Fromage Frais wins odd title prize
The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-miligram Containers of Fromage Frais, published by Icon Group International, has been crowned the winner of the Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year. The Bookseller received just over 5,000 votes on its online poll, with the study into the future of the diary product packaging securing a 32% share of the total vote since the shortlist was announced on 20th February. The winning title was spotted by the Eden Project's publishing manager Mike Petty.
Dorothy L Cheney and Robert M Seyfarth's Baboon Metaphysics (University of Chicago Press) and Brooks D Cash's Curbside Consultation of the Colon (SLACK Incorporated) finished second and third with a 22% and 18% share of the vote respectively. In fourth place was Mark Hordyszynski's Strip and Knit with Style (C&T), followed by Emmanuel Kowalski's The Large Sieve and its Applications (Cambridge University Press) and Lietai Yang's Techniques for Corrosion Monitoring (Woodhead).
Philip Stone, charts editor at The Bookseller, said: "[The book] is a fitting champion given that today's public are more aware of green issues than ever. It highlights an area that, perhaps, we are all guilty of ignoring as we push our trolleys down supermarket aisles".
Horace Bent, The Bookseller's diarist and the custodian of the prize, said: "Given that three times in the 21st century the public have crowned somewhat vulgar titles the winner (High Performance Stiffened Structures, Living with Crazy Buttocks and, most recently, If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs), I assumed either Strip and Knit with Style or Curbside Consultation of the Colon would pick up the 2008 award. But I'm thrilled the public steered clear of smut and bestowed the 'odd title' prize on Professor Parker's worthy winner".
The book proved a controversial member of the Diagram Prize shortlist as it is not produced not by a living author, but by Professor Philip M Parker's automated authoring invention, which produces a title on the basis of complex internet and database searches.
Comments on this article
By R Pressley
A worthy winner indeed but can't help but think that it would have been better if a book written by a human had won the award, and not one ghostwritten by a computer. but then again, what with many award-winning celeb-mems ghostwritten by peeps with what seems only a rudimentary understanding of the english language, whats the difference? nowt as far as i'm aware.27 Mar 09 01:03
By Abigail
Caught an interesting documentary on print on demand about a year ago and they talked about this guy on the show. He's got over 200,000 books listed on Amazon apparently, thanks to his invention. With that kind of output, I guess it was only a matter of time before one of them picked up an award. But perhaps not the one he was hoping for,27 Mar 09 01:06
By The outlook for the credibility of the long tail POD model (if it continues to be hijacked by charlatans and scammers)
This comment has been written by a computer. While it may appear to be relevant, it is actually generated from a generic template using content from previously expressed opinions already in the public domain, and therefore both quite meaningless and badly written. If you want to know more about this subject please check the bibliography for sources and further reading.27 Mar 09 09:03
By Paperclip7
I'm delighted that this book has won. The "baboon militia" are no doubt crying into there beer, as the Fromage Frais massive march on... What's Mr T's favourite yoghurt? "A PetitFilou!"27 Mar 09 09:20
By Stephen E Andrews
The 'odd titles' of today lack mythic resonance - how I long for the classics of the eighties like 'the Gut Content of Six Leathery Turtles' (I'll never forget that EJ Brill catalogue from 1988) and 'Highlights in the History of Concrete'.27 Mar 09 09:24
By GLH
Agreed. I yearn for the days of Waterproof Your Child, and Big and Very Big Hole Drilling. Not forgetting Gut Reaction: How to Live with your Intestinal Tract27 Mar 09 10:57
By RebekahC
I wouldn't have considered Curbside Consultation of the Colon to be smut. It was my first choice. Personally I thought it was far funnier than the winner, but they were all pretty bizarre titles so I guess in that regard they all had a fair chance of winner. Congrats to the winner and to the runners up.28 Mar 09 00:58
By Philip M. Parker
Guys, I heard about this honor from a journalist. I am really upset! I was hoping beyond hope that someone would have nominated my life's work: "The 2009-2014 World Outlook for Electrosilverplated Baby Goods, Ecclesiastical Ware, Novelties, Toiletware, Trophies, and Other Hollowware That Has Been Electrosilverplated to a Non-Precious Metal Base Excluding Pewter" That being said, this may turn out to be the highest honor that the fromage frais report will ever win. But dudes, I am holding my breath, while waiting for the other literary prizes to be announced. Cheers, Phil p.s. Also, a special thanks to Philip Stone and Horace Bent for their funny quotes posted on the official notice that a journalist sent me “Well, given that fromage frais normally comes in 60-gram containers, not 60-milligram, one would assume that the world outlook for 0.06-gram containers of fromage frais is pretty bleak.” … “The fact that this book has been crowned the winner just goes to show how creative and diverse the publishing world it [sic] today. And, perhaps, how important a copy editor is.” For those who did not pick up on their humor, people in the know realize that 60 mg is referring to the metric of the cream content (percent per part), not the total amount of contents in the container; they come in 60 mg, 30mg, 10mg, etc. types. A 60 gram fromage frais would be a rather fatty cheese. Had the title been 60-g, people in the industry would have wondered what new and mysterious fromage frais had been invented, and whether is was legal!! (I guess people from outside publishing are also confused about the way we discuss paper – to a novice, a 300 page book printed using 20lb paper would mean a whopping 6000 lb opus). Thank God that I don’t use a human copy editor (after all, to err is human) … just kidding. Keep up the good work!28 Mar 09 16:09
By Rob Innis
Personally speaking I thought they all paled into insignificance compared to last years winner. However I am known for my stance againsy modernity.30 Mar 09 14:36
By Library Dude
How do I nominate a title for next year? I just came across this beauty: "Motorcycles, rare frogs and water shrew habitat at Kanaka Creek : complaint investigation 080824" (Forest Practices Board of British Columbia, Feb. 2009)03 Apr 09 18:50
By Chris Norton, ex of Books Etc
9781438228891 Caught Under A Dripping Vagina By Anthony Palillo (American)16 Jan 10 15:10
