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Bill Bryson Trivia Quiz

One of the greatest and funniest travel writers ever ... Bill Bryson is perhaps better known in the UK (where he lived for many years) than in his native America.

A multiple-choice quiz by peterzezel. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
peterzezel

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
131,099

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
16 / 25

Plays
1449

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Which US state does Bill come from? Hint

Nebraska

Iowa

Vermont

Pennsylvania

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Question 2 of 25

2. What was the topic of articles that Bill's mother (Mary Bryson) wrote for the Des Moines (Iowa) Register? Hint

Advice to the Lovelorn

Travel tips

High School Wrestling

Home furnishings

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Question 3 of 25

3. Bill's book about Australia was released in Britain as "Down Under" but by what name was the book sold in America? Hint

G'day Mate

Notes From a Dangerous Place

The Vast Continent

In a Sunburned Country

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Question 4 of 25

4. What was Bill's FIRST book to make the New York Times Best Seller list? Hint

The Lost Continent

A Walk in the Woods

Neither Here Nor There

The Mother Tongue

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Question 5 of 25

5. In what year was Bill born? Hint

1963

1959

1946

1951

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Question 6 of 25

6. Complete the title of this Bryson book. "A Short History of ... Hint

... Nearly Everything"

... Tall People"

... Spam"

...Corn Huskers"

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Question 7 of 25

7. In America, it was called "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" What was the same book called in Great Britain? Hint

Purple Mountains, Your Majesty

Notes From a Big Country

Carry On, Luggage

Bridget Bryson's Diary

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Question 8 of 25

8. Complete the title of this Bryson book. "Dictionary of ... Hint

... American English

... Iowa Sports Legends

... Bed & Breakfasts

... Troublesome Words"

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Question 9 of 25

9. When the Brysons moved back to America ... it was Bill, his wife, and how many children? Hint

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Question 10 of 25

10. In what part of England, did Bryson and his family make their home? Hint

Cornwall

Hartlepool

Surrey

North Yorkshire

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Question 11 of 25

11. When the Bryson family packed up and moved to America in the late 1990's, to which place did they move? Hint

Hanover, New Hampshire

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Des Moines, Iowa

Reno, Nevada

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Question 12 of 25

12. Which of these qualities was NOT one that Bill expressed an admiration for in "Notes From a Small Island"? Hint

How Brits say "Musn't Grumble"

The British sense of fair play

How Brits are committed to Queuing

How Brits enjoy Marmite

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Question 13 of 25

13. Which university did Bill attend? Hint

Raleigh University

Oxford University

Iowa State

Drake University

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Question 14 of 25

14. What was the reason for Bill's first visit to the UK in 1973? Hint

A corn farmers' conference

Won a contest on the back of a cereal box

Following a Grateful Dead global tour

A backpacking expedition

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Question 15 of 25

15. Where did Bill find his first job in England? Hint

A mental asylum

A Soho stripper club

A chip shop

An Oxford publishing house

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Question 16 of 25

16. Which newspaper did Bill NOT work for while in the UK? Hint

The London Times

The Mail on Sunday

The Independent

The Sun

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Question 17 of 25

17. Complete this quote from Bill. "I don't have any ambition to make great literature. I'll do anything to ... Hint

... keep my kids in Reeboks."

... be able to pay for a pint."

... avoid getting a real job."

... not have to shave."

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Question 18 of 25

18. Hiking on the Appalachian trail (to write "A Walk in the Woods") left Bill with a(n)(ir)rational fear of what? Hint

Mosquitos

Bears

Hillbillies

Park Rangers

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Question 19 of 25

19. An influence on Bill's writing ... How did Bill describe Paul Theroux? Hint

Too wordy

Too grumpy

Too American

Too hard to spell

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Question 20 of 25

20. In "Neither Here Nor There" Bill recalls an earlier trip through Europe with someone who would show up in a later book. Who? Hint

T-Bone Bryson

Joe Sampley

Stephen Katz

Opie Cunningham

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Question 21 of 25

21. Proceeds from Bill's "slender volume" (too small to be a book) called "African Diary" went to which cause? Hint

UNICEF

REEBOKS FOR BRYSON KIDS

FARM AID

CARE

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Question 22 of 25

22. What did Bill's father do for a living? Hint

Rodeo Clown

Mortician

Sports Writer

Corn Farmer

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Question 23 of 25

23. What is the name of Bill's wife? Hint

Diana Billen

Gillian Billen

Camilla Parker Billen

Cynthia Billen

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Question 24 of 25

24. What was the name of Bill's first book? Hint

Days of Thunders

Bryson Plunders

One-Hit Wonders

Blook of Bunders

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Question 25 of 25

25. Which of these books did NOT have a subtitle? Hint

Neither Here Nor There

African Diary

A Walk in the Woods

The Mother Tongue

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Most Recent Scores

Mar 02 2024 : PosterMeerkat: 20/25
Feb 24 2024 : fado72: 25/25

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which US state does Bill come from?

Answer: Iowa

Bill speaks fondly on his native Iowa and his childhood days there in many of his books.

2. What was the topic of articles that Bill's mother (Mary Bryson) wrote for the Des Moines (Iowa) Register?

Answer: Home furnishings

Bill actually did write some high school wrestling articles (as well as answering phones) when he worked for the Register, part-time, at the age of 16.

3. Bill's book about Australia was released in Britain as "Down Under" but by what name was the book sold in America?

Answer: In a Sunburned Country

If you haven't read this yet, I suggest printing off a small map of Australia to use as your bookmark. Referring to it will make this hilarious book even MORE enjoyable!

