Book offerings have existed since ancient times. For a long time, it was nearly impossible to make a living from selling books, so these were written primarily to appease the patrons who supported the authors. But now this page is mainly dedicated to expressing love and gratitude to loved ones.
Along with sections like acknowledgments, preface, and bibliography, a book’s dedication page is a page that readers often skip over. However, those who read it may receive content that deviates significantly from the typical message praising a friend, family member, or co-worker. Some writers like to write something unusual, outrageously funny, or simply shocking. These ten books of his dedication stand out in a strange way.
Related: Top 10 dark inspirations from famous British writers
Ten Romantic Copper: Its Seduction and Lore by Ira B. Joralemon
Many writers have taken the sweet, glowing devotion to family that is often seen at the beginning of books with a comedic touch. Apart from these sentimental tributes, the authors sometimes make jokes or sarcastic remarks about their relatives and even show that they are insistent on dedicating the book to them.
In a poignant dedication to a 1934 nonfiction book, geologist and author Ira B. Joralemon said of his spouse: Romantic copper: its charm and lore It’s definitely not romantic, and it’s also unconventional. There are at least two different ways to interpret his statement. Some readers may see this as playful teasing, while others may see it as an outright insult.
Joralemon said of his wife, acknowledging some of her positive qualities: “Men other than me might fall in love with her because she’s not that good looking.”[1]
9 “My Lady Jane” by Brody Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jody Meadows
Co-authors Brody Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jody Meadows did some strange but humorous things at the dedication of their 2016 YA fantasy book. my lady jane.A novel that is part of the team’s work Lady Johnny’s The series is loosely based on the life of Lady Jane Grey, a 16th century English monarch who became embroiled in political intrigue. She is known as the “Queen of the Nine Days” because of the length of her reign before her execution.
In their dedication, the authors write: And for England too. I am truly sorry for what we are doing to your history. ”
An apology to Britain for how this book depicts its history is warranted, given that: my lady jane Although the movie takes a lot of liberties with facts, pop culture references to Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jack Dawson in the movie. titanicis interesting, but doesn’t seem relevant to this particular book. But the randomness of this comment is interesting in itself.[2]
8 Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World by Derek Lundy
Some writers get so creative with their book dedications that they almost become their own stories. Derek Lundy has a long, humorous, funny and quirky history of writing dedication books. In the fifth volume of his dark fantasy series, fun sneaky act of the title mortal coil, Randi claims that he was forced to dedicate the book to his editor. In another volume, deathbringerHe talked a little about how he was jealous of his younger nieces because they were getting so much attention.
In the 2007 novel Skulduggery Pleasant: The End of the World, he dedicated the book to cover artist Tom Percival. Randy first talked about the amount of letters he received and praised his cover. He then gushed about the possibility of designing the cover himself, saying: I have natural talent and insight, and he even studied for a year at an art college. ”
Randy goes on to speculate that Percival is aware of all this and pushes himself to do such a good job because he feels threatened by his own abilities and motivation. Randy ends his satirical dedication to Percival by saying, “P.S., you’re welcome.”[3]
7 Henrisis Illustrations by John Capgrave
John Capgrave, a 15th-century monk, scholastic, and historian, used the dedication of a book he wrote on English history to switch political camps during the Wars of the Roses.he had previously dedicated his own book Henrisis illustribus Addressing Henry VI, he praised not only the king himself but also his Lancastrian predecessors. He said his government was approved by God. However, after the king was deposed by his rival for the British throne, Edward IV, Capgrave used his own dedication page. england chronicles (1462) Supports the new king. Capgrave’s great achievement in writing the first history of England not written in Latin is sometimes overshadowed by his subversive methods.
Although many criticize Capgrave for his dishonesty and snobbery, which would be outrageous today, the patronage of royalty and other powerful people was so important to the publishing industry in this period that the monks Some have pointed out that the behavior of people more or less reflects that. of the era. This doesn’t mean that showing favors to the right person when dedicating a book is completely a thing of the past, but modern writers tend to be a little more careful about this.[4]
6 Sick in the Head: Conversations about Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow
Writer, comedian, director, and producer Judd Apatow is known for his quirky sense of humor. But sometimes his quick-witted fans are caught off guard. At his 2015 book dedication ceremony. Sick in the Head: Conversations about life and comedy, he first mentions Leslie, Maude, and Iris (his wife and daughter’s names). And, “And to my mom and dad. All of this is possible because of your support and the mental health challenges you gave me.”
