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Bill Bryson and his Books Trivia Quiz

If you are a fan of Bill Bryson and his books then you should find this quiz easy.

A multiple-choice quiz by Copago. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Copago

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
101,109

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
1605

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In which town, in 1951, was Bill Bryson born? Hint

Phoenix, Arizona

Des Moines, Iowa

Reno, Nevada

Springfield, Missouri

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Question 2 of 10

2. "A Walk in the Woods" has Bryson attempting to walk which mountain range? Hint

The Rocky Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains

The Snowy Mountains

The Eastern Mountains

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Question 3 of 10

3. In which Bryson book does he travel around small town America? Hint

Made in America

Notes from a Small Island

Down Under

The Lost Continent

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Neither Here Nor There" gives the reader a tour of Europe. From which country did Bryson view the Northern Lights? Hint

Sweden

Norway

Germany

Finland

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Question 5 of 10

5. "Notes From a BIg Country" is a book of the columns that Bryson wrote about the USA for which British newspaper? Hint

The News of the World

The Times

Mail on Sunday

The Independent

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Question 6 of 10

6. Bryson not only writes about his travels. He also writes about how the English language evolved in different countries. Which of these books would fit that category? Hint

Mother Tongue: The English Language

Notes from a Small Island

The Lost Continent

Down Under

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is the surname of Bryson's friend, Stephen, who travelled with him in "A Walk in the Woods" and the earlier trip to Europe in "Neither Here Nor There"?

Answer: (One word - Sounds like a domestic pet)

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Question 8 of 10

8. When Bill Bryson returned to live in the USA after over ten years in England, which state did he settle his family to? Hint

Iowa

New Hampshire

Alabama

Alaska

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Question 9 of 10

9. Easy one - Bill Bryson's book "Down Under" is about which country? Hint

Australia

Iceland

Canada

South Africa

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Question 10 of 10

10. Before leaving England to live in the USA, Bryson travelled around Britain and wrote which book? Hint

Down under

Notes From a Small Island

Notes From a Big Country

Made in America

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In which town, in 1951, was Bill Bryson born?

Answer: Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines gets mentioned quite a bit as Bryson takes us back to his childhood ... growing up in the idyllic 1950s. The first line in "The Lost Continent" is "I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to."

2. "A Walk in the Woods" has Bryson attempting to walk which mountain range?

Answer: The Appalachian Mountains

"A Walk in the Woods" has Bryson hiking the Appalchian Trail and possibly encountering bears, snakes, moose, venomous plants and, perhaps worse of all, other hikers. We also hear about Stephen Katz who walked part of the way with Bryson.

3. In which Bryson book does he travel around small town America?

Answer: The Lost Continent

In this book Bryson gives a candid look at the small towns of the USA where he laments on how so many of the towns appear to be the same as each other.

4. "Neither Here Nor There" gives the reader a tour of Europe. From which country did Bryson view the Northern Lights?

Answer: Norway

Bryson made the Norwegian town of Hammerfest his home for sixteen days until he finally saw the Northern Lights and described it as "the most beautiful thing I had ever seen". Despite that he was very happy to be leaving the cold winter, "I have seldom moved so quickly. I ran to the bus (and) begged them not to leave without me".

5. "Notes From a BIg Country" is a book of the columns that Bryson wrote about the USA for which British newspaper?

Answer: Mail on Sunday

The columns appeared in the "Mail on Sunday's" magazine "Night and Day" from 1996. They include such gems as "I have been thinking a lot about food lately. This is because I'm not getting any. My wife ... put me on a diet after suggesting I was beginning to look like something Richard Branson would try to get airbourne."

6. Bryson not only writes about his travels. He also writes about how the English language evolved in different countries. Which of these books would fit that category?

Answer: Mother Tongue: The English Language

"More than 300 million people in the world speak English and the rest, it sometimes seems, try to. It would be charitable to say that the results are sometimes mixed." First published in 1990, this book tries to explain how different words mean the same thing in Britain and the USA. It also tries to explain why Cairo, a town in Illinois, is pronounced 'Kay-ro'.

7. What is the surname of Bryson's friend, Stephen, who travelled with him in "A Walk in the Woods" and the earlier trip to Europe in "Neither Here Nor There"?

Answer: Katz

Stephen Katz provides many funny moments in these two books, from trying to incite rebellion to Africans in Amsterdam to being an overweight ex-alcoholic on the Appalchian Trail.

8. When Bill Bryson returned to live in the USA after over ten years in England, which state did he settle his family to?

Answer: New Hampshire

Bryson is clearly captivated by this area and especailly the couple weeks of the year at autumn when the trees burst into colour. "For a few glorious days each October, ... unquestionably the lovliest place on earth."

9. Easy one - Bill Bryson's book "Down Under" is about which country?

Answer: Australia

Everyone got this right, didn't they? "Down Under" has Bryson discovering Australia from the big cities of Sydney and Melbourne to the outback towns such as Broken Hill and Alice Springs.

10. Before leaving England to live in the USA, Bryson travelled around Britain and wrote which book?

Answer: Notes From a Small Island

After marrying an English woman and living in England for over ten years, Bryson decides to move back to the USA and so does one last tour of Britain to say goodbye ... and write this hilarious book.

Source: Author Copago

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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