Can you guess these famous first lines from classic books? The Boy in the Tower was written by Polly Ho-Yen. "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.. We'll give you the first line of a novel, and you have to choose the book it comes from. You'll have to read Franz Kafka's "Metamorphosis" to find out. Quiz: Can You Match the First Lines of Famous Books to Their Titles I love classics! Find an interactive version of the activity here, followed by an answer key for the magazine edition. The novel won Toni Morrison the Pulitzer Prize. Answer: The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck's classic tells the story of an Oklahoma family who retreats to California during the Great Depression. One may as well begin with Helen's letters to her sister. In the pleasant city of Stillwater, Mr. Popper, the house painter, was going home from work.". "It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York.". Ergo, you may enjoy the challenge of testing your literary knowledge! "In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.". J.R.R. Eighteen episodes make up "Ulysses," the groundbreaking novel by James Joyce. By signing up, I confirm that I'm over 16. Tess is speaking here to her mother, who did not warn her of the dangers of her sophisticated "cousin" Alec. ', '#d13d50', 'A0A6FP0KU');kofiwidget2.draw(); Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Based on its first line, name the book. ", A black woman named Janie Crawford throws off the bonds of racial inequality in "Their Eyes Were Watching God. "One man's life or death were a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge I sought.". "These two very old people are the father and mother of Mr. ", Okay, these are three lines. Based on its first line, name the book. ", "Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. "From the pleasantly situated old town of Mayenfield a footpath leads up through shady green meadows to the foot of the mountains, which, as they gaze down on the valley, present a solemn and majestic aspect.". Take this first lines from books quiz to see how many first sentences you know! Convent residents and Oklahoman men begin a twisted clash in Toni Morrison's "Paradise. Written by Richard Peck, The Teacher's Funeral was published in 2004. Famous Opening Lines Quiz - By Repsaj600 - sporcle.com "Catch-22" is a novel about World War II pilots. Chandler also wrote "Farewell, My Lovely" and "The Lady in the Lake. 27 February 2020 Topics Quizzes Late in the afternoon of a chilly day in February, two gentlemen were sitting alone over their wine, in a well-furnished dining parlor, in the town of P----, in Kentucky. Our scientifically accurate questionnaire will pair you with your perfect (fictional) pal. Generations of readers have Ray Bradbury's classic novel about book burning to thank for knowing that. What else could this be but the late-60s teen classic? But what sort of vermin did he turn into? Which author wrote the 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird? YouTube star John Green single-handedly changed the course of YA fiction by releasing this realistic, ironic "problem novel" into a market full of vampire and dystopian fantasies. 1. "The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.". 'An opening line should invite the reader to begin the story', Stephen King once said. Or maybe, yesterday; I can't be sure.". From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology Do you know which hero took a dip in the River Styx? The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him.". Which book won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in the fiction category? "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man", "I have never begun a novel with more misgiving.". Not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. Take this first lines from books quiz to see how many first sentences you know! It'd kill your mammy., Alice Walker analyzed the oppression of Southern black women in 1982's "The Color Purple. "Stately, plump Buck Mulligan came from the stairhead, bearing a bowl of lather on which a mirror and a razor lay crossed.". Illustrated and written by Robert McCloskey, Make Way for Ducklings was published in 1941. "Once there was a little girl called Sophie. "But his dreams were as gigantic as his surroundings were small.". And take this quiz to get matched to your ideal fictional vacation destination! Book Opening Lines quiz < General < Literature - Triviaplaza Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.. Timed Quiz Game. Some people love it and find it inspirational; others find it misleading and likely to promote self-centeredness. "He's more myself than I am. Written by Louis Sachar, Holes was ranked #6 among all-time children's novels in a School Library Journal survey. Sample Hard Question:All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. The Thief was a fantasy novel written by Megan Whalen Turner. Literary First Lines Trivia Quiz But with others, there isn't one clear winner. In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Rey and published in 1941 by Houghton Mifflin. And then you can go to parties and