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PENGUIN FUN
Ape to man graphic
are you a scholar or a phillistine?

Not sure? Well, do you know your fiction from your thriller? Or perhaps you have a passion for the written word? Find out how scholarly you are by trying our 'read more' quiz below and see if your penchant for literature is as good as you think.

The following extracts are the first sentences taken from popular Penguin books. All you need to do is select the right title/author combination and soon the truth will be revealed!

Top tip: some books are taken from our 'read more' extract titles.

Once you have completed the quiz, click on the 'enter' button to see if you're a scholar or a philistine!

Good Luck!
Q. 01

Earl Butz, nominated by Richard Nixon in 1971 to be the eighteenth secretary of agriculture, conjured the airs of a courtly Midwestern grandfather, the kind who liked to show up at Sunday dinner, give the blessing, lecture the grandchildren about patriotism, free trade, the goodness of farm life, and the evils that threatened such a life - and go out to the backyard and tell - off-colour jokes to the assembled adults.

Fast Fat by Greg Coupland
Fat Land by Greg Critser
Freaky Fat by Greg Cussler

Q. 02

Once you were inside the Chelsea home of Henry and Victoria Wotton it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night-time. Not only was there this crucial ambiguity, but the seasons and even the years became indeterminate.

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Will Hutton
Dorian the Whole Story by Will Sefton
Dorian by Will Self

Q. 03

It was 30 March and Constable Jack Sprat was standing on the doorstep of Number Ten Downing Street, sweating inside his bullet proof jacket and talking to the Prime Minister.

Number 10 by Sue Townsend
Number Ten by Sue Townsend
Ten Downing Street by Adrian Mole

Q. 04

The following message was intercepted by U. N. Forces on 19/01/01, at 0600 hours, from somewhere within the North American Continent.

I am a citizen of the United States of America. Our Government has been overthrown. Our elected President has been exiled.

Stupid Politicians by Michael Mosely
Stupid White Men by Michael Moore
Stupid Men by Michael Moore

Q. 05

'Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From' - Teenage Fanclub

So we were doing this thing, this launch party, for Speaking with the Angel, a book on short stories I put together to raise money for my son's school, and we - the school, the publishers of the book, me and my partner - were nervous about it.

31 Songs by Nick Hornby
My Songs by Nick Holborn
Love Songs by Nick Halpern

Q. 06

In August 1947, John F. Kennedy travelled to Ireland. The trip was notable for several reasons. Kennedy was the first and foremost a 'good New Englander', an American - so said the Irish Ambassador to the United States - who had all but lost his connection to the old country.

JFK by The Dalleks
John Kennedy by Robert Darling
John F. Kennedy by Robert Dallek

Q. 07

Christmas was over. Feeling slightly shamefaced pleasure in the restoration of normality, Kate stripped the tree of lights and decorations, cut off the main branches and dragged the trunk down to the compost heap at the bottom of the garden.

One Too Many by Pat Butcher
Double Vision by Pat Barker
Double Helpings by Pat Baker

Q. 08

On a misty morning in 1703, a dozen Russian horsemen rode across the bleak and barren marshlands where the Neva river runs into the Baltic Sea. They were looking for a site to build a fort against the Swedes, then at war with Russia, and the owners of these long abandoned swamps.

Natasha's Dance by Orlando Figes
Natasha's Dream by Orlando Fiennes
Natasha's Diamond by Orinoko Figs

Q. 09

All news out of Africa is bad. It made me want to go there, though not for the horror, the hot spots, the massacre-and-earthquake stories you read in the newspaper; I wanted the pleasure of being in Africa again.

The Star Safari by Pablo Theroux
The Dark Star by Darth Vader
Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux

Q. 10

THE BRANDY HAD been absolutely essential. It always was on Sunday nights, when Sister Ignatius took it upon herself to cook and serve Father Newberry a 'proper meal'. In this part of Wisconsin that usually translated to hamburger cooked in canned cream soup.

Come & Play by Tracy Emin
Want To Play? by P. J. Tracy
Time To Play by P. J. Tracey
Read more
LINKS
land of the living
pride and prejudice
the shops
31 songs
jfk an unfinished life
notes on a scandal
number ten
natasha's dance
dark star safari
want to play
dorian
fat land
read more quiz
read more facts
be first
ecards
 
open book
Read more


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