Most readers will take Apatow’s dedication final part as a joke, especially considering his irreverent comedy style. Still, given that comedy in general draws inspiration from emotional baggage and familial relationships, it wouldn’t be surprising to learn that there’s some truth to this cheeky comment.[5]
Five The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Mark Twain Given that Mark Twain is famous for his eccentricity and quirky sense of humor, it may not be surprising to learn that he wrote a strangely funny tribute book. In fact, Twain had a special talent for this kind of thing, and he wrote many eccentric and highly memorable dedications over the years. Calaveras County’s Famous Jumping Frog and Other Sketches The book is dedicated to John Smith, and the joke is that everyone with that very common name expects to buy the book.
But Mark Twain, aka Samuel Clemens, may have outdone himself with his 1884 opening to the classic children’s novel. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Although this is usually called a dedication, this message is actually a humorous note at the beginning of the book, making it one of Twain’s most famous quotes.
“Those who try to find a motive in this story will be prosecuted. Those who try to find a moral in it will be exiled. Those who try to find a conspiracy in it will be shot.”
This satirical, mean-spirited remark oozes Twain’s signature wit and has captivated generations of Twain fans.[6]
Four Masquerade by Terry Pratchett
Many unconventional book dedications fall into one of two groups: bizarre or disturbing.Author and humorist Terry Pratchett’s dedication to his 1995 fantasy novel Masquerade: A Discworld Novel It can be both.
He writes: “Thank you to the people who showed me that opera was weirder than I imagined. The best way to repay their kindness is by not mentioning their names here.”
People tend to either love opera or hate it. If his sarcasm is any clue, Pratchett likely belongs to the latter group. At least this dedication relates to the following subject: masquerade. This supernatural tale is reminiscent of the beloved Gothic classic, but involves a ghost who commits a series of murders at the Ankh-Morpork Opera House.[7]
3 “Wild Fire” by Nelson DeMille
In dedicating the 2006 edition of the suspense thriller, wild fireNelson DeMille, the fourth book in the “John Corey” series, is a notorious author who uses any excuse to mention celebrities and other public figures in the dedication of his books, even if it’s an exaggeration. teased.
DeMille thanked “the Emperor of Japan and the Queen of England for promoting literacy,” and went on to mention various celebrities who briefly praised DeMille’s work. Bruce Willis was one of those people, and he called the author one day and said, “Hey, you’re a great writer.”
DeMille’s long list includes Paris Hilton, whose book is stocked in the gift shop of her family’s hotel chain. Finally, he thanked Belgian King Albert II for waving at him during the royal procession in Brussels, adding that he had “disrupted traffic for 30 minutes, and as a result, I was unable to complete the grand finale to dethrone the King.” I ended up wasting my time thinking up some kind of conspiracy.” Belgian. ”[8]
2 “Bad Beginning” by Lemon Snicket
Author Daniel Handler wrote darkly humorous dedications to the children’s book series under the pen name “Lemony Snicket.” a series of unfortunate events. Snicket, who is also a character in the story, writes a letter to a heartbroken woman named Beatrice, who has broken off her engagement and married a man named Bertrand. The two died several years later, leaving behind Baudelaire’s orphaned children.
The original message appears here Bad Beginnings: The First Book. Snicket says, “To Beatrice – my beloved, my beloved, my departed.”
He continued this theme, writing this dedication in irreverent form across all 13 volumes of the series, published between 1999 and 2006. They all begin with “For Beatrice.” Some of the most sensible examples include:Now You Are” The Vile Village: Book The Seventh “My love flies like a butterfly, till death swoops down like a bat.” The Wretched Factory: Book 4.
Towards the end of the series, we finally learn exactly what caused poor Beatrice to die: a house fire.in Penultimate Peril: Book 12Snicket wrote to her, “No one could erase my love or your home.”[9]
1 Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Many authors have noted how disappointed their friends and family were that a particular book was not dedicated to them, even within the context of the dedication itself. As a result, the writer may end up recognizing that person in their next book. However, author Neil Gaiman found a very clever way to get around this problem by writing a humorous 2005 dedication to his fantasy novel. anansi boys It’s a humorous and elusive word that can be anyone and everyone at the same time.
“Because we haven’t met yet/We only know each other briefly/We’re just crazy about each other/We haven’t seen each other for so long/There’s some kind of connection/We’ll never meet, but I know we’ll meet Believe, nevertheless, it is always about caring for each other! This is for you. You know what it is and perhaps why.”
Whether or not the comedic style of this dedication appeals to readers, they can’t help but notice that Gaiman seems to have covered all the bases. Some may complain that their names are not mentioned, but you can’t blame the author for leaving someone out.[10]
