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Quiz about The Quizteries of Pittsburgh
Quiz about The Quizteries of Pittsburgh

The Quizteries of Pittsburgh

"The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" is Michael Chabon's first novel. As soon as I read it, I knew he would be the great novelist he's turned out to be. I love this book, and I hope this quiz inspires you to read it (if you haven't already).

A multiple-choice quiz by abechstein. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
abechstein
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
312,352
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
150
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The story begins after Art Bechstein graduates college and finds himself at loose ends. Even though he has graduated, he still has to finish a paper on Freud's letters to Wilhelm Fliess, though it really doesn't have anything to do with his degree. What was Art's major? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. One of the themes of this story is Art's relationship with his father, Joe. What is Joe's occupation? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. Very early on in the book, Art sees a library employee he calls the "Girl Behind Bars". Who is this girl whom Art dates throughout the book? Hint


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Question 4 of 10
4. Art, whose birth name is Arthur, meets another Arthur early on in the book, Arthur LeComte. Art and Arthur also have a relationship throughout the story. Although Arthur works at the university library with Phlox, what other job is Arthur working at during the summer? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. Art works at a bookstore for at least part of the summer. What is the name of this shop? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. Art and Arthur often have lunch overlooking the "Lost Neighborhood" in Oakland. In this neighborhood is a "mysterious" building, which is the setting for many of the scenes in the book, including the denouement. What is the name the characters call this building? Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. Cleveland Arning is another pivotal character in the book, and has issues with his father as well. What is Cleveland's father's occupation? Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. While talking about Cleveland, what is his occupation when Art first meets him? Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. What crime does Cleveland move on to committing in the last part of the book? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. What does Art do at the end of the story? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The story begins after Art Bechstein graduates college and finds himself at loose ends. Even though he has graduated, he still has to finish a paper on Freud's letters to Wilhelm Fliess, though it really doesn't have anything to do with his degree. What was Art's major?

Answer: economics

 Although the name of the university Art attends is never explicitly referenced, it's pretty obvious that he went to the University of Pittsburgh (the bookstore he works at is even described as selling books "in the shadow of the University of Pittsburgh"). Chabon also received his B.A. from Pittsburgh. Freud's letters to Fliess, Freud's closest friend, spanned almost 20 years and showed the development of psychoanalysis. Art's paper concerned Fliess' discussion of the relationship between the nose and sexual health.
2. One of the themes of this story is Art's relationship with his father, Joe. What is Joe's occupation?

Answer: accountant for the Mob

 Joe's interesting Mob moniker was "Joe the Egg" (presumably because he was an egghead). Joe didn't tell Art what he did for a living until after Art's Bar Mitzvah. Art's mother, Marjorie, died six months before this important occasion, and her death had a significant effect on Art's relationship with his father.
3. Very early on in the book, Art sees a library employee he calls the "Girl Behind Bars". Who is this girl whom Art dates throughout the book?

Answer: Phlox Lombardi

 At the beginning of the book, we find out that Art has recently broken up with his girlfriend, Claire. Phlox catches his eye right away.

Phlox goes by a lot of different names -- she had recently been through her punk phase, during which her adopted name was "Mau Mau". Art's friend Cleveland refers to her as the "Evil Love Nurse".
4. Art, whose birth name is Arthur, meets another Arthur early on in the book, Arthur LeComte. Art and Arthur also have a relationship throughout the story. Although Arthur works at the university library with Phlox, what other job is Arthur working at during the summer?

Answer: housesitter

 Arthur starts off the summer housesitting for the Bellwethers, and gets a few other housesitting jobs, including for a local weatherwoman.
5. Art works at a bookstore for at least part of the summer. What is the name of this shop?

Answer: Boardwalk Books

 Boardwalk Books is a discount book chain, staffed by employees who seem not to have any knowledge about literature at all, many of whom are studying to be paramedics. Cleveland "kidnaps" Art from the store during his first few weeks of working there. Art finds working in the store incredibly mind-numbing.
6. Art and Arthur often have lunch overlooking the "Lost Neighborhood" in Oakland. In this neighborhood is a "mysterious" building, which is the setting for many of the scenes in the book, including the denouement. What is the name the characters call this building?

Answer: the Cloud Factory

 The Cloud Factory actually exists; its real name is the Bellefield Boiler Plant. According to Wikipedia, it provides steam heat for most of the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, though it was originally built to supply heat to the Carnegie Museum.
7. Cleveland Arning is another pivotal character in the book, and has issues with his father as well. What is Cleveland's father's occupation?

Answer: psychiatrist

 Like Art, Cleveland lost his mother when he was a teenager. She committed suicide when he was 17. Cleveland has a younger sister, Anna. Arthur and Cleveland went to Catholic high school together.
8. While talking about Cleveland, what is his occupation when Art first meets him?

Answer: collecting for a loan shark

 Cleveland initially does "P and D" (pickup and delivery) for Lenny Stern, Art's "uncle". Cleveland later gets into trouble when he moves on to other involvement with Art's crime family. Throughout the book, Cleveland tries to get Art to introduce him to Art's father, so he can further his career in crime. Art is extremely reluctant to breach the divide between his life and his father's, and resists Cleveland's efforts.
9. What crime does Cleveland move on to committing in the last part of the book?

Answer: burglary

 Cleveland eventually starts learning how to break into houses from Carl Punicki, one of the bosses in the Pittsburgh area, who owns a number of jewelry stores through which he fences stolen goods.
10. What does Art do at the end of the story?

Answer: leaves town with Arthur

 After having chosen Arthur over Phlox, Art decides that his relationship with Arthur is important enough to him that he wants to go with Arthur when he leaves. Phlox, by this point, has made it clear that she doesn't want to see Art again, and Art and his father become, if anything, more estranged by the end of the book.
Source: Author abechstein

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor LadyCaitriona before going online.
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Literature   Names   Sharks   Economics  

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