Friday 1 November 2019

The Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title 2019...

I was beginning to think that this may not be happening this year as the shortlist announcement is later than in 2018.

The mystery is solved and you can read the wry introduction to the 41st year of the prize over on the Bookseller website and the mention of last year's winner- kettles and water were involved...

This year's shortlist:

  • How to Drink Without Drinking by Fiona Beckett.
 (As it's not due out until January 2020 I'm ruling it out of my possibles.)
  • The Dirt Hole and its Variations by Charles L Dobbins.
 (Hunting related.)
  • Viking Encounters: Proceedings of the 18th Viking Congress by Anne Pedersen and Søren M Sindbæk.
  • Ending the War on Artisan Cheese by Catherine W Donnelly.
(Sadly not released until 28th November.)
  • Noah Gets Naked: Bible Stories They Didn't Teach You at Sunday School by Xanna Eve Chown.
  • Hitler's Monsters: A Supernatural History of the Third Reich by Eric Kurlander.
 (Published May 2018.)
You can vote via the link at the bottom of the page on the Bookseller website (link above) and there's time to consider the options before the 22nd November deadline.

This is going to be a tough choice. But I think many of them aren't so odd when you read the other text on the cover- you can find most of them on Amazon.

I suspect the Noah one will get lots of votes, it's definitely odd... so odd I voted for it.

It's a fun annual prize and the winner gets a bottle of Claret...

It's red wine from
Bordeaux...




Image by gerttaeymans from https://pixabay.com






















4 comments:

Ann W said...

Not so much odd as simply descriptive on the whole, Carol. Not as varied a choice as in the past.
Ann

Carolb said...

Ann- no there's not been as varied a choice as in previous years, but it appears the judges are taking a few steps back this year to the aims of earlier times.

Perhaps book titles have become serious, reflecting the current world situation.

Julia Thorley said...

It's the cheese one for me!

Carolb said...

Julia- I think the Cheese one is a strong contender for this year's prize. :-)