Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Enid Blyton
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question explores knowledge of children's literature and the extraordinary productivity of some authors. Publishing 59 new books in a single year is a remarkable achievement and is often cited as a record in quizzes. Linking this figure to the correct writer helps you appreciate the scale of output in popular literature.
Given Data / Assumptions:
• The year of reference is 1955.
• The figure is 59 new books published within that year.
• Four notable authors are listed: Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Enid Blyton, and Stephen King.
• We assume the question follows widely quoted statistics from publishing history and children's literature references.
Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to recognise which of these authors is famous for very high volume production, especially in children's books and series. Enid Blyton is known for writing hundreds of books, including many series, over her career. The others, while prolific, did not reach the same annual publishing numbers, especially in the year mentioned. Therefore, associating the record with Enid Blyton is logical.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
Publishing histories and biographical notes on Enid Blyton highlight that she reached a peak of around 59 new books in 1955. This statistic is frequently repeated in trivia and discussions of her productivity. The bibliographies of Twain, Hemingway, and Stephen King show far fewer works in any single year and in different periods, which confirms that the record figure applies to Enid Blyton.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mark Twain, though famous, lived in an earlier era and did not publish at this extreme yearly rate.
Ernest Hemingway produced a smaller, carefully edited body of novels and stories; his style and working method do not match such a high volume in one year.
Stephen King is well known for horror fiction published mainly from the late twentieth century onward; 1955 does not align with his career timeline.
Common Pitfalls:
One pitfall is to pick Stephen King simply because he is known for being prolific, ignoring the specific year mentioned. Another error is to choose a more familiar author like Mark Twain or Hemingway without considering their genres and the number of books they wrote. Paying attention to both the time period and the scale of output helps you make the right choice.
Final Answer:
The author who published 59 new books in the year 1955 is Enid Blyton.
Discussion & Comments