CRP's Blog

At CRP this October, The Pickles are Electric, Monday Starts on Saturday, and everything goes Whoosh Boom Splat.  Creative titles make or break a book, so we’re sharing our favorite book titles of all time today. Check them out below!

What are your favorite titles? Share in the comments or on Twitter using the hashtag #CRPreads

I just started reading This Is a Book by Demetri Martin. I’ve been reading a lot of emotionally heavy books lately, so this is a breath of fresh air. Demetri Martin is a comedian and the creator of Comedy Central’s Important Things with Demetri Martin. As a fan of his stand-up, I think I will enjoy reading this. The title is pretty straightforward J.  —Olivia Aguilar, publicist

Away with Words: An Irreverent Tour Through the World of Pun Competitions is a pretty punny title. The author also wrote a great article about the challenges of coming up it. The book was a gift for someone else, and I am avidly trying to steal it back because it sounds hilarious. —Ashley Alfirevic, publicity associate

Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton—a stops-you-in-your-tracks title and a thoroughly enjoyable read to boot. —Caitlin Eck, publicity manager

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss: there is a novel-within-the-novel of the same title, which I always enjoy. More than that though, I loved the idea that love itself has a past, and that by falling in love, we get to become a part of that ongoing story. Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying by Barbara Park, Illustrations by Denise Brunkus: I remember being so delighted by this whole series when I was younger, and the titles always had the same playful silliness as the stories. You can really hear this little girl’s voice on every page, and the cover is no exception. And my favorite Chicago Review Press book title is Ice Cream Blonde by Michelle Morgan. —Alex Granato, CRP intern

One of my all-time favorite titles for a book is also one of the books I’ve disliked the most — Special Topics in Calamity Physics. There is a story in that title, it speaks to the science nerd in me (although the book isn’t a science title), and it’s quirky. The cover is also amazing. The content? Well, let’s just say after I failed to get through the book ten times, I threw it across the room and later used the pages to make a collage. And one from CRP’s backlist that is both a great title and a fun book is Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great American Road Trip. If someone can read that title and *not* at least pick it up to see what it’s about? Well, I don’t believe them. —Mary Kravenas, marketing manager

My favorite book title is A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I love its cockiness, but also how it speaks to the blend of comedy and tragedy in Dave Egger’s memoir. It also perfectly captures the grandiose feel of the book. From CRP’s collection of titles, I’ve got to choose Whiskey Business by Tom Acitelli. —Emily Lewis, editorial and marketing assistant

The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler because it’s just so fun to say. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao because once you’ve read it, you can’t say the title without a catch in your throat. —Michelle Williams, managing editor