MADreads

You had me at nude mice

February 23rd, 2010 Katie H.

In one of the most anticipated and followed book contests of the year, United Kingdom based Bookseller magazine has announced its longlist for its 2009 Diagram Prize.  Yet another list of books for the harried reader to consider, you ask?  The beauty of the Diagram Prize is that the reader has to go no further than the cover: merit is awarded entirely on the oddity of title.  Hence, books such as The Theory of Lengthwise Rolling, Versailles: The View From Sweden or The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification can finally get their due recognition.

The prize, the result of an especially boring afternoon at the Frankfurt Book Fair, was first claimed in 1978 by Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice. Since then, Bookseller has allowed the public to vote on the worthiest of titles.  Not surprisingly, winners have skewed towards the somewhat suggestive–If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs took a whopping 30% of the vote in 2007.  However, voters have given due to classics like Bombproof Your Horse and (my personal favorite) How to Avoid Huge Ships.

This year’s longlist includes a well-known bestseller, but the inclusion of such titles as The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin reminds that such humor is relative–and that there truly is a book for every reader.  The Diagram’s award of a bottle of middling claret goes not to the author of the book, but to the original submittor.  Alas, most titles are too specific to be included in LINKCat, but it is never too early to begin thinking of next year.  Suggestions, anyone?

Entry Filed under: General