Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a book cover great, and the same goes for titles. A little clever wordplay, a subtle nod or allusion, something weird—words that suggest that what lies inside is rich and memorable.
We’ve collected our 25 favorite titles of 2011, all of which made us want to read more (click each image for a larger view):
And the full list in alphabetical order:
Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Blueprints for Building Better Girls by Elissa Schappell
Broetry by Brian McGackin
Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller
Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson
Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
In the Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Killer Stuff and Tons of Money by Maureen Stanton
Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie by Julie Sternberg
Man with a Pan by John Donohue
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer *
Paradise Lust by Brook Wilensky-Lanford
Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich
Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell *
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt *
The Sly Company of People Who Care by Rahul Bhattacharya
The Train of Small Mercies by David Rowell
There But For The by Ali Smith
Unless It Moves the Human Heart by Roger Rosenblatt
Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon
* – This book was also one of our best book jackets of 2011.
For more of our Best of 2011, check out our Top 50 Books of 2011 and our Readers’ Choice: 30 Best Books of 2011.
Also, click here to see the best book titles of 2010.
Or simply browse all of The Book Case’s Best of 2011 coverage.
What were your favorite book titles of 2011?
I have read only one of the books on the list…and I read a lot.
I am always suspicious of book titles that try to be too cute and therefore have not read one of these books.
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Great list! I’m a sucker for a book with a good title. I liked “I Married You For Happiness” for a great title this year. And Everything Beautiful Began After, though that’s an older book. I could go on and on!
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I was about to borrow “Sex on the Moon” from the library but I put it down after thinking about all the books I have stacked in my bookcase I have yet to touch, not to mention I didn’t want to get judged by the librarian…
The librarian ordered that book for the library, so rather than judging you, he/she will be thrilled that you’re justifying the purchase by borrowing the book.
Gee, the most arresting title is the only one without a link (“Broetry”). I’d read that!
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As I enjoy any book which is historical I came upon the book by David Rowell. After hearing the interview that Elaine Charles did with David Rowell about his book, ‘The Train of Small Mercies’ (find it on her website: bookreportradio.com) I bought it as I wanted to know more about what Robert Kennedy stood for. I hear Rowell has got an eye for detail, and the book is about Robert Kennedy’s funeral day 8th June 1968 as the slow train moves from New York to Washington DC to bury his body next to his slain brothers. Rowell talks about 6 different characters in the book and how their lives connect to the day of the 8th of June.
Cannot believe I have not read or even heard of some of these!! Swamplandia is on our schedule for the Library Discussion Group this year.
I have read the book of poetry among the listed ones so far, now the title Cinderella Ate My Daughter sounds intriguing to me. On the whole, I wish I had time to read all 25 books, I am seriously into reading.
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