Tag: literature

Go With a Bang—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions in my earlier post.

Today’s questions are all connected to the date, November 27th.

The obverse side of the Nobel Prize medals for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

On this day, the Nobel Prizes were established by a provision in Alfred Nobel’s will. In which capital city was Nobel born in October 1833? What eight-letter word is the name of a Nobel invention from 1867?

Answer: Stockholm, Sweden; Dynamite

Alfred Nobel, inventor of powerful explosives, established the Nobel Prizes, possibly to avoid a negative posthumous reputation. His interests in physics, chemistry, physiology and literature, along with his friendship with pacifist Bertha von Suttner, influenced the prize categories.

Two

An author known for writing 14 novels featuring the fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard died today in 2014. Who was this author?

Answer: PD James

PD James, a British mystery novelist, is best known for her fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh. She wrote 14 Dalgliesh novels, as well as other works including An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and The Children of Men. James was made OBE in 1983 and was named a life peer in 1991.

Three

The king of the Franks from 481 until his death in 511 was the ruler of much of Gaul. Was this Clovis I, Louis I, or Pippin I?

Answer: Clovis I

Clovis I, king of the Franks from 481 to 511, consolidated power in Gaul and expanded his influence through military conquests. His conversion to Catholicism, a pivotal moment in Frankish history, is shrouded in legend and debate, with some suggesting he leaned towards Arianism before his baptism. Clovis’s legacy endures as the founder of France and a significant figure in the spread of Christianity in Europe.

Rock guitarist and singer Jimi Hendrix in his last concert performance, the Open Air Love & Peace Festival on Fehmarn island, Germany, September 6, 1970. Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Four

Jimi Hendrix was born on this date. Which two cities were his birthplace and his place of death? How old was he when he died?

Answer: Seattle, Washington, US; London, UK; 27 years old

Jimi Hendrix, an American rock guitarist, singer and composer, redefined the electric guitar by fusing American blues, jazz, rock and soul with British avant-garde rock. Despite a brief career, Hendrix’s innovative techniques, charismatic performances and genre-defying music made him a highly influential figure in popular music. His impact continues to inspire musicians, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Five

The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was held in New York City. In what decade did this occur?

Answer: 1920s

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924 as a Christmas parade to promote holiday shopping. It features giant balloons, floats, marching bands and performers, with Santa Claus marking the parade’s end. The parade has been televised since 1947, becoming a beloved Thanksgiving morning ritual for millions.

Go With a Bang

Today’s questions are all connected to the date, November 27th.

The obverse side of the Nobel Prize medals for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

On this day, the Nobel Prizes were established by a provision in Alfred Nobel’s will. In which capital city was Nobel born in October 1833? What eight-letter word is the name of a Nobel invention from 1867?

Two

An author known for writing 14 novels featuring the fictional detective Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard died today in 2014. Who was this author?

Three

The king of the Franks from 481 until his death in 511 was the ruler of much of Gaul. Was this Clovis I, Louis I, or Pippin I?

Four

Jimi Hendrix was born on this date. Which two cities were his birthplace and his place of death? How old was he when he died?

Five

The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was held in New York City. In what decade did this occur?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

321 Years—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

These questions cover 321 years from the earliest to the most recent, but all are connected to today’s date, November 24th.

One

On this day in 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman sailed along the southern coast of the island now known as Tasmania. His voyage, an expedition from the Dutch East Indies capital eastwards towards southern South America, marked the first recorded European contact with the island. Four questions: (i) What did Tasman name the island that is now called Tasmania? (ii) What was the Dutch East Indies capital at that time; (iii) what is it called today? And (iv) which country is it now the capital of?

Answer: (i) Anthony van Diemen’s Land; (ii) Batavia; (iii) Jakarta and (iv) Indonesia

Tasman named the island Anthony van Diemen’s Land after his sponsor Anthony van Diemen, the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. This became shortened to Van Diemen’s Land.

