Jason turns 40 tomorrow! In honor of my younger half, this quiz is about bestselling authors who first published when they were 40 or older. The best is yet to come 🙂
Leave your guesses in a comment. Good luck!
No Googling or looking at other commenter answers. Yes, we’re going by the honor system
Play every week or just one time, you are always welcome 🙂 It only takes once to be eligible for a prize.
- She published “Little House in the Big Woods” at 64. Laura Ingalls Wilder
- He was 66 when “Angela’s Ashes” was published. Frank McCourt
- He was 41 when his first novel, “Tom Sawyer” was published. Mark Twain
- She wrote “Black Beauty” at 57 when she was sick and she died a year later. Anna Sewell
- He was 50 when his first adult novel, “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” was published. Alexander McCall Smith
- She published her first novel, The Bluest Eye” at 40. Toni Morrison
- “Watership Down” was published when the author was 54. Richard Adams
- She published her first novel, “Adam Bede” at 40. George Eliot
- “The Big Sleep” the author’s first novel, was published at 51. Raymond Chandler
- Your turn-give me an over 40 success story!
Last week’s color quiz was fun and there were very few repeats!!
Stacy's Books 
Wow, didn’t know that about #2, Frank McCourt. For that matter, didn’t know that about #5 Alexander MacCall Smith or McCall Smith, whatever, and #6, Toni Morrison, and Watership Down, Richard Adams! wow. Oh #9, Raymond Chandler – (for a while all I could think of was Humphrey Bogart…) This is probably not an answer to #10 because it’s not a first book, but I know that Herman Wouk is still writing, and just came out with a new one at age 97. However, I read one he wrote five years ago, and it was kind of rambly! LOL
I had to look up Wouk – he’s 100 too! He’ll be 101 next month, wow. He published his first book at 26. I think of Humphrey too, love that movie.
50 points!
Happy Birthday to him! 🙂
1. Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. Frank McCourt
3. Mark Twain
4. Anna Sewell
5. Alexander McCall Smith
6. Toni Morrison
7. Richard Adams (a favorite!)
8. George Eliot
9. ???
10. James A. Michener (published his first book at 40…and wrote a ton more! An inspiration for us would-be over 40 aspiring authors)
I had no idea about Michener, very cool! 90 points!
Great list. Jane Gardham and Kent Haruf immediately come to mind.
Excellent! More success stories 🙂 10 points.
Happy Birthday Jason!
1 – Laura Ingalls Wilder?
2 – Frank McCourt
3 – Mark Twain
4 –
5 – Alexander McCall Smith
6 – Toni Morrison
7 – Richard Adams
8 –
9 –
60 points!
1. Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. Frank McCourt
3. Mark Twain
4. Anna Sewell
5. Alexander McCall Smith
6. Toni Morrison
7. Richard Adams
8.
9. Raymond Chandler
10. Maeve Binchy
I had no idea about Binchy! You guys have come up with some good ones. 90 points!
Forgot to wish Jason a Happy Birthday!!!
I’ll pass that along 🙂