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Quiz about The Man Booker Prize for Fiction

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction Quiz

The Booker Prize is awarded annually for the best novel written in English by a Commonwealth or Irish citizen. How much do you know about the writers and their works that have won or been nominated for this prestigious literary prize?

A multiple-choice quiz by stedman. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
stedman

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
97,993

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
8 / 15

Plays
556

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. To start at the beginning, which novel was the first winner of the Booker Prize, in 1969? Hint

"The Public Image" by Muriel Spark

"The Elected Member" by Bernice Rubens

"Something to Answer For" by P. H. Newby

"Figures in a Landscape" by Barry England

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Question 2 of 15

2. To date (2002), there have been two years in which the judges awarded first prize jointly. Which two novelists held this distinction in 1974, the first time it happened? Hint

Iris Murdoch and Kingsley Amis

William Golding and Anthony Burgess

Nadine Gordimer and Stanley Middleton

Michael Ondaatje and Barry Unsworth

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Question 3 of 15

3. In 1993, to mark the 25th time the Prize had been awarded, a special award was made to the "Booker of Bookers", chosen as the best of all the previous winners. Which author won it? Hint

William Golding

J. M. Coetzee

Iris Murdoch

Salman Rushdie

4. Beryl Bainbridge holds the dubious distinction of having been shortlisted the most times without having actually won. To date (2002), on how many occasions has she appeared on the shortlist? Hint

Six

Five

Four

Seven

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Question 5 of 15

5. The following four novels by Margaret Atwood were all shortlisted for the Booker Prize. But which was the only one to win it? Hint

"The Blind Assassin"

"Cat's Eye"

"The Handmaid's Tale"

"Alias Grace"

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Question 6 of 15

6. The annual shortlists normally consist of around six novels. But in 1975 the shortlist contained how many? Hint

Three

Two

Ten

Nine

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Question 7 of 15

7. Three of the following writers have been shortlisted in two consecutive years. Which one has not? Hint

Iris Murdoch

Beryl Bainbridge

Roddy Doyle

Penelope Fitzgerald

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Question 8 of 15

8. Peter Carey is one of only two writers to have won the Booker twice between 1969 and 2002. He did it in 2001 with "The True History of the Kelly Gang". But what was the name of his previous winner? Hint

"Amsterdam"

"Illywhacker"

"Oscar and Lucinda"

"Jack Maggs"

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Question 9 of 15

9. Following on from Question 8, up to 2002 who is the only other author to win the Booker twice? Hint

Salman Rushdie

Fay Weldon

Graham Swift

J M Coetzee

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Question 10 of 15

10. Martin Amis is one of the UK's most distinguished present-day novelists, but up until now (2002) he has only once been shortlisted for the Booker. For which novel? Hint

"Money"

"Time's Arrow"

"The Rachel Papers"

"London Fields"

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Question 11 of 15

11. 1982's winner was controversial not because of any doubts about its quality, but because of questions about whether it was a novel at all. What was its name? Hint

"Chatterton" by Peter Ackroyd

"Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally

"The English Patient" by Michael Ondaatje

"Empire of the Sun" by J. G. Ballard

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Question 12 of 15

12. As we discussed back in Question 4, Beryl Bainbridge holds the record for most appearances on the shortlist without ever having won. But which writer has been shortlisted in total more than any other? Hint

Iris Murdoch

Ian McEwan

Bernice Rubens

A. S. Byatt

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Question 13 of 15

13. It is often said that books set in India are a shoo-in to win the Booker. Three out of the following novels certainly did. So which one didn't? Hint

"The Siege of Krishnapur" by J. G. Farrell

"Staying On" by Paul Scott

"The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

"A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry

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Question 14 of 15

14. One of the most enjoyable Booker traditions is the post-award disagreements among the judges. So which winner did panellist Dr Julia Neuberger succinctly describe as "crap"? Hint

"Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha" by Roddy Doyle (1993)

"The Bone People" by Keri Hulme (1985)

"How Late It Was, How Late" by James Kelman (1994)

"Hotel du Lac" by Anita Brookner (1984)

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Question 15 of 15

15. Which novel won the 2002 Booker Prize for Fiction, awarded in London on Tuesday 22 October? Hint

"Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

"Family Matters" by Rohinton Mistry

"The Story of Lucy Gault" by William Trevor

"Dirt Music" by Tim Winton

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. To start at the beginning, which novel was the first winner of the Booker Prize, in 1969?

Answer: "Something to Answer For" by P. H. Newby

Newby's novel, set at the time of the Suez crisis, is now almost forgotten. Rubens' "The Elected Member" won the following year, in 1970. "Figures in a Landscape" and "The Public Image" were both on the 1969 shortlist but failed to win.

2. To date (2002), there have been two years in which the judges awarded first prize jointly. Which two novelists held this distinction in 1974, the first time it happened?