brag not only about all the books . ", Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. Nothing too obscure, though, I promise. Why Did the Titanic Have so Few Lifeboats? "There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. Dr. Seuss' real name was Theodor Geisel. One of the nerdy things we like to do is quiz each other on quotes from books, especially the opening lines. It's going to cost more than one life by the time your mess is cleaned up. QUIZ: How well do you know these famous first lines from classic books "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb and he almost deserved it. ", This line is from Louisa May Alcott's famous book. Theyre out there. As a book lover, it brings me great delight that Im married to another book lover. Hosting by Black Chicken Floral designs by Judith Glover Book and tea cup illustration by Anna Carnes. How well do you remember the first lines from these famous children's books? Ultimate Book Trivia Questions And Answers (2023 Quiz) ", "It was inevitable: The scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.". "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.". Popular Quizzes Today. "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand.". It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. ", Written by C.S. Where do the Berenstain Bears live? All you have to do is identify the book. 4. It's a fun book trivia category! Famous First Lines Book Trivia Quiz #180 Category Number: 180 Text, Audio, or Picture Round? This site will help you discover those books, and give you a community of kindred spirits who love reading as much as you do. "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.". Scotland becomes a bewitching and wonderful place in "The Crow Road," an ominous and funny look at human life. Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.". "Of all the things that drive men to sea, the most common disaster, I've come to learn, is women. Put your skills to the test, and take this quiz on memorable literary sentences. You'll be pushed to recall the titles that go with the first lines of popular novels from the last ten years. Open a modal to take you to registration information, Button that open a modal to initiate a challenge. ", The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting.". Good luck! Mark Twain called a classic "a book everyone wants to have read, but nobody wants to read." Charlotte's Web was written by E.B. It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. They deal with the infamous Dust Bowl, and such hardships as little money and shelter. Famous First Lines from Books Quiz As a book lover, it brings me great delight that I'm married to another book lover. "When you wish that a Saturday was actually a Monday, you know there is something seriously wrong.". "Elmer Gantry was drunk. After all, we're not savages.". Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. 100 Great Books Quiz Questions and Answers - Trivia Quiz Night Being afraid to fly was rational, therefore proof of being sane. How well do you know your opening lines? Can You Match the Classic Book to Its Most Famous Line? "It was love at first sight. Question: What was the first book in the Harry Potter series? In its original form, it is the title of a book of Jane-Eyre-inspired short stories. Report this user for behavior that violates our Community Guidelines. It was published in 1938. "This is the saddest story I have ever heard.". This line sums up Thomas Hardy's doomed hero in a few words. The classic novel opening-line quiz - BBC Bitesize In other words, each question is about a unique book. Famous Novels Quiz | Britannica This is probably the most famous line in Antoine St. Exupery's beloved book. It's a fun book trivia category! AND HOW. Fly Away Home was written by Eve Bunting. Which Dickens character says "Please, Sir, I want some more" 5. 2. Holden Caulfield narrates "Catcher" as though he's speaking directly to the reader. This was the first novel of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Written by J.R.R. Through the fence, between the curling flower spaces, I could see them hitting. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield. This classic, succinct line has been paraphrased in many ways, ("Reader, I divorced him!"). Take the famous first lines of books quiz to find out how many you can identify correctly. The black humor of "Catch-22" made Joseph Heller one of the most highly regarded authors of the past century. This opening line also goes down as one of the longest, because it continues quite a while before the inevitable period. "Not every 13-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial and found guilty.". "I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be.". 