In what decade did these books that inspired movies come out?

This novel quiz is a must-read.

Image: Harcourt / Allen & Unwin / Viking Press / Harper

While not everyone is a bookworm, there are some novels that break out into the larger cultural consciousness. Maybe they were assigned reading in school or they inspired a famous blockbuster movie. Some were just good, old fashioned page turners!

Here are 12 books from decades past that are still household names to this day. Can you guess which decade each one was published?

  1. Arguably the most famous fantasy series of all time, when was the first book in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy published?
    Image: Allen & Unwin
  2. This Pulitzer Prize-winning book was published in which decade?
    Image: Harcourt
  3. This novel inspired the '70s mafia movie of the same name. What decade was the book published?
    Image: G.P. Putnam's Sons
  4. Here's another novel that inspired a 1970s blockbuster. What decade was it published?
    Image: Doubleday
  5. What decade was this beloved children's novel published?
    Image: Harper
  6. The first book in this classic science fiction series came out in the...
    Image: Chilton Books
  7. When was this Stephen King horror novel published?
    Image: Viking Press
  8. Speaking of scary stories, what decade was this creepy book published?
    Image: Random House
  9. This John Steinbeck classic inspired a James Dean film. When was it published?
    Image: Viking Press
  10. Millions of kids have read this novel in school since it was first published in the...
    Image: J.B. Lippincott & Co.
  11. What decade was this novel about a group of boys stranded on an island first published?
    Image: Faber and Faber
  12. This Roald Dahl classic came out in which decade?
    Image: Allen & Unwin

In what decade did these books that inspired movies come out?

Your Result...

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32 Comments

JewelsChuck 43 months ago
8/12 not bad for someone who doesn’t like to read!
srrainwater 43 months ago
My score 10/12. Wife’s score 9/12. I think I’m in the mood for Chinese
TheDavBow3 43 months ago
I just thought I'd say "hi" to everybody. I hope everyone is having a great week. Not going to even try this quiz 😉😊
SheriHeffner 43 months ago
I got 9 out of 12. I bought The Color Purple and I thought it was absolutely DISGUSTING! The language was raunchy and I gave the book to the public library.
MaryAnn SheriHeffner 43 months ago
The .Color Purple was required reading for me back in Junior High, or maybe it was Freshman year, early 1980s. I really liked the book, but I do remember being surprised at all the raunchy situations and language. I’m sure some parents complained, but I never heard anything about it.
JewelsChuck SheriHeffner 43 months ago
🤣😂🤣
CouchPotato987 43 months ago
I thought Lord of the Flies was published way before the 1960’s...
Runeshaper 43 months ago
You got 8 out of 12 and they were all guesses LOL :)
MaryAnn 43 months ago
I’m proud to say I’ve read nine of them, all but #1, #3, and #6. I tried to read The Hobbit and couldn’t get into it, so never picked up Tolkien again. I had no interest in The Godfather, and for some reason I got it in my head long ago that Dune was for boys!
DouglasMorris 43 months ago
5/12! missed numbers 2,4,6,7,8,9, and 10. ouch!
MrsPhilHarris 43 months ago
6/12 The books I read I got right but the rest I had no idea.
Jeremy 43 months ago
All I missed were one and six!
Big3Fan 43 months ago
5/12 I've never read any of these books. To Kill a Mockingbird was a great movie though. I'm an excellent reader, just not much of one.
cperrynaples 43 months ago
10/12! Missed 6 & 9!
Congrats! You missed two less than I did. But, do you have any family ties to any of these novels? I don't know if I should brag about this {because he is the Devil,} I'm related to novel #8 Rose Mary's Baby. Rose Mary was my mother's name, and you know what my last name is.
That is creepy and very cool at the same time! 😉
Yes, I will agree with you on the creepy factor, but thanks for saying its cool. I appreciate that. It makes the creepiness seem less so.
Wow! I have to say the movie was laughable, but I'm told the book was creepy.
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