Earlier this week, I compiled a list of the truly hilarious and bizarre real books that exist in the world. Little did I know, however, the list of funny odd titles grows every year. Thankfully, the Diagram Prize, an official award handed out by the British publishing magazine The Bookseller, keeps track and commends the weirdest and wildest books that came out this year.
While I love to read the silly and sad classic titles like “Microwaving For One,” a whole swath of new titles comes out every year. Frankly, I’m impressed. As the internet makes us more aware of the far corners of the world, authors, especially in academia, become more and more specialized. As a result, we get books exploring subjects we’d never imagine needed a whole essay, let alone a book.
Nevertheless, here they are. The prize has been around for decades, and much like the Pulitzer isn’t given out if the titles aren’t up to snuff. These books had to earn it. And they did.
These are all real.
The following titles are real books that either won or were shortlisted for the annual Diagram Prize:
1. How To Sharpen Pencils (Nominee)
2. Ending The War On Artisan Cheese (Winner)
3. The Ugly Wife Is A Treasure At Home (Nominee)
4. Is Superman Circumcised? (Winner of 2021!)
5. Miss, I Don’t Give A Shit (Nominee)
6. The Dirt Hole And Its Variations (Winner)
7. The Life Cycle Of Russian Things (Nominee)
8. The Joy Of Chickens (Winner)
9. Hats (Nominee)
10. Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers (Winner)
11. Curves For The Mathematically Curious (Nominee)
12. Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes (Nominee)
13. Health and Environmental Benefits of Camel Products (Nominee)
14. The Commuter Pig Keeper: A Comprehensive Guide To Keeping Pigs When Time Is Your Most Precious Commodity (Winner)
15. People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It (Winner)
16. Divorcing A Real Witch (Nominee)
17. Strangers Have The Best Candy (Winner)
18. How To Drink Without Drinking (Winner)
19. Managing A Dental Practice: The Genghis Khan Way (Winner)
20. Noah Gets Naked! And Other Fascinating Bible Stories They Don’t Teach You In Sunday School (Nominee)
21. A Dog Pissing At The Edge Of A Path: Animal Metaphors In An Eastern Indonesian Society
22. The Potentialities And Limitations Of The Nude Mouse (Winner)
23. If You Want Closure In Your Relationship, Start With Your Legs
24. Too Naked For The Nazis (Winner)
h/t The Bookseller
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