3. "The past is a foreign country: They do things differently there.". All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Here are ten basic books questions to get your trivia juices flowing 1. For each of these book trivia questions, your players will be shown a first line of a book and then they will name the book. The Queen was angry, and not for the first time. Find out here if you are in the first rank or an April fool, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Flashman at the Charge by George Macdonald Fraser, Cities of the Red Night by William Burroughs, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson, The Books of Albion: The Collected Writings of Peter Doherty, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, One Hundred and Twenty Days of Sodom and Other Writings by the Marquis de Sade, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? "On the morning I was scheduled to die, a large barefoot man with a bushy red beard waddled past my house.". It was published in 1997. Once there was a great and terrible war. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.". How well do you know the famous opening lines mentioned in this quiz? ", Before Dodie Smith became famous for "The Hundred and One Dalmatians," she wrote "I Capture the Castle. It was written, of course, by Charles Dickens. Written by Judith Kerr, The Tiger Who Came to Tea was published in 1968 in the United Kingdom. "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.". Published in 2013, The School for Good and Evil was written by Soman Chainani. "Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room, baripity, baripity, baripity, baripityGood.". Lima Beans 4. If you enjoy lines like the above, trust us, "Wuthering Heights" is for you. Also popular are the later lines about "fear the mind-killer. "Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmond, and Lucy.". Weekly quiz: Can you guess the classic novel from these iconic first lines? Go here to discover which Victorian novel you should read next. Madeline was illustrated and written by Ludwig Bemelmans in 1939. . In the movie, it was moved up to a prologue segment about heroine Bella's near-death. It was love at first sight. "Sophie had waited all her life to be kidnapped.". Jean Rhys used "Wide Sargasso Sea" to explore themes of inequality in society and relationships. Oh, Victor. Arthur Hailey Allen Drury Harper Lee Edwin O'Connor 2. As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.. First Lines Of Books Quiz! | Beano.com Hypocrisy takes center stage in Sinclair Lewis' "Elmer Gantry," a collision of morality and human nature. If you consider yourself a capital-R Reader, put yourself to the test with this guess the book quiz. 'I asked, werent we taking the pistol, or anyhow the long, murderous-looking pike which has hung across our broad kitchen chimney ever since I can remember?'. This 1951 classic by J.D. 26 . That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly.". With some books, pretty much everyone agrees on what its most famous line is - this is true of the opening line of "Pride and Prejudice," which you'll find on everything from dishtowels to bookmarks. "I didn't know how long I had been in the king's prison.". The catch in "Catch-22" was that anyone who went to the Army's psychologists asking to be let out of combat missions, based on an irrational fear of them, couldn't be taken off combat duty. Published during World War II, "The Razor's Edge" portrays a World War I veteran suffering from trauma and looking for meaning in his life. "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville. Sophies mummy said 'I wonder who that could be?'". I got . Barrie's "Peter Pan. Written by C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was a fantasy novel published on October 16, 1950. "When you want something, the whole universe conspires to help you get it.". Neverland became a world-famous place thanks to J.M. The novel came out in October 1847, only six weeks after it had been accepted for publication. Written by Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was a 56-page book published in 1902. Once upon a time there was a lion, a witch, and a wardrobe. It was published on June 3, 1969. The Spanish-language novel "Love in the Time of Cholera" was published in English in 1988. Famous First Lines Book Trivia Quiz | Buy Literature Trivia Questions Illustrated by Carson Ellis and written by Colin Meloy, Wildwood was first published in 2011. The Overstory The Nickel Boys The Underground Railroad The Goldfinch 3. Guess the Well-Known Book from One Quote | Reader's Digest "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents . "Chug, chug, chug. Written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843, A Christmas Carols tells the story of the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge. Famous First Lines in Novels Quiz | HowStuffWorks 3/10. This 1953 novel, "The Go-Between," is by far the best-known book by L.P. Hartley. John Toole killed himself before his outrageously hilarious "A Confederacy of Dunces" became recognized as a lasting work of art. "Why didn't you tell me there was danger in men-folk? If you're wondering why the full line isn't quoted, trust us, it's for the best. We give the first lines, can you name the books? Ken Kesey's strange "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was made into a hugely successful movie in 1975. Quiz: Guess the Book From Its Opening Line | HowStuffWorks The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon. If you haven't seen it lately, check a coffee mug, poster or bumper sticker near you. "The sun did not shine. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". First lines quiz | Culture | The Guardian Go here to discover which Victorian novel you should read next, this quiz to get matched to your ideal fictional vacation destination. Puff, puff, puff. All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. In the November/December 2018 issue, the back-page "Potpourri for the Pen" column featured a matching game in which readers had to match the first lines of famous books to their titles. Lemony Snicket was a pen name for American author, Daniel Handler. Paulo Coelho's book about following one's "personal legend" has become a deeply polarizing book. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain. Famous First Lines in Novels Quiz By: Nathan Chandler 4 min Image: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images About This Quiz Calling all bookworms: How well do you know literature? "Look, I didnt want to be a half-blood.". Im banking on the fact that if youre reading this, you are probably somewhat of a book nerd yourself. Its such a gift to be able to read from masterful storytellers like these! Hermione Granger's First/Last Lines: Book By Book Quiz - By FantasticBowTies. Take this quiz now to journey back and test your skills! Seven Wonders Book 1: The Colossus Rises was written by Peter Lerangis. Black boys in white suits up before me to commit sex acts in the hall and get it mopped up before I can catch them. This one is famous, of course. Famous opening lines: Take our literature quiz - CSMonitor.com ", Charles Johnson writes of a man who unwittingly boards a slave ship to avoid a forced marriage in "Middle Passage. Also, one of the most famous whales. Countries of the World. "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts. "You better not never tell nobody but God. "Beloved" is the harrowing story of a mother who kills her daughter rather than have her grow up a slave in the pre-emancipation South. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was written by Avi - also known as Edward Irving Wortis. Lewis and Chris Van Allsburg. In a book by Leo Tolstoy, the first line is "Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Written by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was published in 1964. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Elsie! Famous First Lines Book Trivia Quiz You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.- C. S. Lewis. Can you identify these classic first lines from literature? On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. bridge. It was the first in the series which inspired the Madeline media franchise. She followed it up with "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys. Eesh! Uncle Tom's Cabin (Harriet Beecher Stowe), One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (Ken Kesey). First Lines Quiz | Famous First Lines | 10 Questions - Fun Trivia Yup, it's another opening line. This debate about "On the Road," by Beat generation writer Jack Kerouac, is still ongoing. Well, that's they way Jane wrote 'em, so we won't quibble. Famous First Lines - 10 questions - 4 mins The full quote reads like a paragraph; it's an astounding 119 words long. Curious George was written by H.A. For this quiz, we've picked what we feel is the best-known, most-quoted line. March Challenge Prompt: A classic collection of fairy tales. There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. The quote above reflects King's casual, conversational style. "Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.". This book by Kurt Vonnegut has an odd subtitle: "or, the Children's Crusade, a Duty-Dance with Death." "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.". When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. "It was the day my grandmother exploded.". "The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world.". var app_617d5174fb15ec00181ca85b;(function(d, t){var s=d.createElement(t),options={"appId":"617d5174fb15ec00181ca85b","width":"800","height":"800","async":true,"host":"quiz.tryinteract.com", "footer":"show"};s.src='https://i.tryinteract.com/embed/app.js';s.onload=s.onreadystatechange=function(){var rs=this.readyState;if(rs)if(rs!='complete')if(rs!='loaded')return;try{app_617d5174fb15ec00181ca85b=new InteractApp();app_617d5174fb15ec00181ca85b.initialize(options);app_617d5174fb15ec00181ca85b.display();}catch(e){}};var scr=d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0],par=scr.parentNode;par.insertBefore(s,scr);})(document,'script'); Want to take another literary quiz? This quiz has 2 formats: you can play it as a. You better not never tell nobody but God. Trivia Night Games to Raise More Money at Your Trivia Fundraiser, How to Set Up a Trivia Night + Trivia Night Rules, Fundraising Tips to Help Your Organization Succeed, Lit Bits: American Literature Trivia Quiz #181, AUDIO: TV Theme Quiz for Trivia Night #200, Famous Addresses: Unique Trivia About Addresses (Real & Fictional) #171, Catholic Quiz: Catholic Trivia Questions #162. If you want to stay alive, though, you've got to say that stuff.".