A Confusion of Authors Trivia Quiz

Answer: Margaret Mead

Margaret Mead (1901-1978) was an American author and public speaker whose works were related to the cultural differences in gender roles between the U.S. and other countries. Most of her field work was in the South Pacific and her first novel "Coming of Age in Samoa" was published in 1928.

It was followed by "Growing up in New Guinea" in 1930. Both of these books openly explored sexuality, morals, and gender related issues. She encouraged others to be more open to those who were different from themselves.

She was a cultural anthropologist who managed to open of this field of study to the general population. This was at a time before computers and television made this information accessible and at a time when even openly discussing many of these issues was taboo.

Answer: Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton is a Harvard educated physician and author best known for novels which contain aspects of science-fiction, medical fiction, and mild horror. Some of his best known novels include "Jurassic Park", "The Andromeda Strain" and "The Lost World", all of which were made into successful films.

Many of his works contain scientific themes such as biological warfare, self-destruction, and mental illness. His creative mind was able to create works in multiple genres, including both fiction and non-fiction.

In 1996 he won an Emmy for his television drama series "E.R.". Crichton was an extremely intelligent and very gifted author.

Answer: Arthur Conan Doyle

Prolific author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is probably best known for his character Sherlock Holmes one of the first and most popular characters in the field of crime fiction. Doyle also wrote about political topics, medical topics, and was a fervent supporter of freeing those who had been falsely accused.

He was also a believer in spiritualism and the occult. This intellectual genius also produced plays, romance novels and short stories, poetry, and historical novels. While definitely eccentric, he was an honest man, with strong beliefs in truth, justice, and the innocent corruptibility of mankind.

Answer: Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Tennyson is one of Britain's most popular and well-known authors. This Poet Laureate created some of the very best of British poetry and verse. His writings are famous for their descriptive nature, deep emotion, and wide range of subject matter. Tennyson was a private man, not particularly sociable, and a known perfectionist.

These were possibly caused by the severe depression from which he suffered all of his adult life. He is one of the most quoted authors of all time. An example of this is "'Tis better to have loved and lost, Than never to have loved at all", which is an excerpt from his 1850 poem "In Memoriam:27".

Answer: Oscar Wilde

Irish poet, play writer and novelist Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was a flamboyant character who loved shocking the conservative world in which he lived. He served time in prison for a charge of "gross indecency" which is believed to have been related to a homosexual relationship.

Although born to successful intellectuals, he died penniless in Paris at the age of 46. He was a hard-working man who often edited and reviewed the works of other authors. He wrote many short stories for children which displayed the somewhat childlike nature of his personality.

His 1890 novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" was heavily criticized as being decadent and immoral. There are many who consider this novel to be his masterpiece while others debate that his 1895 play "The Importance of Being Earnest" deserves that recognition. I am sure that this is just a matter of opinion and taste.

Answer: Louisa May Alcott

An unmarried spinster, Louisa May Alcott nevertheless wrote about family ties, love, and the need for kindness and affection. Her most famous work is probably "Little Women" which was probably semi-autobiographical. Alcott was an independent tom-boy who did not like being forced into the stereotypical female roles that were so prevalent in the U.S. during the Civil War.

Although her works are read by people of all ages, they were aimed, at the time, to children. She published over 30 books and collections of short stories.

Her beliefs in feminism and abolition of slavery can be seen in many of her work.

Answer: Henry David Thoreau

Harvard graduate Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)was thought by many of his contemporaries to be the typical Renaissance Man. He was a prolific author, historian, poet, and surveyor. A practical, conservative man, he was very interested in ecology and natural history and these interests can be seen in many of his writings, both fiction and non-fiction. Considered by many to be a bit of an anarchist, Thoreau often spoke and wrote about his political beliefs.

His novel "Walden" was a semi-autobiographical work about his time spent living in a cabin in the middle of woodland owned by his friend and fellow author Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Answer: Peter Benchley

Best known for his novel "Jaws" (1975), many of Peter Benchley's novels were made into films including the other two novels mentioned in the question. Many of Benchley's subsequent novels have been best sellers in the horror/thriller genre. He was also known for his non-fiction writings advocating conservation and protection for threatened species.

Many people believe that his novel "Jaws" led to an upswing in the indiscriminate killing of all species of sharks whether or not they were a threat.

Answer: Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) was a professor of biochemistry as well as a noted science fiction writer. His intellectual knowledge was used in his science fiction novels to great effect. He was a bit of an eccentric, and was known to prefer small enclosed spaces, he did not travel much and was very afraid of flying. Most of his novels dealt with futuristic worlds and the interaction between humans and computers.

He was very interested in robotics and had the foresight to envision a time when robots might develop the ability to think for themselves.

Answer: Margaret Atwood

Canadian author Margaret Atwood for her poetry as well as her novels. She is also a literary critic and an environmental activist. Her 1985 novel "The Handmaid's Tale" earned her the very first Arthur C. Clark Award, which is given for the best science fiction. One of the most influential Canadian authors of her time and has written extensively about her country and its history.

In 2014, her first chamber opera "Pauline", debuted in at the City Opera of Vancouver. The multi-talented author is also active in animal rights and environmental topics.