Opening Lines of Literature Trivia Quiz

Answer: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" published in 1997 and titled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in USA is the first novel in the Harry Potter series.
Author J.K. Rowling, whose writing has been compared to that of Roald Dahl, Jane Austen and Homer, won the award for the Children's Book of the Year at the 1997 British Book Awards for this novel and would go on to write many more successful novels, both for children and adults.

Answer: A Tale of Two Cities

This 1859 novel from the pen of Charles Dickens, is along with Oliver Twist, one of his best known and most quoted novels.
The book is set in London and Paris, around the time of the French revolution and features wonderful characters such as Monsieur Defarge, Dr. Manette and Charles Darnay.
Other than "Barnaby Rudge" (1841), this is the only work of historical fiction by Dickens and some of the lines are well known, even to those who haven't read the book. These include the opening line as well as "A multitude of people and yet a solitude", "A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self" and "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."

Answer: The Dream of the Red Chamber

First printed in 1791, "Dream of the Red Chamber" from Chinese author, Cao Xueqin is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature along with Outlaws of the Marsh (aka Water Margin) (1589), The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (1522) and Journey to the West (1592).
The novel was not published until almost thirty years after the death of Cao Xuequin and although excerpts and chapters had been translated over the years, it wasn't fully published in English until the 20th century when it was made available in three volumes (1973, 1977, 1980).

Answer: The Little Prince

"The Little Prince" (1943) from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was originally written in French but was first published in both French and English in 1943 in USA.
The novel was not published in France until 1945, after liberation from the Nazis had been achieved.
The story has been adapted for film and TV shows as well as for stage shows, operas and ballets and remains the best known work from Saint-Exupéry, being the second most translated work ever published, with only the Bible being translated into more languages.

Answer: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (1950) is the first in the series of seven novels from C.S. Lewis that make up "The Chronicles of Narnia" (1950-56) and has been delighting children since it was first published.
The book is included on many lists of best novels and must read books and has lent itself to successful adaptations such as the 1988 BAFTA winning TV series and the 2005 movie, starring Tilda Swinton and featuring the voices of Liam Neeson, Michael Madsen and Dawn French.
Although the Narnia series remain the best known works by Lewis, he also wrote for an adult audience, including the "Space Trilogy" (1938-45) and "Till We Have Faces" (1956) based on the myth of Cupid and Psyche.

Answer: And Then There Were None

Agatha Christie's novel from 1939 is often referred to as the best selling mystery book of all time, and continues to sell in large numbers in the 21st century.
The book has undergone two name changes in its lifetime due to the original titles now being recognised as offensive and has been made into a film several times, including a 1974 version which starred Richard Attenborough, Oliver Reed and Charles Aznavour.

Answer: The Alchemist

A wonderful opening line that drags you in, to the point that may well find yourself reading this 1988 novel from Brazilian author Paulo Coelho in one sitting as I did.
"The Alchemist" was Coelho's breakout novel bringing him to the attention of a worldwide audience and following the success it brought he has gone on to write many more novels including international best sellers such as "The Zahir" (2005) and "The Witch of Portobello" (2006).

Answer: The Hobbit

There really can't be many people around the world who haven't read J.R.R. Tolkien's classic of children's literature, as it is recognised as one of the best selling books of all time.
The adventures of plucky hobbit, Bilbo Baggins were first published in 1937 and provide the perfect introduction to Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (1954-55).

Answer: She: A History of Adventure

Remarkably, this novel from H. Rider Haggard was first published in 1887 and has never been out of print since.
The novel tells the tale of Horace Holly and Leo Vincey as they traverse Africa, finding a lost kingdom ruled over by Ayesha, the queen referred to in the book's title as She.
There have been many film adaptations of the novel, although none have been as well received or aged as well as the book.

Answer: The Da Vinci Code

"The Da Vinci Code" (2003) may have been Dan Brown's fourth novel, this was the one that brought him to the attention of the world, and encouraged people to buy "Angels & Demons" (2000), his first novel featuring Professor Robert Langdon.
Although "The Da Vinci Code" (2003) has been wildly successful, selling over 80 million copies in the first six years following publication, it has also attracted a great deal of controversy for historical and scientific inaccuracies, as well as being seen by some as an outright attack on the teachings of the Catholic Church.