It’s hard to get a book accepted by a publisher these days, unless you are a celeb, that is. I was once told the sure-fire winner was to make sure that the title of your magnum opus contained a reference to Hitler and a cat.
But some books do make it and the Diagram prize, now in its 38th year, celebrates those tomes with the weirdest titles. Reading the liver: Papyrological texts on Ancient Greek extispicy and Reading from Behind: A cultural history of the anus sound as dull as ditch water. Behind the binoculars: Interviews with acclaimed birdwatchers and Soviet Bus Stops don’t cut it with me. Transvestite Vampire Biker Nuns from Outer Space: A consideration of cult film and Paper Folding With Children – I prefer using paper but I’m probably an old fogey – at least piqued my interest.
But the stand out winner had to be Allan Stafford’s biography of a music hall troupe, Too Naked For The Nazis. But where’s the cat?
windowthroughtime 