Night Readings Trivia Quiz

Answer: The French Riviera

This was the author's last complete novel, published in 1934, nine years after "The Great Gatsby".

It is ranked amongst the best English-language novels of the twentieth century and was made into a film in 1962 which starred Jennifer Jones and Jason Robards.

Answer: Michael Rogers

Published in 1967 this was a change in style for the author. With no Poirot or Miss Marple it was nevertheless well received by both critics and public.
The title comes from the poem 'Auguries of Innocence' by William Blake.

It was made into a film of the same name in 1972 starring Hayley Mills amongst others.

Answer: Serving a prison sentence for fraud

Novelist and playwright Joan Henry was convicted in 1951 for passing forged cheques and spent eight months in prison. She wrote about her experiences and the treatment of women prisoners in her best-selling book "Who Lie in Gaol" and in "Yield to the Night" which followed in 1954.

The latter is sometimes claimed to be the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain but it is not: the book was published in 1954, the year before the Ellis case.

It was subsequently made into an acclaimed movie starring Diana Dors.

Answer: One day

Written between 1941 and 42 the play reflected the author's difficult upbringing and he had legally arranged that it was only to be published twenty-five years after his death. His widow circumvented this by gifting the copyright to Yale University and it premiered in 1953, three years after his death.

It was first adapted for the screen in 1962 with a stellar cast including Katharine Hepburn who was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Mary Tyrone.

Answer: Minister

Tennessee Williams is one of the foremost writers of 20th century America and won his fourth 'New York Drama Critics Award' for this play which opened in 1961.
Born Thomas Lanier Williams he was nicknamed Tennessee as a student because of his strong Southern accent.

A 1964 film version starred Richard Burton, Ava Gardner and Deborah Kerr.

Answer: Brother and Sister

The play is often referred to simply as "Twelfth Night" but at the time it was written it was not unusual to give works a subtitle. In this case it was called "Twelfth Night, or What You Will".
A comedy, it was first performed in February 1602 to mark the end of the Christmas season.

As with all Shakespeare's work it is often adapted and referenced in other media. One full length version is a 1996 British film starring Helena Bonham-Carter in which the time setting is moved to the Victorian Era.

Answer: Small children

"The Night of the Hunter" published in 1953 is a bestselling novel by Davis Grubb. It is based on the true story of killer Harry Powers who was hanged in 1932 and who had lived in West Virginia where Grubb grew up.

Adapted for screen in 1955 it is the only film ever directed by actor Charles Laughton. Many aspects of the film, not least the masterful casting of Robert Mitchum, resulted in it becoming a cult classic.

Answer: Night Mail

Wystan Hugh Auden, one of the great 20th century writers, was born in York in the UK but moved to New York as an adult.
"Night Mail" is a poem which he famously wrote for a documentary film made by the GPO (General Post Office ) film unit about the London to Aberdeen mail train.

Written in 1935, it had to match the scenes in the film and its rhythm echoes the characteristic noise of the train wheels.

Answer: Albert Finney

"Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" was the first published novel of Alan Sillitoe. It is a story of working class Britain in the years after the Second World War and reflects the author's own difficult and impoverished childhood.

Published in 1958 it was soon adapted for the big screen and was released with the same title in 1960.

Answer: A Visit from St Nicholas

"The Night before Christmas" is one of the best known and most popular Christmas poems ever written. It is said that the author, Clement Clarke Moore, wrote it for his daughters in December 1822 but it was first seen in print in 1823 when it appeared anonymously in the New York Sentinel.
Later it was attributed to Moore and he included it in his 1844 book "Poems".

Although there have been counter claims it is now generally accepted that he is the author.

It was first made into a short film in 1905 and has subsequently been featured in many films and cartoons.