I'm Happy Anyway Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) was not only a poet, astronomer and philosopher, but a mathematician of first rank. There has been much scholarly speculation about whether he was an atheist or a mystical Sufi.

Edward FitzGerald (1809-1883) translated and published the first edition of "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" in 1859. The publication was updated and released three additional times during his life, and once posthumously. Many scholars have criticized his translations, even unto nicknaming it "The Rubaiyat of FitzOmar".

Answer: Four Things Make Us Happy Here

Robert Herrick (circa 1591-1674) wrote more than 2,500 verses, many of which appear in his 1648 publication of "Hesperides". Herrick was not very popular with his peers, though his simple phrasings can be easily read and understood. Herrick may be best known for:

"To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time"
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying."

I found the question's verse in a compilation put together by Francis Turner Palgrave (1824-1897), who was himself a poet. He compiled and published several volumes including "Golden Treasury of English Songs and Lyrics" (1861), a collection of what he felt was the best poetry in the language.

Answer: The Happy Thought

"The Happy Thought" is from "A Child's Garden of Verses" which was published in 1885, dedicated to his childhood his nurse Cummy, or Alison Cunningham.

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), during a relatively short career, was a prolific and versatile author, writing about his travels, short stories, novels, poetry, plays and biography. Today, he is well known for "Treasure Island" (1883), and "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" (1886), but, in my humble opinion, his other works are also well worth the read.

Answer: The Picture of Dorian Gray

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" was first published in "Lippincott's Monthly Magazine" in June 1890. Reviewers claimed outrage on moral grounds. Before publishing the story in book form, Wilde edited it and added chapters and a now-famous preface which included the following:

"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all."

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) only published one novel, "The Picture of Dorian Gray". He was, however a prolific playwright, giving us such gems as "Lady Windermere's Fan" and "The Importance of Being Earnest". "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" was a poem written after his incarceration.

Answer: Anna Karenina

The story of "Anna Karenina" (published serially from 1873 to 1877) deals with jealousy, fidelity and the lack thereof, marriage and passion. It chronicles Russian society and is considered by some to include autobiographical experiences.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) published his first work, "Childhood", in 1852. After publishing "Anna Karenina" he began to question his religious beliefs and eventually became a staunch pacifist.

Answer: The Monkey's Paw

Jacobs is probably best known for this story. This is a darker tale where three wishes are granted to the owner of the paw. In the course of the tale, three wishes are granted, but we're also reminded to be careful of what we wish.

Most of the stories by William Wymark Jacobs (1863-1943) are humorous. He wrote many stories about the waterfront and seamen, creating characters from his childhood spent near the docks of Wapping where his father was a wharf manager.

Answer: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank (1929-1945) was given her first diary book as a thirteenth birthday present from her father. She began writing at once, and continued until the family was betrayed and removed from their hidden rooms in 1944. Anne died at Bergen-Belsen.

Miep Gies, one of the people responsible for helping to hide Anne and her family, gave the papers to Anne's father, Otto Frank, after it was confirmed that Anne was dead. There have been many who questioned the authenticity of the diary. After Otto's death, forensic tests were performed and its authenticity was confirmed by the Hamburg Regional Court.

Answer: The Parent

Ogden Nash (1902-1971) published this and other poems in the 1933 book "Happy Days". His first book, "The Cricket of Caradon", was published as a children's book in 1925. He published 19 books in his lifetime.

While growing up, my first memory of his rhymes was actually from a 1943 Broadway musical "One Touch of Venus". He was the lyricist and, together with S. J. Perelman and Kurt Weill, created a very successful show. One of the songs performed by Mary Martin, "Speak Low", is now considered a jazz classic.

Answer: The Alchemist

"The Alchemist" tells the story of Santiago's quest for his own "Personal Legend", and his interactions with the people he meets.

This was Coelho's (1947- ) fifth book, published in 1988. The initial release was only 900 copies, but it has become internationally popular, earning Coelho a place in the 2009 Guinness World Records for the world's most translated living author.

Answer: The Bad Beginning

"A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning" was the first of a series of thirteen books published between 1999 and 2006. The books detail the trials and tribulations of the Baudelaire children after they are orphaned.

Daniel Handler (1970- ) used the pseudonym Lemony Snicket when the books were published, and sustains the mystery of his identity--pictures of Lemony Snicket never show his face. Each of the titles (except the last) is alliterative, such as "The Hostile Hospital", "The Miserable Mill", or "The Penultimate Peril".