Literary One-Hit Wonders Quiz | Literary Titles

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1. The concept of writing a book about a horse may not be anyone's idea of a potential classic. However, what makes this book so special is that the book is narrated by the horse himself. What is the title of Anna Sewell's only book?

Answer: Black Beauty

"Black Beauty" is the tale of a high-bred horse who leads a difficult life pulling cabs in London. Sewell had been rendered lame from a childhood fall and had much difficulty getting around in her later years. This is when she wrote her only book. It was published in 1877.

2. Known mostly for his plays and poems, Irish writer Oscar Wilde wrote only one book, a tale of a man obsessed with youth and beauty. What literary classic did Wilde write?

Answer: The Picture of Dorian Gray

The novel tells the story of an artist who becomes fascinated with Dorian Gray and decides to paint his portrait. Soon something very strange begins to happen. As Gray revels in hedonistic behavior, which ultimately leads to murder, his portrait slowly takes on the hideous dimensions of his inner evil self while his physical appearance remains young and handsome. Several films have been made based on the book. An early film version, made in 1945, starred Hurd Hatfield in the title role.

3. One of the best known literary one-hit wonders was written by Harper Lee. She won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel about racism in a small Southern town. What is the title of Harper Lee's only book written in the 20th century?

Answer: To Kill a Mockingbird

Nelle Harper Lee grew up in Alabama and based her novel on an actual incident that occurred near her home when she was ten. It is easy to see where Lee came up with the idea of telling the story through the eyes of six-year old Scout. Lee was close friends with writer, Truman Capote, and studied law before becoming an author.

In 2015, Harper Lee announced plans to publish "Go Set a Watchman", a novel involving some of the same characters as in "To Kill a Mockingbird", but set at a later time. It was actually the first draft of her novel, now seeing light in its own right.

4. The great poet, Sylvia Plath, suffered from mental illness and wrote her only novel about a woman living with mental illness. What is the title of this book?

Answer: The Bell Jar

"The Bell Jar" was semi-autobiographical. When it was first published in 1963, Plath used the pseudonym Victoria Lucas. It wasn't until 1967 that the book was published under the author's real name. Sylvia Plath committed suicide a month after her book was first published.

5. Holden Caulfield, a troubled teenager, is the protaganist of J.D. Salinger's only novel. Salinger wrote the book for adults but has since been embraced by much younger readers. What is the book's title?

Answer: Catcher in the Rye

Salinger's novel has been a reading staple in schools for years. Told in the first person, adolescents can easily identify with Holden's angst and rebellion. After having completed his book, Salinger went into seclusion and never wrote another novel, although he did write several novellas.

6. Emily Bront� wrote much poetry but only one book. Her novel is considered to be a literary classic. What is the title of her novel?

Answer: Wuthering Heights

While I am a devoted fan of the novel "Jane Eyre," written by Emily's sister Charlotte, I can certainly understand why "Wuthering Heights" is so beloved by readers. It is a haunting love story with a haunting setting. Emily Bront� died of tuberculosis after having refused medical help. She was thirty years of age.

7. French author, Marcel Proust, wrote only one book in his entire writing career. At thirty-two hundred pages, the novel is known for its length. Name this novel.

Answer: In Search of Lost Time

Proust died before completing the last three parts of his seven-volume book. They were published posthumously. The book's theme is that of Involuntary Memory, a term coined by Proust himself. He believed that one can recall incidents that have occurred in one's past by cues that trigger the memories. The book is also known by the title "Remembrance of Things Past."

8. This great novel of the Old South is Margaret Mitchell's only novel. Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara have earned their rightful place in literary and cinematic history. Which well-known novel did Margaret Mitchell write?

Answer: Gone with the Wind

No one will ever know how many more novels Margaret Mitchell might have written since she was killed in a car accident at age 49. Mitchell wrote "Gone with the Wind" while recovering from a broken ankle. Using her own life experiences as well as her knowledge of the Civil War, she created an unforgettable story.

She wrote the novella "Lost Laysen," which wasn't published until after her death.

9. Boris Pasternak, a Nobel Prize-winning poet, wrote an epic novel about the last days of Tsarist Russia. The novel was made into a movie in 1965 and later a mini-series. What great novel did Pasternak write?

Answer: Dr. Zhivago

"Dr. Zhivago" tells the story of an army medical officer whose life is torn apart by the love of two women and a changing society. The book covers the last days of Tsarist Russia through the beginning stages of Communism. Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958.

The award so enraged the Russian Communist Party that Pasternak declined the award due to their reaction to it.

10. Known mostly for his poetry and essays, Allen Tate wrote one novel in his lifetime. The novel tells a story of the tragic fall of two families during the Civil War years. What title did Tate give his only novel?

Answer: The Fathers

The novel is complex and delves into the darker side of human nature. It also delves into the divided loyalties of Virginia at the start of the Civil War. Critics liked Tate's novel at first until it fell out of favor. Despite having written his novel, Tate is best known for his poem "Ode to the Confederate Dead."

Source: Author nmerr

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Literary One-Hit Wonders Trivia Quiz

Just like music, literature has its own one-hit wonders. I'll provide the author and a brief description of the book, you guess the name of the book.

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