MetaChat - What Dummies Book would you write?

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18 October 2006

What Dummies Book would you write? What Dummy™ books could, would or should they commision you to write? I'm feeling curious. Feed that curiosity. Please.

post by: seanyboy at: 09:10 | 31 comments

I'm probably only capable of making an OK job of two.

- Visual dataflex 7 for Dummies.
- Creative Poetry Criticism for Dummies.

And the second of those two is debatable.

posted by seanyboy 18 October | 09:12

Dumbness For Dummies.

(I dunno, Rock Geekdom for Dummies? Internet Porn For Dummies? Junkfood For Dummies?)

posted by jonmc 18 October | 09:13

We were just talking about this yesterday!

Idiots for Dummies^TM

It'd be the best selling one of all time!

posted by WolfDaddy 18 October | 09:13

Squirrel Taming for Dummies [a reference for the rest of us]

Catching Fish While Asleep for Dummies [a reference for the rest of us]

posted by sciurus 18 October | 09:15

Thrift Store Shopping for Dummies.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 18 October | 09:24

Grow Some Self Esteem for Dummies

posted by eatitlive 18 October | 10:14

Violin playing for Dummies. Rawk!

posted by Lotto 18 October | 10:21

Trends in Mongolian Political Mobilization for Dummies

posted by thirteenkiller 18 October | 10:24

Procrastination for Dummies!
Chapter One: Making Lists
Chapter Two: Ignorning Lists
Chapter Three: Common Time Wasters
Chapter Four: Deflecting the Blame

posted by muddgirl 18 October | 10:33

Boobies for Dummies

Whether you own your own pair or are borrowing some for recreational purposes, proper care and treatment are essential.

posted by jrossi4r 18 October | 10:35

Avoiding Success for Dummies
Umbrella Repair for Dummies
Satanic Glorification for Dummies

posted by Hellbient 18 October | 10:46

My favourite comedy example has already been published

posted by TheDonF 18 October | 10:57

I bought Procrastination for Dummies but never got around to reading it.

posted by sciurus 18 October | 11:05

Reading for Dummies

posted by Daniel Charms 18 October | 11:15

Driving in New England for Dummies, formerly published as So You Lost Your License, Old Timer - Now What?

posted by Lipstick Thespian 18 October | 11:17

Also:

Postmodernism for Dummies
Utopia for Dummies
Teenage Angst for Dummies

posted by Daniel Charms 18 October | 11:19

Crashtest for Dummies

posted by matteo 18 October | 11:28

matteo, good one! And jrossi, I wanted boobies!

I'd do:

Babies for Dummies (How to make a baby with things you probably have lying around the house!)

Soup for Dummies

Loser Boyfriends for Dummies (You sure can pick 'em!)

Flirting for Dummies

posted by Specklet 18 October | 11:34

And jrossi, I wanted boobies

Hmmm...you probably are better qualified to write it than I am. Yours are spectacular. Mine are merely FORMERLY spectacular. (Damn you to hell breastfeeding and gravity!)

posted by jrossi4r 18 October | 11:47

I always wanted to write one with somebody badass like Mr. T on the cover, and it would be called, "Don' You Be Callin' Me No Dummy."

posted by JanetLand 18 October | 12:12

There was an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago about the process of writing the Dummies books. They quoted the publisher as saying that they get suggestions all the time for new books to write, and they've never gotten a suggestion that wasn't already on their list of potential book ideas.

Anyone know what the first Dummies book was? Anyone? Anyone?

posted by mudpuppie 18 October | 13:43

That would be "DOS For Dummies", mudpuppie.

posted by cmonkey 18 October | 13:46

Wrong, cmonkey! Well, half wrong.

It was actually Auto Repair for Dummies, and it wasn't published by the (now) Dummies company. But when that dude wrote Dos for Dummies, the corp bought the rights from the guy who wrote Auto Repair.

So there you have it.

posted by mudpuppie 18 October | 13:47

Oh. Well.

I think I at least deserve half of the that grand prize cruise for two to the Bahamas.

posted by cmonkey 18 October | 13:52

Yes. You win the part of the grand prize that occurs before you ever leave home.

posted by mudpuppie 18 October | 14:05

Sleeping for Dummies

(I'm a master)

posted by Pips 18 October | 14:56

And... Palm Reading For Dummies

(anyone wanna know your future?

posted by Pips 18 October | 14:57

Bating for Dummies

(I'm a master)

posted by TheDonF 18 October | 15:07

Writing Dummy™ Books for Dummies

posted by Daniel Charms 18 October | 15:08

Fantasy Football for Dummies? *ducks*

Putting your life in boxes instead of integrating in a healthy way For Dummies.

I want pips to read my palm.

posted by rainbaby 18 October | 19:39

Semicolons; for Dummies

posted by scody 18 October | 23:29

← I just realized something. || Damnit. →

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