2018 Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title Announced

As an Englishman once said, “And now for something completely different.” The Fortieth Annual Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year has been announced with great revelry and Joy of Waterboiling, by Christina Scheffenacker, has taken the prize! The title itself has even offered up the new meme-like acronym JOW. The winner  simmered in shortlist controversy as the entire text of the book is in German; however, The Bookseller clarified the book’s eligibility “as only a book’s title need be in English.” Promoting the Eurocentric feel of the win, the Vienna-based publishers of the hilariously plain cookbook, Asche Verlag, actually wanted the prize. According to The Bookseller, the publishers went into full marketing mode once the shortlist was announced and “launched an impressive Instagram and Facebook drive, urging its many followers to vote.” The full run down of the vote with JOW‘s impressive percentage can be found here.

In case you missed your chance to vote for the other titles, here’s this year’s shortlist:

Are Gay Men More Accurate in Detecting Deceits? by Hoe-Chi Angel Au

Call of Nature: The Secret Life of Dung, by Richard Jones

Equine Dry Needling, by Cornelia Klarholz and Andrea Schachinger

Jesus on Gardening, by David Muskett

Joy of Waterboiling, by Christina Scheffenacker

Why Sell Tacos in Africa? by Paul Oberschneider