Answer: Nadine Gordimer and Stanley Middleton

Gordimer's "The Conservationist" and Middleton's "Holiday". Ondaatje and Unsworth shared the honours 18 years later, in 1992, with "The English Patient" and "Sacred Hunger", respectively. Burgess's "Earthly Powers" was pipped at the post by Golding's "Rites of Passage" in 1980. Amis ("Jake's Thing") lost out to Murdoch ("The Sea, The Sea") in 1978, but went on to win it himself in 1986 with "The Old Devils".

3. In 1993, to mark the 25th time the Prize had been awarded, a special award was made to the "Booker of Bookers", chosen as the best of all the previous winners. Which author won it?

Answer: Salman Rushdie

Specifically for "Midnight's Children", which won in 1981. I don't think anyone could seriously disagree with this choice. Rushdie has also been shortlisted for "Shame" (1983), "The Satanic Verses" (1988), and "The Moor's Last Sigh" (1995).

4. Beryl Bainbridge holds the dubious distinction of having been shortlisted the most times without having actually won. To date (2002), on how many occasions has she appeared on the shortlist?

Answer: Five

For "The Dressmaker" (1973); "The Bottle Factory Outing" (1974); "An Awfully Big Adventure" (1990); "Every Man for Himself" (1996); and "Master Georgie" (1998). William Trevor is now one behind, with four unsuccessful nominations.

5. The following four novels by Margaret Atwood were all shortlisted for the Booker Prize. But which was the only one to win it?

Answer: "The Blind Assassin"

"The Blind Assassin" won in 2000, the fourth occasion on which Atwood was shortlisted.

6. The annual shortlists normally consist of around six novels. But in 1975 the shortlist contained how many?

Answer: Two

"Heat and Dust" by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and "Gossip from the Forest" by Thomas Keneally. This appears perverse, given that Malcolm Bradbury's "The History Man" and David Lodge's "Changing Places" were eligible that year, to name but two worthy alternatives. "Heat and Dust" won, by the way.

7. Three of the following writers have been shortlisted in two consecutive years. Which one has not?

Answer: Roddy Doyle

The odd one out is the only man! Murdoch was shortlisted in 1973 and 1974; Bainbridge in 1973 and 1974; Fitzgerald in 1978 and 1979. Doyle had a year off, being shortlisted in 1991 and 1993.

Answer: "Oscar and Lucinda"

"Oscar and Lucinda" won in 1988. "Jack Maggs" (1997) didn't make the shortlist. "Amsterdam" won in 1998, but of course it's by Ian McEwan.

9. Following on from Question 8, up to 2002 who is the only other author to win the Booker twice?

Answer: J M Coetzee

Coetzee has only been shortlisted twice, in 1983 with "The Life and Times of Michael K" and in 1999 with "Disgrace" - and won on both occasions. Rushdie and Swift have each only won once, and Weldon has never done so.

10. Martin Amis is one of the UK's most distinguished present-day novelists, but up until now (2002) he has only once been shortlisted for the Booker. For which novel?

Answer: "Time's Arrow"

"Time's Arrow" was beaten by Ben Okri's "The Famished Road" in 1991. Martin's late father, Kingsley, has a much better record, with three shortlisted novels, and a win in 1986 with "The Old Devils".

11. 1982's winner was controversial not because of any doubts about its quality, but because of questions about whether it was a novel at all. What was its name?

Answer: "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally

Keneally insisted that his book was a novel based on real events. The same could have been said of "Empire of the Sun", shortlisted in 1984, and based on the author's experiences as a child in the Second World War. Neither Peter Ackroyd nor Michael Ondaatje made any such claims for their works.

Answer: Iris Murdoch

Murdoch's six shortlistings include winning with "The Sea, The Sea" in 1978. McEwan (4), Rubens (2) and Byatt (1) are well behind.

13. It is often said that books set in India are a shoo-in to win the Booker. Three out of the following novels certainly did. So which one didn't?

Answer: "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry

Mistry's novel was beaten by Graham Swift's "Last Orders" in 1996. "The Siege of Krishnapur" won in 1973; "Staying On" in 1977; and "The God of Small Things" in 1997.

14. One of the most enjoyable Booker traditions is the post-award disagreements among the judges. So which winner did panellist Dr Julia Neuberger succinctly describe as "crap"?

Answer: "How Late It Was, How Late" by James Kelman (1994)

Kelman's book is a stream-of-consciousness monologue by a blind, drunken Glaswegian. You can see why it might not be everybody's cup of tea...

15. Which novel won the 2002 Booker Prize for Fiction, awarded in London on Tuesday 22 October?

Answer: "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

I can heartily recommend the book, which is both thought-provoking and a thoroughly good read.

Source: Author stedman

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