Are you a trivia buff? Do you mentally collect factoids the way others might collect stamps, trading cards, or comic books?
Trivia is a favorite pastime of many people. It's no wonder; according to cognitive neuroscientist John Kounios, Ph.D., opens a new window, the satisfaction of answering trivia questions correctly can produce a neurochemical surge of pleasure. This helps to explain the popularity of trivia-based board and parlor games, pub quizzes, and game shows. People love the gratification of getting the answer right whether they're participating in a game in a social setting or they're spectators trying to best trivia game contestants from the sidelines or audience.
Trivia-style contests emerged in the first half of the twentieth century and formed the basis of popular radio programs starting in the 1930s. Such game shows migrated to television by the 1950s, with the growth of and increased access to the medium as a form of entertainment. Campus trivia games became a full-fledged phenomenon at Columbia University, opens a new window in the 1960s. The board game Trivial Pursuit exploded onto the scene in 1981, and many other games have been released since then to feed trivia lovers' need for trivia contests.
Below are a few trivia questions to whet your appetite. Within each question, there's a link to a library resource where you can find the answer. If you're looking for more bits of trivia, check out the list of books below. They're full of interesting tidbits on a wide variety of topics!
Which of the grand slam tournaments in professional tennis is played on a clay court, opens a new window?
What is the average distance, in miles, between the Earth and the moon, opens a new window?
In what year did The Beatles, opens a new window call it quits?
What are the colors of the rings, opens a new window on the Olympics flag?
Who played Dumbledore, opens a new window in the first two Harry Potter films?
Which fish-shaped, floating Italian city, opens a new window was ruled by doges for more than 1,000 years?
How many keys are there on a standard piano keyboard, opens a new window?
Which Stephen King novel is set primarily in the Overlook Hotel, opens a new window?
How many hearts does an octopus, opens a new window have?
In which country was Frida Kahlo, opens a new window born?
Who was the sixth and final wife, opens a new window of Henry VIII?
Which color starts first in chess, opens a new window?
Do you love trivia and reading about interesting facts? St. Tammany Parish Library has lots of materials about trivia on a wide variety of topics. This list includes just some of what's available. Please Note: In order to bring you new and interesting titles, Hoopla content is updated monthly, and these titles may not be available in the future. To find the latest titles, please visit www.hoopladigital.com.
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