01 May 2016

Oddities in print

     Russell Ash & Brian Lake, eds. Bizarre Books (1985) Ash and Lake share a fascination with publishing oddities: titles that suggest oddball subjects, oddball subjects as such, and books that prompt the question What Were They Thinking? This bibliography, with occasional summaries of excerpts, should satisfy anyone with a similar interest, and will provide mild amusement for anyone needing to fill a few idle minutes here and there. Here are few samples:
     The Hookers of Kew (1967; about a family of botanists)
     How to be Plump (1878)
     The Fangs of Suet pudding (1944; a thriller)
     Frog Raising for Pleasure and Profit (1950; includes recipes)
     How to Fill Mental Cavities (1978)
This book itself should of course be included. **½

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The Sentinel (A. C. Clarke, 1983)

  Arthur C. Clarke. The Sentinel . (1983) Collection of short stories, including the one that sparked 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke provides...