Don't Know Much About Literature: What You Need to Know but Never Learned About Great Books and Authors
3.5/5
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About this ebook
From Homer to Harry Potter, from Chaucer to Charlotte's Web, acompelling book of quizzes on history's most influential literary worksand writers
- Did a whale named "Mocha Dick" inspire Melville's masterpiece?
- Who was the first poet to speak at a presidential inauguration?
- Which French-speaking high school football star shook up the literary world?
Do you freeze when someone mentions Faulkner? When the conversation turns to the Odyssey, do you want to take a hike? Have no fear. For years, Kenneth C. Davis's New York Times bestselling Don't Know Much About® books have enlightened and enthralled us with a winning blend of fascinating facts and wonderfully irreverent fun. Now he sets his sights on our literary IQ in Don't Know Much About® Literature. With this rich treasure trove of knowledge and intriguing information about the world's great books and authors, Kenneth Davis and his daughter, Jenny, demystify Dracula, capture Kafka, and help you brush up on your Brontë in the inimitable and endlessly entertaining Don't Know Much About® style.
Kenneth C. Davis
Kenneth C. Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of A Nation Rising; America's Hidden History; and Don't Know Much About® History, which spent thirty-five consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 1.7 million copies, and gave rise to his phenomenal Don't Know Much About® series for adults and children. A resident of New York City and Dorset, Vermont, Davis frequently appears on national television and radio and has been a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered. He blogs regularly at www.dontknowmuch.com.
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Reviews for Don't Know Much About Literature
26 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Decent read for a trivia nut, though even I said "who the hell cares?" a few times.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was something I didn't expect. I thought it would be paragraph after paragraph on different writing but I was happily proven wrong. For every author or famous work there is a paragraph that gives some background and then you have a quiz to test your knowledge on the particular topic. I got to see how much or rather how little I knew. This got me through my finals exams when I had nothing else to do.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A fun trivia book about classic literature. Each page is a different subject, like "Fictional First Lines," "Banned Books," or specific authors. There's a brief paragraph of information on the topic, and then a quiz. It definitely piqued my curiosity about some of the classics I'd never read, and some authors I'd never even heard of! A good way to amuse yourself while compiling an extensive reading list.