The Guardian Review literary quiz

December 23, 2010 7:55 PM

The Guardian Review literary quiz. It may be a little easier than the venerable quiz down the page. And if it isn't, it still looks like fun.
posted by goofyfoot (13 comments total)

I knew not a single one. But the quiz did compel me to look up the names of King Lear's dogs, and that's knowledge I'm glad to have, so thanks for that.
posted by painquale at 12:11 AM on December 24, 2010

Knew only two of these (John Shade and Mrs. Dalloway). Wish I'd been able to enter the contest.
posted by incandenza at 12:42 AM on December 24, 2010

Shall we do this?

Hornby.3 could be Thomas Hardy - he died in 1928, but he gave up on writing novels in the 1890s (due to the reaction to Tess and Jude, I think). So the timing fits.

Craig Raine.3: Albert Camus played soccer/football.

Claire Tomalin.1: George, in Thackeray's Vanity Fair (he's shot at Waterloo).
posted by Infinite Jest at 1:34 AM on December 24, 2010

Ooh, ooh, I do know one of these:

Who was the shadow of the waxwing slain? John Shade (from Pale Fire)
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 2:52 AM on December 24, 2010

One more:

Rose Tremain 1) b) is The Biographer's Tale by A.S Byatt
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 3:01 AM on December 24, 2010

Looks like I missed the fact incandenza already answered the John Shade one, sorry about that...
posted by Life at Boulton Wynfevers at 3:02 AM on December 24, 2010

Tom McCarthy 3: Cassandra doesn't want a bath because she knows Clytemnestra is in there with an axe waiting to kill her.
posted by andraste at 3:58 AM on December 24, 2010

And Rose Tremain 2 is "Good God, Willoughby!" It always seemed such a bald exclamation for an Austen heroine.
posted by andraste at 4:02 AM on December 24, 2010

Agree that Nick Hornby 3 is Thomas Hardy, who gave up novel-writing in Victoria's reign due to the reaction to Jude the Obscure. I bet there was a silent flick made of Tess.
posted by andraste at 4:06 AM on December 24, 2010

Oooh, and David Kynaston 3 is a total guess but I bet it's right: "Only connect" from Howard's End.

I am glad you posted this, goofyfoot, because I got nothing at all for the King Billy quiz this year.
posted by andraste at 4:15 AM on December 24, 2010

Banville 2: A spring voyage.
Dyer 3: Joyce.
McCarthy 1: A thieving magpie.
Self 3: Gilman (thank you, random stranger who struck up a conversation with me in that movie lineup last summer!).

Here are the official answers.
posted by twirlip at 4:15 AM on December 24, 2010 [1 favorite]

I know one! Adam Thirlwell, 1) What was the real name of JR Ackerley's dog Tulip?

Queenie
posted by steef at 6:29 AM on December 24, 2010

Who was the shadow of the waxwing slain?

Hmmm. Seems vaguely familiar....
posted by Kinbote at 8:12 AM on December 24, 2010 [1 favorite]