jazzy_dave | Book 58 - Russell Ash "Bizarre Books"

Russell Ash "Bizarre Books" (Jandyce Books)

"Bizarre Books" is a listing of books with odd titles and authors with odd names. It was originally published in Great Britain under the title "Fish Who Answer the Telephone," which I think is a better title.

This book might be more fun than just about any party game you might think of -- just sit around a room and read book titles like "Old Age: Its Cause and Prevention," "The Romance of Proctology" and "How to Get Fat."

Some of these titles, I'm sure, were intentionally funny. When Oscar Levant called his book "Memoirs of an Amnesiac" back in 1965, you can be certain he knew what he was doing. Much funnier are those titles that were probably concocted in all innocence: "Suggestive Thoughts for Busy Workers," published in 1883 by the Bible Christian Book Room; "The Gay Boys of Old Yale!," published in 1869; and "Shag the Pony," published by the Catholic Truth Society in 1952.

Whether intentionally funny or not, many titles are just plain odd: "Queen Victoria and Ping-pong," "The Supernatural History of Worms," "You Can Make a Stradivarius Violin," "Frolic and Fun with Egg-Shells," "Ice Cream for Small Plants," "Catching a Cannon Ball," "Hand Grenade Throwing as a College Sport," "Becoming a Sensuous Catechist" and "A Million Random Digits." The latter book consists of nothing but a million random digits.

Authors' names can also be fun. "The Ethics of Peace and War" was written by someone named I. Atack. Robin Banks wrote "Punishment" and Geoff Carless wrote "Motorcycling for Beginners." There have also been authors named Thomas Strangeways Pigg-Strangeways, Cornelius Crocus, Joy Muchmore Lacey, Lettice May Crump and Francis M. Fillerup.

This paperback, published in the United States in 2007, also includes many book covers and other illustrations, plus a few book excerpts, many of which are as funny as the titles. A 1933 book called "What's Wanted -- A List of 895 Needed Inventions" calls for someone to invent lipstick-proof linen, a bullet-proof stroboscope and "improvements in deckchairs whereby the user can sit sideways." Where was Thomas Edison when they needed him?

This is a remarkably enjoyable book that is filled to overflowing with book titles that will make you laugh out loud and frequently gasp in disbelief. Occasionally (very occasionally) you may even find yourself asking "hmmm, I wonder where I can get a copy of this one".