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UW librarian publishes 'New York Times Trivia Quiz Book'

Posted 12/11/1999

MADISON, Wis.--Ray Hamel, a librarian in the Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center Library, is the author of the newly released New York Times Trivia Quiz Book.

Hamel writes a biweekly trivia quiz for the New York Times. The books is a compilation of 1,001 questions from his first 125 quizzes. Hamel said the book covers general knowledge, including television, music, geography, sports, history and science.

"Anything you can think of is probably in there," Hamel said.

The 256-page book is Hamel's first, but he's already making plans for a second edition.

"I'm hoping the first one does well," Hamel said. "There seems to be a renewed interest in trivia today."

The New York Times Trivia Quiz Book is available for $12.50 in paperback from Times Books.

Here's a sample quiz from the book:

QUIZ #76 -- Fire Drill

  1. At the same time the Chicago Fire was underway in 1871, a large fire, burning acres of forest land, wiped out what Wisconsin community?

    1. Ashland
    2. Menominee
    3. Marquette
    4. Pewaukee
    5. Peshtigo

  2. The Campfire Girls were founded in 1910 by Dr. Luther Gulick to teach girls the wonder of nature. In what year were boys first allowed to join the organization?

    1. 1915
    2. 1935
    3. 1955
    4. 1975
    5. 1995

  3. "Fire on the Mountain" was a 1996 tribute album by reggae artists performing cover versions of songs from what group?

    1. The Grateful Dead
    2. The Doors
    3. The Beatles
    4. The Eagles
    5. The Carpenters

  4. What football legend once said, "If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired -- with enthusiasm!" ?

    1. George Halas
    2. Knute Rockne
    3. Red Grange
    4. Al Davis
    5. Vince Lombardi

ANSWERS TO QUIZ #76 -- Fire Drill

1. (E) Peshtigo. The Chicago Fire is remembered as one of the great catastrophes of the 19th century. Three hundred people were killed, and 17,000 buildings were destroyed in the 1871 fire. At the same time, 1,500 people died and 1.2 million acres of forest were burned in the Peshtigo Fire in northwestern Wisconsin.

2. (D) 1975. While the Boy Scouts emphasize hiking and camping, the Campfire Girls are more focused on environmental concerns and outdoor survival skills. Today, there are more than 500,000 members of the Campfire Girls organization.

3. (A) The Grateful Dead. Songs on the album include "Casey Jones" by Wailing Souls, "Franklin's Tower" by Steel Pulse, "Eyes of the World" by Freddie McGregor and "Row Jimmy" by Judy Mowatt. The Neville Brothers were nominated for a Grammy Award for their remake of the Dead's "Fire on the Mountain."

4. (E) Vince Lombardi. Vince Lombardi was the coach of the Green Bay Packers during their first two Super Bowl victories in 1966 and 1967. The Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Lombardi Trophy in his honor.

 

 

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