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Quizzes > Books & Literature

Famous Authors Quiz: Vonnegut, Tolstoy & More

Quick, free author trivia to test your knowledge. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Michelle MatthiasUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration of books quill pen and reading glasses on coral background promoting author trivia quiz challenge

This famous authors quiz helps you match writers to their works in seconds, from Vonnegut to Tolstoy. Use it to sharpen recall, prep for class, and learn a few new facts along the way. When you are done, try our classic writers quiz, explore literature trivia, or see which writer are you.

Which author wrote 'Pride and Prejudice'?
Jane Austen
Mary Shelley
Charlotte Brontë
Emily Brontë
Jane Austen is the author of 'Pride and Prejudice', first published in 1813. It is one of her most famous works and explores themes of love and social standing. Austen's distinct narrative style and wit have made the novel a classic. For more details, visit .
Who is the author of '1984'?
George Orwell
Kurt Vonnegut
Aldous Huxley
Ray Bradbury
George Orwell wrote '1984', a dystopian novel published in 1949 that critiques totalitarianism and extreme political ideology. The book introduced concepts like Big Brother and thoughtcrime into popular culture. Orwell's incisive social commentary remains influential today. Learn more at .
Who wrote 'Moby-Dick'?
Edgar Allan Poe
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Mark Twain
Herman Melville
Herman Melville is the author of 'Moby-Dick', first published in 1851. The novel is considered one of the greatest American works, exploring obsession and revenge through Captain Ahab's pursuit of a white whale. Its complex narrative and symbolism have been widely studied. More information at .
Who wrote 'To Kill a Mockingbird'?
Harper Lee
Alice Walker
Truman Capote
Sylvia Plath
Harper Lee authored 'To Kill a Mockingbird', published in 1960, which won the Pulitzer Prize. The novel addresses racial injustice in the American South through the eyes of young Scout Finch. Lee's work remains a cornerstone of American literature. See for details.
Which author wrote 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'?
Gabriel García Márquez
Isabel Allende
Jorge Luis Borges
Mario Vargas Llosa
Gabriel García Márquez wrote 'One Hundred Years of Solitude', first published in 1967. The novel is a landmark of magical realism, charting the Buendía family's multigenerational saga. It earned García Márquez the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. More at .
Who is the author of 'War and Peace'?
Alexander Pushkin
Ivan Turgenev
Leo Tolstoy
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Leo Tolstoy wrote 'War and Peace', published in 1869. This epic novel intertwines the lives of fictional characters with the historical events of the Napoleonic Wars. Its depth of philosophical reflection and realism make it a masterpiece of world literature. See .
Which author wrote 'Beloved'?
Zora Neale Hurston
Toni Morrison
Alice Walker
Maya Angelou
Toni Morrison authored 'Beloved', released in 1987. The novel deals with the haunting legacy of slavery and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988. Morrison's powerful prose explores memory, identity, and trauma. More information at .
Who wrote 'Crime and Punishment'?
Anton Chekhov
Ivan Goncharov
Leo Tolstoy
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote 'Crime and Punishment', first published in 1866. The novel examines moral dilemmas and psychological depth through the character Raskolnikov. It is considered a classic of Russian literature and psychological fiction. Read more at .
Who wrote 'The Sound and the Fury'?
Ernest Hemingway
Virginia Woolf
William Faulkner
John Steinbeck
William Faulkner authored 'The Sound and the Fury', published in 1929. The novel is known for its stream-of-consciousness style and multiple narrative perspectives. It explores themes of decay and family decline in the American South. More at .
Who is the author of 'Ulysses'?
Franz Kafka
Virginia Woolf
Marcel Proust
James Joyce
James Joyce wrote 'Ulysses', first serialized in 1918 - 1920 and published in book form in 1922. The novel parallels Homer's Odyssey and is celebrated for its experimental style. Its dense allusions and stream-of-consciousness technique mark it as a modernist landmark. Learn more at .
Who wrote 'The Name of the Rose'?
Italo Calvino
Salvatore Quasimodo
Jorge Luis Borges
Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco is the author of 'The Name of the Rose', published in 1980. The historical mystery is set in a 14th-century Italian monastery and blends semiotics with detective fiction. It became an international bestseller and was adapted into a film. See .
Who authored 'Gravity's Rainbow'?
Don DeLillo
Kurt Vonnegut
Thomas Pynchon
William S. Burroughs
Thomas Pynchon wrote 'Gravity's Rainbow', published in 1973. The complex novel is known for its dense prose, dark humor, and exploration of paranoia during World War II. It won the 1974 National Book Award for Fiction. For more, visit .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Signatures of Iconic Writers -

    Pinpoint distinctive stylistic elements that help you excel in the identify authors quiz.

  2. Match Authors to Classic and Contemporary Works -

    Connect each famous author in this famous authors quiz to their most celebrated novels and stories.

  3. Analyze Literary Trivia Clues -

    Use context and fun facts from literary trivia to accurately name each writer featured in the quiz.

  4. Evaluate Writer Trivia and Fun Facts -

    Recall and reflect on interesting anecdotes and lesser-known details about authors to deepen your knowledge.

  5. Sharpen Your Author Trivia Skills -

    Track your progress and progressively tackle harder questions to master the author trivia challenge.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Distinctive Authorial Styles -

    Every writer leaves a stylistic "fingerprint" in their prose - think Virginia Woolf's fluid stream-of-consciousness or Ernest Hemingway's spare, direct sentences. Analyzing sentence length, vocabulary richness, and recurring motifs can rapidly narrow down author identity (source: Modern Language Association journals). Boost your confidence by comparing excerpts side by side to spot those signature quirks.

  2. Historical and Biographical Context -

    Knowing an author's era and life events often unlocks clues - Charles Dickens' social commentaries reflect Victorian England's industrial upheaval, while Maya Angelou's work channels Civil Rights activism (source: Oxford University Press). Contextual anchors like hometown, major world events, or personal struggles help you predict thematic focuses. This background boosts recall when faced with similar-sounding names.

  3. Signature Works and Awards -

    Familiarize yourself with hallmark titles and accolades - Nobel Prize winners like Toni Morrison (Beloved) or Gabriela Mistral, Pulitzer recipients like Jhumpa Lahiri. Official award sites (e.g., NobelPrize.org) list laureates and summaries, making it easy to link author to major works. Recognizing award patterns simplifies identifying writers under quiz time pressure.

  4. Literary Movements and Genres -

    Associating authors with movements - Romanticism (Keats, Shelley), Modernism (Joyce, Woolf), Magical Realism (García Márquez) - helps you categorize and recall quickly (source: Cambridge Literature Reviews). Genre tags like gothic, science fiction, or memoir flag probable candidates when you see thematic or structural cues. Grouping authors this way narrows the field instantly.

  5. Memory Aids and Mnemonics -

    Create simple memory hooks like "Joyce's June Journey" for Ulysses or "Poe's Eerie Poems" to anchor names with genres. Cognitive psychology research (Journal of Experimental Psychology) shows that vivid associations boost name - face recall by over 50%. Craft your own playful phrases to turn each author into an unforgettable quiz ally!

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