Batavia was the capital city of the Dutch East Indies; this city is now Jakarta, which is the capital of Indonesia. Batavia, founded by the Dutch in 1619 on the site of Jayakarta, became the capital of the Dutch East Indies and the centre of the Dutch East India Company’s trading network. The city, located on the north coast of Java, remained a European colonial city until World War II.

Two

On this day in 1700, which European monarch accepted the will of the late Charles II of Spain and proclaimed his grandson Philip as King of Spain — a decision that helped trigger the War of the Spanish Succession?

Answer: Louis XIV of France

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) was a European conflict over the succession of the Spanish throne. The war ended with the Peace of Utrecht, confirming Philip as King of Spain but preventing a union with France.

Cartoon depicting Charles Darwin as an ape, 1871.
Image Slideshare.net

Three

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published today in which decade?

Answer: 1850s

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, published in 1859, introduced the theory of evolution by natural selection. The book, supported by evidence from Darwin’s Beagle expedition and subsequent research, sparked scientific, philosophical, and religious debate. While initially controversial, Darwin’s ideas gained widespread acceptance within the scientific community by the 1940s.

Four

On this day in 1877, the book Black Beauty was published. Who was the author?

Answer: Anna Sewell

British author Anna Sewell wrote the beloved children’s classic Black Beauty to champion kindness and understanding towards horses. Confinement to her home due to illness saw Sewell spend her final years penning the book. It’s believed this work played a significant role in abolishing the cruel practice of using the checkrein.

Pulitzer Prize winning photo of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald, 24 November 1963.
Originally published in the Dallas Times Herald, November 25, 1963.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Who, in the above picture, is the man facing away from the camera shooting Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas today, 1963?

Answer: Jack Ruby

Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner, murdered Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas Police Headquarters. Ruby was convicted of Oswald’s murder and sentenced to death, but this conviction was overturned on appeal, leading to a new trial. However, Ruby fell ill, was diagnosed with cancer, and died on January 3, 1967, before the new trial could take place. While the Warren Commission concluded Ruby acted alone, his death fuelled conspiracy theories.

321 Years

These questions cover 321 years from the earliest to the most recent, but all are connected to today’s date, November 24th.

One

On this day in 1642, Dutch navigator Abel Tasman sailed along the southern coast of the island now known as Tasmania. His voyage, an expedition from the Dutch East Indies capital eastwards towards southern South America, marked the first recorded European contact with the island. Four questions: (i) What did Tasman name the island that is now called Tasmania? (ii) What was the Dutch East Indies capital at that time; (iii) what is it called today? And (iv) which country is it now the capital of?

Two

On this day in 1700, which European monarch accepted the will of the late Charles II of Spain and proclaimed his grandson Philip as King of Spain — a decision that helped trigger the War of the Spanish Succession?

Charles Darwin as an ape.
Image details and attribution will be in answer post

Three

Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published today in which decade?

Four

On this day in 1877, the book Black Beauty was published. Who was the author?

Pulitzer Prize winning photo of ______ shooting Lee Harvey Oswald, 24 November 1963.
Originally published in the Dallas Times Herald, November 25, 1963.
Image Wikipedia

Five

Who, in the above picture, is the man facing away from the camera shooting Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas today, 1963?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.

76 Totters Lane—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posed in my earlier post.

All of the questions relate to today’s date, November 23rd.

One

At Coal Hill School, teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright have concerns about pupil Susan Foreman, who has an alien outlook on England.

The above quote from the Wikipedia article’s ‘Plot’ section describes the opening episode of which contemporary television series first aired on 23 November 1963?

Answer: Doctor Who

The very first episode was An Unearthly Child—Susan Foreman, played by Carole Ann Ford, being the title character. Doctor Who, a British science fiction television series, follows the adventures of the Doctor, a time-travelling Time Lord from Gallifrey who regenerates into different forms. The Doctor travels through time and space in the TARDIS, battling various evils including the Daleks. Originally airing from 1963 to 1989, the show was revived in 2005 and has featured multiple actors in the title role, with the most recent being Ncuti Gatwa. Doctor Who is a significant part of British popular culture and has influenced generations of television professionals.

