The Weirdest Book Titles Ever Published (That Are Totally Real)

We’re not making this up. The literary world is full of surprises, but nothing prepares you for a bookshelf filled with titles like People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead or How to Train a T-Rex Using Common Household Items.

So whether you’re here for a laugh, a WTF moment, or book club ideas that no one saw coming—here are the weirdest real book titles ever published.

1. How to Avoid Huge Ships by: John W. Trimmer
This gem is actually a serious maritime manual… that went viral because of its ridiculously specific title. Amazon reviews turned it into a cult classic.

🛳️ Best review:

“I bought this for my sailboat. Unfortunately, I live in Kansas.”

2. Cooking with Pooh by: Mouse Works
It’s a Winnie the Pooh cookbook. But yeah… not the most appetizing phrasing.

🍯 What we’re wondering:
Did no one read that title out loud first?

3. People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead by: Gary Leon Hill
This paranormal non-fiction explores spirits unaware of their own death. Spooky? Yes. Confusing? Also yes.

👻 Tagline-worthy blurb:

“And you thought awkward dinner parties were bad…”

 4. How to Raise Your I.Q. by Eating Gifted Children by: Lewis B. Frumkes
It’s satire. We hope. But either way, it earns a spot on this list for sheer shock factor.

🍴 Warning:
Do not try this at home. Or anywhere. Seriously.

5. Do-It-Yourself Coffins for Pets and People by: Dale Power
Woodworking meets mortality in this unintentionally terrifying how-to guide.

⚰️ Bonus Points For:
Including full-size templates. Gulp.

6. The Great Fairy Tale Disaster by: David Conway
Imagine all your favorite fairy tales mashed into one chaotic mess. Cinderella meets the Big Bad Wolf meets… well, everyone.

📖 Why it’s weird:
It somehow works. But it also feels like a fever dream.

7. Who Cares About Elderly People? by: Pam Adams
Well, we do! But this title sounds like an existential crisis in book form. (It’s actually a children’s book about empathy.)

8. Bombproof Your Horse by: Rick Pelicano
Horse training meets war zone metaphors. Meant to help riders prepare their animals for anything… including fireworks and umbrellas.

🐎 Weird but true:
This book has a 5-star rating from very serious equestrians.

9. Still Stripping After 25 Years by: Eleanor Burns
It’s about quilting. No, really. Eleanor is a quilting legend, and “stripping” refers to sewing fabric strips. But… yeah.

10. Frog Raising for Pleasure and Profit by: Lucile Matteson
Apparently, frog farming was once a lucrative side hustle. Ribbit.

😆

😆

😆

Bonus Round: Strange But Real Titles from Around the World

• How Green Were the Nazis? (Environmentalism in the Third Reich)

• Natural Bust Enlargement with Total Mind Power

• I Was Tortured by the Pygmy Love Queen

• Reusing Old Graves (UK policy analysis, not horror fiction)

• The Stray Shopping Carts of Eastern North America: A Guide to Field Identification

😆 Final Thoughts: Is This Satire or Is This Literature?

Sometimes, the title alone is enough to make you laugh, cringe, or hit “Add to Cart” just out of curiosity. That’s the power of a weird book title—it sticks with you.

So next time you’re browsing books, keep your eyes peeled. You might just find a hidden gem between How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Fancy Coffins to Make Yourself.