“The Cocteau”

Last weekend Bookriot posted a “Sunday Diversion” in which readers must guess the titles of novels based on their Library of Congress subjects. Why are internet quizzes appealing? Why didn’t you pay more attention in library school?

With that in mind, we thought you might like to see how many Melville House novels you can recognize. Just highlight the answer when you think you have the right one in mind:

1. Volkswagen Beetle automobile–Fiction. 2. Loss (Psychology)–Fiction. 3. Fathers and sons–Fiction. 4. Single fathers–Fiction.

LC Classification: PS3602.O8875 H69 2011

Answer: How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive by Christopher Boucher

1. Young women–Fiction. 2. Adult children living with parents–Fiction. 3. Adult children–Family relationships–Fiction.

LC Classification: PS3619.T465 F355 2012

Answer: The Fallback Plan by Leigh Stein

1. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)–Germany–Berlin–Fiction. 2. Nazis–Germany–Berlin–Fiction. 3. Anti-Nazi movement–Germany–Fiction. 4. Germany–History–1933-1945–Fiction.

LC Classification: PT2607.I6 J413 2009

Answer: Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada

1. Journalists–Fiction. 2. Assassins–Fiction. 3. India–Fiction.

LC Classification: PR9499.4.T44 S76 2012

Answer: The Story of My Assassins by Tarun J. Tejpal

1. Women poets–Fiction. 2. Jews–New York (State)–New York–Fiction.

LC Classification: PS3569.E425 L83 2009

Answer: Lucinella by Lore Segal

1. Philosophy–Fiction. 2. Black humor (Literature)

LC Classification: PR6109.Y47 E96 2013

Answer: Exodus by Lars Iyer (but we’re happy if you guessed one of the other titles in the Spurious series)

1. Belgians–East Asia–Fiction. 2. British–East Asia–Fiction. 3. East Asia–Fiction.

LC Classification: PR6013.E75 P6 2012

Answer: The Polyglots by William Gerhardie

1. Steampunk fiction. 2. Adventure fiction.

LC Classification: PQ2682.A438 A97 2010

Answer: Aurorarama by Jean-Christophe Valtat

1. Ex-police officers–Austria–Fiction. 2. Private investigators–Austria–Fiction. 3. Murder–Investigation–Austria–Fiction.LC Classification: PT2708.A17 K5713 2013

Answer: The Bone Man by Wolf Haas (if you guessed Brenner and God, go ahead, take the point)

1. Murder–Fiction. 2. World War, 1939-1945–Poland–Fiction. 3. Wrocław (Poland)–Fiction.

LC Classification: PG7170.R26 S6513 2012

Answer: Death in Breslau by Marek Krajewski

What was your score?

You got ten right! You’re tops. You must be the best librarian in the world!

You got nine right! Oh, it’s you! We totally would have recognized you from the Cocteau impression you sent along, but, you know, you were covering your face with your hand.

You got eight right! We’re happy you loved Spurious, but it’s time you got around to finishing Lars Iyers’s trilogy. They’re worth it, we swear.

You got seven right: That’s pretty good! Did you notice that the LC Classification number gives away the year of publication for each title? Go ahead, skip back to the question you kind of could’ve gotten right and fudge your score.

You got six right: Maybe you didn’t go to library school, but you like our books. Thanks!

You got five or fewer right: Go to our store right now and catch up. We’ll be here when you get back.