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Friday 16 March 2012

Crack-up Titles!


We were in our local book store guzzling wine and munching on nibbles. It was a Thursday evening and we, that is, the Mairangi Writers’ Group of New Zealand, were celebrating NZ Book Month with a cocktail party (you’ll see some of our jovial faces in the photo on our blog).

We had a fine display of books in our favourite book store; 32 titles in all and we were feeling pretty proud of ourselves. Some of the titles on display were – Murder in the Second Row by Bev Robitai, Vicky Adin’s memoir Daniel, Jean Allen’s River River Raupo Rye and my Accidental Hero. Evan Andrew also had books in store, as did Kay Urlich, Pam Laird, Gay Rothwell and Maureen Green. Of our 13 members 10 had books on show.

But what seemed to be missing in the titles on display was humour. Barbara Algie, our resident comic poet, came closest with her titles: Golfing Cats and Other Poems and Raunchy Rhymes and Quotable Quotes.

So, with a glass of wine in hand (a very good New Zealand merlot) I meandered around the store looking for funny titles. Not many, but the one that caught my eye was

            Farts Around the World by August O’Phwinn

The author’s name is not without a modicum of humour but it was the title I was interested in! Beside that book was

            The Moustache Grower’s Guide by Lucien Edwards

That piqued my imagination so the next day I went looking for more funny or weird book titles. I stumbled on to the www.AbeBooks.com website where you can find a number of seriously odd titles in their Weird Book Room section. From their selection I have chosen a few I really loved:

            Ragnar’s Guide to Home and Recreational Use of High Explosives – Ragnar Benson

            How to Make Love while Conscious – Guy Kettelhack

            The Practical Pyromaniac – William Gurstelle

            Bodybuilders in Tutus – Philipp Lomboy

            Teach your Wife to be a Widow – Donald Rogers (sold out)

            Lumberjack Songs with Yodel Arrangements – Elmore Vincent (sold out)

            Atlas of the Fleas of Britain and Ireland – R. S. George (sold out)

I hope this list of book titles inspires you to either write a book with a really weird title or at least loosen the leather straps and let the author out on parole.

Jenny "Hellfire" Harrison




7 comments:

  1. Have you issued us a challenge, Jenny? We could have a lot of fun coming up with a book title for your latest 'book in progress'. The inept and bubbling would-be crims could be in for a rude awakening. And we could be in for lots and lots of laughter. Never stop making us laugh, Jenny!

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    1. Anyone who can come up with a better title than "Yous Aren't Takin' me Seriously!" (and I'm sure they are legion) would get a big hug from moi. Mi inept criminals are goin' ta surprise ya!

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  2. Actually, the crims are probably bumbling. I think it's the dog that's bubbling! (Sorry Vicky - I'm in proof-reading mode!)

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  3. Well done, Ed. Glad you picked up the error. Typos to the Fore!! Says one pirate to the other.
    One headache too many me-thinks!!
    BTW.... the tasks to prove we are who we say we are, are tough on those with poor eyesight!! (Not me, of course. Just thinking of others). Now sort out those 'are's' or should that be 'Arrhh'!!!
    And....
    How does everyone know we are commenting/blogging if they don't check the site???

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  4. Sounds like a lot of fun as well as the hard work! Congratulations to the organizers! Next time why don't you wear your pirate outfits - Arrhh! and Ahaa!

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  5. Now that I have, at last, negotiated this you'll all be sorry!

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    1. Oh noooo - what have we done! Jean has access to the comments! Well done, but pace yourself girl.

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