Oh-oh, it’s Gandalf again!

Here’s the first of three quizzes covering J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. It’s a book that teaches two main life lessons. First, when traveling, always stay with the Elves if at all possible. Second, and even more important, do not answer the door if it’s Gandalf. Avoid his company altogether.

Everyone’s talking Tolkien

The life story of linguist and author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the subject of our new quiz, has recently been adapted for the screen as the movie Tolkien. We haven’t seen the movie yet, but we are happy to assume without evidence that our quiz paints a picture of the man that is paradoxically far more vivid and visceral than any mere celluloid representation could hope to achieve. We begin with Tolkien’s grandfather, who pursued a business beginning with ‘B’.

Welcome to the
Authors Trivia Quiz

Start the quiz Start the ‘quick’ version

All periods of history, from antiquity to the present, have brought forth their own celebrated writers, men and women whose words continue to attract eager readers when those of most contemporaries have faded away. In this quiz we remember ten of the great and near-great throughout the ages.

Erasmus of Rotterdam Writing, a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger