Independent Booksellers Week 2010 Book Quiz

Independent Booksellers Week 2010Book Quiz With thanks to Chiswick Book Festival

Chapter One: Call Me Ishmael! The Questions

Question 1 “Renowned curator Jacques Sauniere staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery.”

Question 2 “A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys. Over the main entrance the words, Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, and, in a shield, the World State's Motto, Community, Identity, Stability.”

Question 3 “The other night at dinner, Sheba talked about the first time that she and the Connolly boy kissed.”

Question 4 “At the beginning of July, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather, towards evening, a certain young man came down on to the street from the little room he rented from some tenants in S--- Lane and slowly, almost hesitantly, set off towards K---n Bridge.”

Question 5 “It was 7 minutes after midnight. The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of Mrs. Shears' house. Its eyes were closed.”

Question 6 “This is the saddest story I have ever heard.”

Question 7 “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.”

Question 8 “Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had co cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her.”

Question 9 “High, high above the North Pole, on the first day of 1969, two professors of English Literature approached each other at a combined velocity of 1200 miles per hour.”

Question 10 “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand our situation.”

Question 11 “My first act on entering the world was to kill my mother. I was heaved – a healthy eight pounds – lacquered and ruddy from her womb one cold March day in Edinburgh, 1899.”

Question 12 “My desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups, in chronological order: 1) Alison Ashworth, 2) Penny Hardwick, 3) Jackie Allen, 4) Charlie Nicholson 5) Sarah Kendrew.”

The Answers Chapter 1 Call Me Ishmael!

Answer 1 “Renowned curator Jacques Sauniere staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery.” - The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown

Answer 2 “A squat grey building of only thirty-four storeys. Over the main entrance the words, Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, and, in a shield, the World State's Motto, Community, Identity, Stability.” - Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

Answer 3 “The other night at dinner, Sheba talked about the first time that she and the Connolly boy kissed.” - Notes On A Scandal, Zoe Heller

Answer 4 “At the beginning of July, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather, towards evening, a certain young man came down on to the street from the little room he rented from some tenants in S--- Lane and slowly, almost hesitantly, set off towards K---n Bridge.” - Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Answer 5 “It was 7 minutes after midnight. The dog was lying on the grass in the middle of the lawn in front of Mrs Shears' house. Its eyes were closed.” - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon

Answer 6 “This is the saddest story I have ever heard.” The Good Soldier, Ford Maddox Ford

Answer 7 “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” - One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Answer 8 “Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had co cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her.” - The Godfather, Mario Puzo

Answer 9 “High, high above the North Pole, on the first day of 1969, two professors of English Literature approached each other at a combined velocity of 1200 miles per hour.” - Changing Places, David Lodge

Answer 10 “The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand our situation.” - The Secret History, Donna Tartt

Answer 11 “My first act on entering the world was to kill my mother. I was heaved – a healthy eight pounds – lacquered and ruddy from her womb one cold March day in Edinburgh, 1899.” - The New Confessions, William Boyd

Answer 12 “My desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups, in chronological order: 1) Alison Ashworth, 2) Penny Hardwick, 3) Jackie Allen, 4) Charlie Nicholson 5) Sarah Kendrew.” - High Fidelity, Nick Hornby

Independent Booksellers Week 2010 Book Quiz