Who was Ben Jonson describing when he sad, 'He was not of an age, but for all time?' (1) Where did the expression 'Eat, drink and be merry' come from? (2) What fictional detective survived an attempted murder by his creator? (3) Whose gravestone bears the inscription 'The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated'? (4) These and hundreds of other questions abound in this fiendishly engaging and delightful collection of literary anecdotes, curiosities and quizzes for the passionate bibliophile. In sections on author's lives, works, and titles, you'll find puzzles and mind twisters that test and expand your literary literacy, from Dickens to Dostoesvsky, from Shakespeare to Spillane. Answers: 1. William Shakespeare 2. Ecclesiastes 8:15 3. Sherlock Holmes 4. Mark Twain

Author Biography

Richard Lederer is the best-selling author of Anguished English and The Cunning Linguist. He specialises in the English language and has had several other books in this area published, including Get Thee to a Punnery, The Play of Words and The Miracle of Language.