The 2005 Diagram Prize for the Oddest Title of the Year

The shortlist for the 2005 prize was announced recently.  My favourite competition of the year is run by columnist Horace Bent in the Bookseller (the UK book trade weekly) with input from dedicated odd title hunters from all over the world. The prize, set up in association with the Diagram Group, has been running since 1978 and is a joyous celebration of the barmy side of publishing.

As always, the shortlist included some memorably odd titles, but all had to be guaranteed to be authentic. So it's been a tough job choosing what goes on the shortlist for the highly bizarre 2005 line-up.

The 2005 shortlist

How People Who Don't Know They're Dead Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It

Bullying and Sexual Harassment: A Practical Handbook

Rhino Horn Stockpile Management: Minimum Standards and Best Practice from East and Southern Africa

Ancient Starch Research

Soil Nailing: Best Practice Guidance

Nessus, Snort and Ethereal Powertools

Aren't they all wonderful?  The first and last look like the frontrunners, but the winner will be announced in the Bookseller soon.

The 2004 Winner

Bombproof Your Horse

So how do you think last year's winner, Bombproof Your Horse, lines up alongside glorious winners of the past, such as 2002's wonderful Living with Crazy Buttocks and the original classis Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Nude Mice?

(Please note that, contrary to what you may think, all entries for the Prize must be genuine titles of books actually being published - no cheating allowed)

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