And here they are, the finalists for 42nd Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title of the Year:
A Dog Pissing at the Edge of a Path
Introducing the Medieval Ass
Classical Antiquity in Heavy Metal Music
How to Make Love to a Despot
Lawnmowers: An Illustrated History
The Slaughter of Farmed Animals: Practical Ways to Enhance Animal Welfare
The prize started back in 1978 as a way to stave off boredom at the annual Frankfurt Book Fair. It’s instigators, Trevor Bounford and Bruce Robertson of Diagram Group, spotted a volume called Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice and the contest was born. Previous winners include such timeless classics as:
If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs
Butterworth’s Corporate Manslaughter Service
Living with Crazy Buttocks
The Big Book of Lesbian Horse Stories
People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It
The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification
Bombproof Your Horse
The 2009–2014 World Outlook for 60-milligram Containers of Fromage Frais
Managing a Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way
Cooking with Poo
You’ll find a précis of each this year’s finalist on the shortlist page here and you can vote for your favourite online here.
Get in quick. Voting closes on Friday, 20th November.