The post title 76 Totters Lane is spoken by Barbara Wright in this episode, and is the address of the junkyard where they find Susan and her grandfather in the TARDIS.

Two

What 2009 hit single by Miley Cyrus includes the lyric ‘And a Jay-Z song was on’?

Answer: Party in the U.S.A.

Despite the famous lyric, Miley later revealed she wasn’t actually listening to Jay-Z at the time—the line was written by the songwriters Jessie J, Dr. Luke, and Claude Kelly before she recorded it.

Three

In 1935, an American explorer landed at about 79° S, 102° W. He raised the U.S. flag and ‘claimed’ the land between roughly 80° W and 120° W for the United States. On what continent did this occur, and what is this area of land known as today?

Answer: Antarctica and Ellsworth Land

In 1935, explorer Lincoln Ellsworth landed in Antarctica during his transcontinental flight, raised the U.S. flag, and claimed the territory between about 80°W and 120°W, naming it Ellsworth Land. The U.S. government never formalised this claim, and later overlapping national claims were suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.

Four

Which 1982 novel features characters called The Maidmasher, The Manhugger and The Meatdripper? Secondly, who wrote it?

Answer: The BFG; Roald Dahl

The BFG, a 1982 children’s novel by Roald Dahl, has sold 37 million copies and inspired adaptations including a 1989 animated film and a 2016 Disney live-action film.

Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.
Image Wikipedia

Five

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, the largest religious building in its country, was consecrated in 2004. It is the main cathedral of which autonomous church?

Answer: Georgian Orthodox Church

Georgia’s dominant religious institution is the Georgian Orthodox Church, an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. Its roots stretch back to the 1st and 4th centuries AD, and it is currently led by Patriarch Ilia II. The main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church is the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, also known as Sameba, which was built between 1995 and 2004.

76 Totters Lane

All of the questions relate to today’s date, November 23rd.

One

At Coal Hill School, teachers Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright have concerns about pupil Susan Foreman, who has an alien outlook on England.

The above quote from the Wikipedia article’s ‘Plot’ section describes the opening episode of which contemporary television series first aired on 23 November 1963?

Two

What 2009 hit single by Miley Cyrus includes the lyric ‘And a Jay-Z song was on’?

Three

In 1935, an American explorer landed at about 79° S, 102° W. He raised the U.S. flag and ‘claimed’ the land between roughly 80° W and 120° W for the United States. On what continent did this occur, and what is this area of land known as today?

Four

Which 1982 novel features characters called The Maidmasher, The Manhugger and The Meatdripper? Secondly, who wrote it?

Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.
Image Wikipedia

Five

The Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, the largest religious building in its country, was consecrated in 2004. It is the main cathedral of which autonomous church?

Good luck! As usual the answers will be posted later.

Water Under the Bridge—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posed in my earlier post.

All of these questions relate to today’s date, November 21st.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn at night, 2012.
Image Wikipedia

One

Which two boroughs of New York City were linked by the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, pictured above, upon its opening on 21 November 1964?

Answer: Brooklyn and Staten Island

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, a suspension bridge connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, spans the Narrows and carries 13 lanes of Interstate 278. Designed by Othmar Ammann and others, it opened in 1964 with a central span, 4,260 feet (1,298 m), that was the longest in the world until 1981. The bridge, named after explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, collects tolls in both directions.

Two

The first crewed hot air balloon flight took place on this day in 1783 in a balloon constructed by the Montgolfier brothers. Which of contemporary Paris’s over 400 public parks was the site of this historic flight?

Answer: Bois de Boulogne

The first untethered manned balloon ascent occurred on 21 November 1783, when two Frenchmen Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent, marquis d’Arlandes, travelling from the Château de la Muette across the Bois
de Boulogne, Paris. The flight lasted 20 minutes in a hot air balloon designed and built by brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier. This historic event was witnessed by Louis XVI, the French Academy of Sciences, and the public, including Benjamin Franklin.

