Name the authors of each of these books: a. The Fountainhead b. The Day of the Jackal c. Bright Lights, Big City

These three acclaimed novels all made the successful leap from the page to the silver screen, connecting them through film history. Ayn Rand's 1943 novel, The Fountainhead, is an iconic story of a fiercely individualistic architect that champions her philosophy of Objectivism. It was adapted into a 1949 film starring Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal, with a screenplay written by Rand herself to ensure her vision remained intact.

The world of international espionage was brought to life by British author Frederick Forsyth in his 1971 thriller, The Day of the Jackal. The book meticulously details a fictional assassination attempt on French President Charles de Gaulle. It was turned into a critically acclaimed 1973 film directed by Fred Zinnemann, which is still regarded as a classic of the political thriller genre for its suspense and documentary-style realism.

Finally, the excesses of 1980s New York City were captured by Jay McInerney in his groundbreaking 1984 novel, Bright Lights, Big City, which is famously written in the second person. The story of a young magazine fact-checker spiraling into the city's nightlife was adapted for a 1988 film starring Michael J. Fox. Like Rand, McInerney also penned the screenplay for the adaptation of his own work.