British magazine names weirdest book title

LONDON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- "Greek Rural Postmen and their Cancellation Numbers" has been voted the oddest book title of the past 30 years by readers of a British magazine.

The Bookseller magazine said voters chose the tome, which is published by the Greek Hellenic Philatelic Society of Great Britain and contains a record of Greece's postal routes, over other unusual titles including "People Who Don't Know They're Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders," and "What to Do About It, and How to Avoid Huge Ships," The Guardian reported Friday.

"I think the voters wanted a feel-good story about rural postmen because of all the news of post offices closing around the country," said Philip Stone, charts editor for The Bookseller.

"There's no prize but the boost in sales is surely prize enough," Stone said. "When we announced our last shortlist, sales increased by 1,000 percent, from one copy sold in the two weeks previously to 10 afterwards."

Stone said he has been unable to contact the author of the 1994 book, Derek Willan, to inform him of his book's new distinction.