The Friday Quiz: Avoiding the Subject
A little quasi-literary-history question today, with a slight, entirely unintential Oscar connection, for which I apologize. Clue action may well be sparse, so work it out amongst yourselves if you can.
In 1966, Truman Capote's groundbreaking In Cold Blood was the No. 3 bestselling nonfiction title of the year. The No. 2 title was by a pair of co-authors now as well-known as Capote himself. The No. 1 title was by a man named Norman Dacey, and offered advice about avoiding a particular problem.
Our two-part question: who were the authors of the No. 2 book? And what was the subject of Dacey's popular volume?
First correct answer posted to comments wins a copy of Joey Pants on Joey Pants, actor Joe Pantoliano's self-published volume of self-interviews conducted over a rambling weekend in the Berkshires in 2003. No Googling or getting all your MySpace pals to help you out. One guess per comment, but you may comment as often as you like.
Comments
For the co-authors, let's go with Watson and Crick.
What would people have been really keen to avoid in 1966? I'll throw out godlessness.
Posted by: boxjam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 10:45 AM
Do people just hate the new design?
Boxjam is wide of the mark. The authors were not both male.
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 03:59 PM
OK -- another hint. One book was about sex. The other was about death.
Hello? Is this thing on?
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 05:22 PM
I just have no idea.
Posted by: Scraps![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 05:28 PM
1) Masters and Johnson
2) Avoiding being buried alive.
Posted by: boxjam![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 05:44 PM
Scraps must be right about Masters and Johnson. Maybe Dacey was writing about how to avoid cancer or heart disease through proper diet (but that sounds like a more recent type of book).
Posted by: art![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 05:52 PM
Oops--I meant boxjam must be right (it is hard to tell who is posting what until I get used to typekey)
Posted by: art![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 05:53 PM
I do hate the new design, I'm afraid, but I was also stumped.
I'll guess that it was how to avoid going to probate.
Posted by: gavinedwards![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 10, 2006 06:20 PM
Stumped and design-hatey you may be, Gavin, but you're right about probate -- the book in question was How to Avoid Probate, by Norman F. Dacey.
Boxjam has the other part of the answer right with Masters and Johnson.
It's true that the current look of the site isn't what I'd hoped it would be. And I think it will improve, as I have time to monkey with it. Suggests or particular points of irritation are welcome -- but bear with me, as I spent far too much time last week getting this far, and am now resolved to stop breaking my head over applying styles every night.
Posted by: BT![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 12, 2006 02:21 PM
Color me astonished! I was at least 30% joking with that guess.
It's hard to pinpoint what's wrong with the design, since I'm not really a design guy myself--and I'm sure at least part of my reaction is my usual dislike of any new design of any publication ever--but it feels like it could use less clutter and more white space.
Posted by: gavinedwards![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.wombatfile.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 13, 2006 10:50 PM