Three

On this date, Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presented the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. Which century was this?

Answer: 17th century

In 1676, Danish astronomer Ole Rømer announced that an eclipse of Jupiter’s moon would occur ten minutes later than expected, a prediction based on his calculations of the speed of light. Despite this occurring as he predicted, there was initial scepticism from the Paris Académie des Sciences, including his patron, Cassini. Rømer’s claim was eventually confirmed by James Bradley’s discovery of the aberration of light in 1729.

René Magritte shown with one of his works featuring his recurring motif, a bowler hat.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Four

Who is this Belgian artist, born on 21 November 1898 and pictured above with one of his works?

Answer: René Magritte

René Magritte (1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist renowned for his bizarre and enigmatic paintings that depicted ordinary objects in unsettling, unexpected contexts, challenging perceptions of reality and representation. Influenced by Giorgio de Chirico, Magritte developed a unique style characterised by carefully rendered objects in dreamlike juxtapositions. His work gained international popularity in the 1930s and influenced pop art, minimalist art, and conceptual art, continuing until his death in 1967.

Five

Frankenstein, the classic horror film, was released in the US today in 1931. Who played the monster in this film?

Answer: Boris Karloff

Frankenstein is a 1931 American horror film directed by James Whale, based on Peggy Webling’s 1927 stage play adaptation of Mary Shelley’s novel. Starring Colin Clive and Boris Karloff, the film follows Dr. Frankenstein’s experiment to create life, resulting in tragic consequences. It was a commercial success, significantly impacting popular culture and spawning sequels and remakes, with its influence still felt today.

Every Man for Himself—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posted earlier.

Today’s first question draws on a real-life event from November 20th, which was later adapted into a work of fiction. The rest of the questions also blend fact and fiction to varying degrees.

Essex.
Image The Collector

One

The 20 November 1820 ramming and sinking of the American ship Essex inspired a climatic scene in what 1851 epic maritime novel?

Answer: Moby Dick

The Essex, an American whaling ship, was rammed by a sperm whale on November 20, 1820, and subsequently sank. Despite initial survival for all 20 crewmen only eight were rescued after a difficult journey that ultimately led to cannibalism. This sinking inspired the climactic scene in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851).

Two

The series of novels first published in 1980, written by Robert, and the subsequent films first released in 2002 starring Matthew, may have taken their title character’s surname from a 19th-century psychology case involving a patient named Ansel who likely suffered from reversible amnesia.

Answer: Bourne

Robert Ludlum’s character Jason Bourne who first appeared in The Bourne Identity which was published in 1980 may have been named after Ansel Bourne.
A.J. Brown, a resident of Norristown, Pennsylvania, woke up in 1887 with no memory of his identity. Physicians diagnosed him with amnesia, but it was later revealed that he was actually Ansel Bourne, a carpenter and pastor from Coventry, Rhode Island, who had no recollection of the past two months. During further study of him he was put under hypnosis where he could be induced to assume the personality of either Bourne or Brown, and neither personality had any knowledge of the other.

Three

The Terror, a 2007 novel by Dan Simmons is a fictionalised account of what failed 1845 expedition of Arctic exploration?

Answer: Franklin Expedition

Franklin’s lost expedition, led by Sir John Franklin, aimed to traverse the Northwest Passage and record magnetic data. The expedition ended in disaster when both ships—HMS Erebus and HMS Terror—became icebound, leading to the abandonment of the vessels and the disappearance of the crew.

RMS Titanic.
Image Wikipedia

Four

James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic depicts the real-life disaster that occurred in what year? Secondly, Titanic sank approximately 370 miles (600 kilometers) southeast of where?

Answer: 1912; Newfoundland, Canada

Cameron’s film is a mix of fictional and historical fact about the RMS Titanic, a British luxury passenger liner, which sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 southeast of Newfoundland, Canada. See RMS Titanic below for further information.

