OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:
And let's say hello to our next two contestants, Marsha Autilio and Amanda Strogoff.
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EISENBERG: Now, this is important information for the quiz we are about to give you. You are both avid readers. I would like to ask you if you could go on a date with any book character, who would you choose? Marsha.
MARSHA AUTILIO: I'd have to go back in time in my own lifespan to do this, but I would probably pick Paul from "Sons and Lovers."
EISENBERG: Ooh, nice. Now, do you say you're going back in time because that's - you read it a long time ago? Or are you, like, thinking back - like, are you actually going, well, I'm married now so back when I was single. Because even you don't read cheating.
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EISENBERG: You don't cheat read. Is that's what it's called?
AUTILIO: Well, my husband is in the audience.
EISENBERG: Oh, yeah.
AUTILIO: But also, I would need to be younger.
EISENBERG: You would need to be younger. Oh, I get it. Very good. Amanda?
AMANDA STROGOFF: I feel like this is weird but I very recently read "Silver Linings Playbook." I have not seen the movie.
EISENBERG: Mm-hmm.
STROGOFF: But it would be very interesting to date...
EISENBERG: Bradley Cooper? I get it.
(LAUGHTER)
STROGOFF: I play for the other team, Ophira. It's what's her name. Tiffany?
EISENBERG: Oh, OK. Yeah. Awesome.
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EISENBERG: Jennifer Lawrence? Either way, man, that is a win-win. I think anyone with that choice would pick either team. So this game is called Three Characters in Search of an Author. In case you're wondering, yes, of course, that is a reference to Luigi Pirandello's play "Six Characters in Search of an Author." This is NPR.
(LAUGHTER)
EISENBERG: In this round I will give you three character names from different works by the same author and you will have to tell me what author created all three characters. Puzzle guru John Chaneski, how about an example?
JOHN CHANESKI: If I said Legolas, Tom Bombadil, and Bilbo Baggins, the creator of all these characters would be J.R.R. Tolkien.
EISENBERG: So ring in as soon as you know the answer. And what's unique in this game is you can ring in as soon as you know the answer. You don't have to wait for me to finish. Here we go. Gertrude McFuzz, Horton, Sam I Am.
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EISENBERG: Amanda.
STROGOFF: Dr. Seuss.
EISENBERG: Correct.
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EISENBERG: Fanny Price, Eleanor Dashwood, Mr. Darcy.
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EISENBERG: Marsha.
AUTILIO: Jane Austen.
EISENBERG: Perfect.
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EISENBERG: Are you a fan of the zombie version?
AUTILIO: I've never read the zombie version because I'm not really a Jane Austen fan.
EISENBERG: Oh, interesting. We'll have to edit that out because we'll get letters.
AUTILIO: Oh. Sorry.
EISENBERG: No, just kidding. I'm totally kidding.
(LAUGHTER)
STROGOFF: I don't think Jane Austen wrote the zombie version, so.
EISENBERG: No.
AUTILIO: No, she didn't.
STROGOFF: You could still enjoy that.
AUTILIO: Not so far as we know.
EISENBERG: Hank Morgan, Pudd'nhead Wilson.
(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)
EISENBERG: Amanda.
STROGOFF: Mark Twain.
EISENBERG: Correct.
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EISENBERG: Clam, Josef K., Gregor Samsa.
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EISENBERG: Marsha.
AUTILIO: Franz Kafka.
EISENBERG: That is also correct.
(APPLAUSE)
EISENBERG: Nice little back and forth going on right here. Frederick Henry, Santiago, Jake Barnes. A stumper. You're thinking.
CHANESKI: Two of this author's granddaughters, Mariel and Margo became well known actresses.
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EISENBERG: Marsha.
AUTILIO: Ernest Hemmingway.
EISENBERG: You got it.
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EISENBERG: Clarissa Dalloway, Mrs. Ramsay, Orlando.
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EISENBERG: Amanda.
STROGOFF: Virginia Woolf.
EISENBERG: Well done. Yes, that is correct.
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EISENBERG: This is your last question. James Henry Trotter, Charlie Bucket, Mr. Fox.
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EISENBERG: Amanda.
STROGOFF: Roald Dahl.
EISENBERG: Correct. Well done.
(APPLAUSE)
EISENBERG: John Chaneski, who won this round?
CHANESKI: In search of a winner, it was a close one but Amanda won. Way to go, Amanda.
(APPLAUSE)
EISENBERG: Thank you so much, Marsha. Amanda, you'll be moving on to our final round.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.