life cycle).

From Quiz The Wee Red Book

Answer: 1928

Some less earth shattering events for Scottish football fans in 1928 were that women aged 21 or older were given the right to vote and Scots Doctor Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

From Quiz A History of Private Life: Rome to Byzantium

Answer: cross

"Christ's cross, almost never depicted in early Christian art,....". This implies that the most recognizable symbol of Christianity did not achieve its level of importance until later in the course of the religion.

From Quiz Books About Serial Killers

Answer: Peter Sutcliffe

Peter Sutcliffe was known as the Yorkshire Ripper, and murdered 13 women in the North of England between 1975 and 1980. He is now serving life in Broadmoor Hospital, Berkshire.

From Quiz Non-Fiction Books of the 60s

Answer: Ralph Nader

General Motors went after Nader with a vengeance, but were unable to discredit him. Their tactics resulted in a lawsuit by Nader which he won.

From Quiz The Theories of Alan F. Alford

Answer: The creation myth.

Some people who say it is sun worship say the pyramid is inspired by the shape sometimes produced by sunbeams shining through cloud. Note that precession means the pole star changes. Just before the pyramids were built (2700bce) the pole star was Thuban in Draco which is about five times fainter than Polaris.

From Quiz "How to DJ Right," F. Broughton & B. Brewster

Answer: Direct

Belt drives are best for people who only play records at home; they are no good for use by club DJs, the authors warn, because they include rubber bands and are ineffective for mixing. Elephant and choo-choo drives do not exist.

From Quiz British Reference Books

Answer: The Bible (King James Version)

The "Concordance" is an alphabetical listing of the words used in the King James Version of the Bible, giving the chapter and verse in which each use of the words is found. For example, if you want to find the context of "the wages of sin is death," look under "wages" or "sin" or "death" and you'll be referred to Romans 6:23. Alexander Cruden, a Scottish proof-reader and bookseller, published the first edition of his "Complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments" in 1737 - 38. He was something of an eccentric, and is known to have been confined for brief periods in lunatic asylums, but a recent biography argues that he was not mad.

From Quiz Like Good Non-Fiction? This Quiz is For You

Answer: Tom Wolfe

Tom Wolfe was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1930. He began his career writing for newspapers, after graduating from Yale University. His first book (1965) was about California's hot rod culture, "The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby", a collection of essays which eventually became a best-seller. Tom Wolfe went on to publish "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" in 1968. The subject was the writer Ken Kesey and a group of his friends, calling themselves the Merry Pranksters. The book described their rather insane travels around the country during the 60's. The book was very successful and very entertaining, great fun to read. Tom Wolfe also wrote about the US space program and the astronauts. His book, "The Right Stuff", was published in 1979, and was a huge best-seller which was later made into a movie.

From Quiz Travel Books

Answer: The Snow Leopard

Peter Matthiessen ventures into the little known world of Inner Dolpo. His dealings with awkward porters, guides, and the locals are as fascinating as his search not only for the mysterious Snow Leopard but also for inner peace.

From Quiz Influential Non-Fiction Books

Answer: The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child-Care.

Spock was born on 2 May 1903. Died 15 March 1998. He should not be confused with Mr. Spock from Television.

From Quiz Non-Fiction Classics

Answer: Friedrich Engels

Marx is the name that always leaps to mind.

From Quiz Dining in the Reading Room

Answer: Hartford

Very little is known about Amelia Simmons, the author of "American Cookery". On the book cover she is described only as "An American Orphan", and this cookbook is her only published work. She was likely a domestic worker, from either New England or the Hudson Valley region - as some have inferred from the words of Dutch origin, such as "slaw" and "cookey", in some of her recipes. In spite of her lack of formal education, she was clearly an experienced cook, though not a particularly fancy one. Indeed, the book's full title provides a rather detailed description of its contents: "American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life." A truly groundbreaking aspect of "American Cookery" is the emphasis on American products such as cornmeal, turkey, and cranberries; a recipe for "Pompkin Pudding" (sic) baked in a crust is the earliest example of pumpkin pie, one of the staples of the Thanksgiving table. The book also pioneered the use of a chemical leavening agent (called "pearl ash") in baking. The book's first edition was published by Hudson & Goodwin of Hartford, Connecticut, and reprinted at least 13 times between 1796 and 1831; it was also reprinted several times in the 20th century. Hartford, one of the oldest cities in the US, has been the capital of Connecticut since 1662. Library of Congress Control Number: 96126967 Call Number: TX703 .S5 1796 Am Imp This question was dished out by LadyNym, who has always dreamed of writing her own cookbook.

From Quiz Famous Works of Non-Fiction

Answer: Cancer

Dr. Mukherjee is an oncologist and an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York City. This book won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. It was made into a TV series. He also wrote the wonderful book on genetics "The Gene: An Intimate History". He is able to explain complex scientific ideas to the intelligent non-scientist.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:44 AM

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