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Books & Authors

IBPS Clerk · General Awareness

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Core Concept

Read this first — the foundation of the topic

Books & Authors is a crucial static GK topic that appears in every SSC CGL exam. Questions are direct and factual - you either know the answer or you don't. This topic tests your awareness of famous literary works and their creators across different languages, genres, and time periods. Key Categories in SSC CGL: 1.

Indian Authors and their famous works (Hindi, English, regional languages) 2. Foreign authors and classic literature 3. Nobel Prize winners in Literature 4.

Autobiographies of famous personalities 5. Books related to freedom struggle 6. Recent award-winning books (Booker Prize, Sahitya Akademi) 7.

Books by politicians and historical figures 8. Religious and philosophical texts

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Exam Patterns

What examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs

→Questions are straightforward

'Who wrote [Book Name]?' or 'Which book is written by [Author Name]?' Recent trend shows preference for contemporary Indian authors, autobiography of freedom fighters, and books by current political leaders

⚡Memory Shortcut - ABCD Technique

A - Author's name (remember first letter) B - Book title (connect with author's life/profession) C - Category (autobiography, novel, history, etc.) D - Decade/Year of publication (rough timeline) For example: APJ Abdul Kalam - Wings of Fire - Autobiography - 1990s

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Worked Example

Solve this step-by-step before moving on

1

Step 1

Identify the book category - This is a famous Indian English novel

2

Step 2

Recall it won the Booker Prize (1997)

3

Step 3

Connect to Indian female author - Arundhati Roy

4

Step 4

Verify by remembering she's also known for activism Answer: Arundhati Roy Another Shortcut - Biography Pattern: Most autobiographies follow naming patterns: - Politicians: Often use 'My' (My Experiments with Truth - Gandhi) - Sportspersons: Use action words (Playing It My Way - Sachin) - Artists: Use emotional words (Haqeeqat Pasand - Yash Chopra) High-Yield Strategy: Focus on books published in last 20 years, especially by: - Former Presidents/Prime Ministers - Freedom fighters - Booker/Nobel Prize winners - Regional language Sahitya Akademi winners - Books related to Indian history and culture Common Mistake: Students often confuse books with similar titles or authors with similar names. For example, confusing Vikram Seth with Vikram Chandra, or mixing up books by the same author. Always create mental links between author's background and book content to avoid such errors.

🔑 Key Points

Books & Authors gives 2-3 guaranteed questions in SSC CGL with direct factual answers
Focus on autobiographies of freedom fighters, presidents, and prime ministers
Remember Nobel Prize winners in Literature, especially recent Indian connections
Booker Prize winners from India are highly testable (Arundhati Roy, Kiran Desai)
Connect author's profession with book content for better memory retention
Recent Sahitya Akademi Award winners appear frequently in current pattern
Books related to Indian independence movement are permanent favorites
Contemporary political leaders' books are trending in recent SSC papers

📌 Exam Facts

Arundhati Roy won Booker Prize in 1997 for 'The God of Small Things'
Mahatma Gandhi wrote 'My Experiments with Truth' (autobiography)
Rabindranath Tagore won Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913
Kiran Desai won Booker Prize in 2006 for 'The Inheritance of Loss'
APJ Abdul Kalam wrote 'Wings of Fire' and 'Ignited Minds'
Jawaharlal Nehru wrote 'The Discovery of India' and 'Glimpses of World History'
Vikram Seth wrote 'A Suitable Boy' (longest novel in English)
Chetan Bhagat's first book is 'Five Point Someone' (2004)

🚀 60-Second Revision

Remember: Gandhi-My Experiments with Truth, Nehru-Discovery of India, Kalam-Wings of Fire
Booker Prize Indians: Arundhati Roy (1997), Kiran Desai (2006)
Nobel Literature: Rabindranath Tagore (1913) - only Indian winner
Trap: Don't confuse Vikram Seth and Vikram Chandra - different authors
Recent trend: Focus on books by Modi, Advani, and other contemporary politicians
Formula: Author's profession + Book content = Easy memory connection
Priority: Autobiographies score more than novels in SSC CGL pattern

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