4. What was Bill's FIRST book to make the New York Times Best Seller list?

Answer: A Walk in the Woods

You could make the case that Americans would only read the books about America. "But The Lost Continent" (about America also) was not a huge seller in the States. Perhaps it was because Bill was still living in England when "Lost" was released, while he had moved back to America by the time "Walk" hit the shelves.

5. In what year was Bill born?

Answer: 1951

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, where he lived his early years with his father (Bill), mother (Mary) and brother (Mike).

6. Complete the title of this Bryson book. "A Short History of ...

Answer: ... Nearly Everything"

Another of Bill's incredibly researched books (like Mother Tongue), so it's more about fascinating facts than amusing anecdotes.

7. In America, it was called "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" What was the same book called in Great Britain?

Answer: Notes From a Big Country

Obviously playing off his hugely popular "Notes From a Small Island" which was about Britain and not as well known in America.

8. Complete the title of this Bryson book. "Dictionary of ...

Answer: ... Troublesome Words"

If you confuse the words 'affect' and 'effect' this is the book for you. It's a very handy book to keep by your side when writing things like trivia quizzes.

9. When the Brysons moved back to America ... it was Bill, his wife, and how many children?

Answer: 4

Two boys and two girls. Mentioned in many of Bill's books, the children's chance to live in America were a primary reason for moving back to America.

10. In what part of England, did Bryson and his family make their home?

Answer: North Yorkshire

Bill expressed his preference for Northern England ... perhaps because a pint is cheaper up North. The Brysons settled in a 350-year-old farmhouse in a Yorkshire village of 60 people.

11. When the Bryson family packed up and moved to America in the late 1990's, to which place did they move?

Answer: Hanover, New Hampshire

In an interview in "The Mail On Sunday," Bill revealed the name of his local (pub) in Hanover. I wrote to Bill in care of that pub. Bill wrote back. Growing up following the Cubs, Bill is now an ardent supporter of the Boston Red Sox baseball team.

12. Which of these qualities was NOT one that Bill expressed an admiration for in "Notes From a Small Island"?

Answer: How Brits enjoy Marmite

"I love the British commitment to queuing; the sense of fair play; the habit of getting all excited about the most modest pleasures like a cup of tea and a biscuit; and the way you say, 'musn't grumble'."

13. Which university did Bill attend?

Answer: Drake University

Majoring in political science, he dropped out before completing a degree. Bryson came back to Iowa in 1975, to finish his degree at Drake while working as a Iowa Tribune copy editor. In 1977, with degree in hand, he returned to England to make his home.

14. What was the reason for Bill's first visit to the UK in 1973?

Answer: A backpacking expedition

He stayed for two decades.

15. Where did Bill find his first job in England?

Answer: A mental asylum

It's where he met his wife ... who also WORKED there, as a student nurse. I must stress that.

16. Which newspaper did Bill NOT work for while in the UK?

Answer: The Sun

While working as a newspaper editor, he began free-lancing with travel articles to supplement his income. Ironically, Bill still doesn't think of himself as a "travel" writer.

17. Complete this quote from Bill. "I don't have any ambition to make great literature. I'll do anything to ...

Answer: ... keep my kids in Reeboks."

Reeboks? I bet Bill grew up wearing PF Flyers. Did you know that in the UK they refer to sneakers as "trainers"?

18. Hiking on the Appalachian trail (to write "A Walk in the Woods") left Bill with a(n)(ir)rational fear of what?

Answer: Bears

In the book, Bryson starts out one March morning in north Georgia, attempting to walk the entire 2,100 miles to trail's end atop Maine's Mount Katahdin. Along the way he encounters nature, strange people and scary wildlife.

19. An influence on Bill's writing ... How did Bill describe Paul Theroux?

Answer: Too grumpy

Paul Theroux has written books called "My Other Life", "The Great Railway Bazaar" and "The Mosquito Coast". He spent time in Africa and taught in Singapore; lived with his wife and two children in London; is now divorced and spends his summers on Cape Cod.

20. In "Neither Here Nor There" Bill recalls an earlier trip through Europe with someone who would show up in a later book. Who?

Answer: Stephen Katz

Bill said, "The best thing about travelling abroad with Katz was it spared the rest of America from having to spend a summer with him." But that didn't stop Bill from bringing Katz along again for "A Walk in the Woods" along the Appalachian Trail.

21. Proceeds from Bill's "slender volume" (too small to be a book) called "African Diary" went to which cause?

Answer: CARE

"Many people think that any money sent to Africa goes into the pockets of despots," writes Bryson. "If anyone ever, ever, ever tries to suggest to you that this is the case, you must poke them in the eyes with something at least as big as a snooker cue, for it just isn't so."

22. What did Bill's father do for a living?

Answer: Sports Writer

His late father (also called Bill Bryson) was a longtime Des Moines Tribune sports writer and columnist. There is a reporter on the current sports staff at the Des Moines Register, ALSO named Bill Bryson ...must be a relative.

23. What is the name of Bill's wife?

Answer: Cynthia Billen

One can only admire this woman. Not just for putting up with Bill, but for raising the kids on her own while Bill was off on one of his globe trekking expeditions.

24. What was the name of Bill's first book?

Answer: Blook of Bunders

Published in 1978. It's very hard to come by a copy. So if anyone knows where I can get it ... please write.

25. Which of these books did NOT have a subtitle?

Answer: African Diary

Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe -- A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail -- The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

Source: Author peterzezel

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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