Strange Book Title Finalists; AbeBooks Latest Top 10
- by Michael Stillman
The metaphysical Baboon.
By Michael Stillman
The Bookseller magazine has announced the six finalists for its 31st annual Oddest Book Title of the Year award. These are titles that were not meant to make you laugh, which is precisely why they do. They range from the odd to the unintentionally suggestive to the incomprehensibly vague. Frequently, they are books of a technical nature, written by people with outstanding scholarly abilities, but not much aptitude for writing a headline. The good news is that, in their ineptitude, they unintentionally created some classic titles anyway. This year, there are six nominees for the prize, which will be announced on March 27.
Baboon Metaphysics by Dorothy L. Cheney and Robert M. Seyfarth. Cheney and Seyfarth are not great philosophers from the Planet of the Apes, but simply people who have studied the baboons of Botswana.
Curbside Consultation of the Colon by Brooks D. Cash. This book doesn't involve actually conversing with the colon, or providing those embarrassing, uncomfortable examinations on a public street. It is merely a work of technical medical advice concerning the colon for physicians.
The Large Sieve and its Applications by Emmanuel Kowalski. This is a book about very complex mathematical formulas, not very simple kitchen utensils.
Strip and Knit with Style by Mark Hordyszynski. The illustrations here will disappoint, as this book has nothing to do with stylish strippers. It has everything to do with knitting strips of fabric.
Techniques for Corrosion Monitoring by Lietai Yang. The publisher describes this book as providing guidance on monitoring the corrosion of material, such as "polarization techniques, potentiometric methods, electrochemical noise and harmonic analyses, galvanic sensors, differential flow through cells and multielectrode systems." Clear enough?
The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-milligram Containers of Fromage Frais by Professor Philip M. Parker. This is a highly technical study of worldwide demand for this particular type of specialty French cheese in 60-milligram containers. If the subject interests you, the book is available on Amazon for a mere $795.
AbeBooks released its top 10 most expensive sales for the month of January, and the good news is that hard times notwithstanding, there are still books being sold for hefty price tags. Here they are:
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
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Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
