Katharine C: Book Quiz II

Book Quiz II was a lively affair from the get-go.  We convened over a glass of wine or two just to get in the spirit before Phil the Quizmaster convened the group at 6.30.  In the pictures you can see - from left to right - the teams of Spades (Lawrence M's team);  Clubs (Katharine J's);  Diamonds (Maggie's);  and in the picture below the Hearts, led by Caroline di M. 

Philippe M and Kath C kept scores, Phil C, Quizmaster, was assisted by John C who ran
the ppt presentation on screen

The various teams reacted with groans to some of the questions (so easy, not fair) and with
groans to other questions (so hard, not fair).  The line between easy and hard would appear to be:  do you know the answer or not?  Unfailingly, someone on one of the other teams would know the answer (but that didn't score a point).   A number of the questions reflected the books we have either read or will read in Book Group;   inevitably, these questions didn't come to Maggie's team of Diamonds (thems the breaks) since Maggie knows our reading list inside out.  Other questions reflected books that have been discussed in FOAL's BookChat, or that are in the 100 Best Books collection of FOAL;  we hope that the questions will inspire everyone to read/re-read some of these jewels.  Katharine J's team of Clubs won the most points, and also came up with the winning answer to what I believed was the most obscure question in the quiz - regarding the best known art historian and his master reference work for art students (Sir Ernest (E R) Gomrich, and The Story of Art.  Maggie's team of Diamonds did well too, and Maggie's quick thinking came up with the answer to a question regarding putting mathematical formulae in Stephen Hawking's book (A:  E=mc2).   We got through 120 questions in 75 minutes - Phil allowed for no dithering (and having the questions on the screen in 24point font allowed the answers to come through thick and fast - thanks to John C who slogged over creating the presentation).  We re-convened on the wine and the buffet (thank you Caroline G for the baked cheese biscuits and thank you AWG/Susan Rey. for the galette and royaume from the prior afternoon's tea - all were appreciated.  A big thank-you to our bartenders John and George, and to Philippe M whose brainchild this quiz is.  Thank you to everyone who participated;  funds raised will buy more books for FOAL.