Literary Trivia

[Jolly]

1. The author is among the most famous. Ever.
2. The book was extremely popular for many years, then fell out of favor and is almost unknown.
3. The book was the author's favorite work.
4. The author is still read by millions every year, even though he has been dead many years.
5. The book is totally unlike what the author is known for.

There are the five clues...Who is the author and what is the title of the book?

[Aqua Letifer]

Fart Proudly by Franklin.

Hey, it fits the criteria.

Seriously though, my guess is Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc. He said it was his favorite and the critics completely panned it.

[Catseye3]

How can #2 and #4 both be true?

[Jolly]

@Catseye3 said in Literary Trivia:

How can #2 and #4 both be true?

They are.

[Jolly]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Literary Trivia:

Fart Proudly by Franklin.

Hey, it fits the criteria.

Seriously though, my guess is Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc. He said it was his favorite and the critics completely panned it.

This author is as well known as Franklin. Maybe better known.

[Catseye3]

@Jolly said in Literary Trivia:

They are.

I mean, how can a book be "almost unknown" and at the same time be "still read by millions"?

[Jolly]

@Catseye3 said in Literary Trivia:

@Jolly said in Literary Trivia:

They are.

I mean, how can a book be "almost unknown" and at the same time be "still read by millions"?

Go back and read the clues carefully.

[Catseye3]

I did. But I understand that you can't answer the question without giving away the answer.

[Jolly]

@Aqua-Letifer said in Literary Trivia:

Fart Proudly by Franklin.

Hey, it fits the criteria.

Seriously though, my guess is Mark Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc. He said it was his favorite and the critics completely panned it.

Another clue, since I've piqued some interest...Samuel Clemens often spoke about our unknown author...

[jon-nyc]

@Catseye3 said in Literary Trivia:

I did. But I understand that you can't answer the question without giving away the answer.

That particular book is almost unknown, the author is still widely read. Other books he or she wrote.

[Catseye3]

Ah. Right.

I came up with one possibility, but it fails #2.

[LuFins Dad]

I don’t think Jolly read the second (serious) half of Aqua’s answer. Was it Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc?

[Klaus]

@Jolly said in Literary Trivia:

1. The author is among the most famous. Ever.
2. The book was extremely popular for many years, then fell out of favor and is almost unknown.
3. The book was the author's favorite work.
4. The author is still read by millions every year, even though he has been dead many years.
5. The book is totally unlike what the author is known for.

There are the five clues...Who is the author and what is the title of the book?

God's New Testament.

1. Famous? Check.
2. Used to be popular but not so much anymore? Check.
3. Author's favorite work? Hard to tell, but why not.
4. Still read, author dead? Yep. According to Nietzsche, the author was murdered in the 19th century.
5. Unlike what the author is known for? Check. Very out of character for the author of the Old Testament.

[Copper]

Literary Trivia

Who remembers this prolific author?

[Jolly]

@LuFins-Dad said in Literary Trivia:

I don’t think Jolly read the second (serious) half of Aqua’s answer. Was it Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc?

No.

But another clue...Samuel Clemens never met the author, but the same promoter booked both Clemens and the author's American speaking tours...

[89th]

Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield?

[Catseye3]

That's half my guess.

[Kincaid]

Aqua could be right, and Jolly could be just muddying the waters by mentioning Samuel Clemens the person separate from Mark Twain the pen name.

[Jolly]

Another clue...As of 1993, there have been 48 movies based on or inspired by the author's most famous works...

[Doctor Phibes]

Conan Doyle, maybe? He wrote historical fiction which is mostly forgotten.