Five

Every Man for Himself, a 1996 novel which is also set on the Titanic, was a Booker Prize nominee. Who wrote this novel?

Secondly, although not explained in this book or indeed in the film mentioned at question four above, what does the term RMS mean in the name, RMS Titanic?

Answer: Beryl Bainbridge; Royal Mail Ship (RMS)

Like the film above, Every Man for Himself is a combination of fiction and history. It is narrated by Morgan over a period of four days up to the sinking.

RMS Titanic

The RMS Titanic, a British luxury passenger liner, which sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 during its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. About two-and-a-half hours after hitting an iceberg, the ship sank approximately 370 miles (600 km) southeast of Newfoundland in approximately 12,500 feet (3,800 m) of water, tragically resulting in the loss of around 1,500 lives. Despite its advanced safety features and luxurious first-class accommodations, the Titanic only carried enough lifeboats for half its passengers. This catastrophe prompted changes in maritime safety regulations and left an enduring legacy in popular culture.

Lies, You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. (Abraham Lincoln)—Answers

Here are the answers to the questions posted earlier.

The first question relates to today, November 17th.  The others follow a theme connected to it.

Richard Nixon, President of the United States.
Image Wikipedia

One

On November 17th, sometime in the 20th century, which US President declared, “I am not a crook”?

Answer: Richard Nixon

On 17 November 1973, during a televised press conference at the Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World, Florida, Richard Nixon famously declared ‘I am not a crook’. This response came amid questions about his personal finances as the Watergate scandal unfolded.

Two

In Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, what physical feature of the wooden puppet famously grows longer whenever he tells a lie?

Answer: His nose

In Collodi’s original 1883 novel, Pinocchio is far more mischievous than in the later Disney adaptation, and his nose grows several times—not just once—making it a recurring symbol of the moral consequences of dishonesty.

The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf. An illustration of The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf (also known as The Boy Who Cried Wolf) by Milo Winter, from The Aesop for Children, published by Rand McNally & Company, Chicago, 1919.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

Three

Which ancient Greek is traditionally credited with moral tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a story warning of the consequences of repeated lying?

Answer: Aesop

Although Aesop is believed to have lived in ancient Greece around the 6th century BC, there is no firm historical record of his life; many scholars think ‘Aesop’ may represent a tradition of oral storytelling rather than a single individual.

Four

In which Shakespeare play does the villain Iago manipulate Othello through lies and insinuations, ultimately leading to tragedy?

Answer: Othello

Iago actually speaks more lines than Othello, making him one of Shakespeare’s most verbally dominant villains—a fitting trait for a character whose destructive power lies almost entirely in persuasion and deceit.

Five

What 18th-century literary character, created by Rudolf Erich Raspe, is famous for outrageous tall tales such as riding on a cannonball and escaping a swamp by pulling himself up by his own hair?

Answer: Baron Munchausen

The fictional Baron was loosely inspired by a real nobleman, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Münchhausen, who entertained guests with wildly exaggerated stories about his life—though nowhere near as fantastical as those in the book.

Lies, You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. (Abraham Lincoln)

The first question relates to today, November 17th.  The others follow a theme connected to it.

See question 3.
Image Encyclopædia Britannica

One

On November 17th, sometime in the 20th century, which US President declared, “I am not a crook”?

Two

In Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, what physical feature of the wooden puppet famously grows longer whenever he tells a lie?

Three

Which ancient Greek is traditionally credited with moral tales such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf, a story warning of the consequences of repeated lying?

Four

In which Shakespeare play does the villain Iago manipulate Othello through lies and insinuations, ultimately leading to tragedy?

Five

What 18th-century literary character, created by Rudolf Erich Raspe, is famous for outrageous tall tales such as riding on a cannonball and escaping a swamp by pulling himself up by his own hair?

Good luck! I’ll post the answers later.