Literary fiction: what are the best ever book titles, and why?

[nighbynight]

Is this question considered on creative writing courses? (Never done one, so dont know.)
Anyway, I was trying to think of a good title, and was thinking of lots of famous books, and recent books, and why the titles are so great.

Quotes are out, I think? (dated). Like "The agony and the ecstasy" or "To Love and Be Wise"

A title like "Crime and Punishment" is too big for the book, unless you are writing, well Crime and Punishment.

I rather like wordplay like Faiza Guene's "Just like tomorrow" (kifkif demain) in which the author is describing a way of life from which it is very hard to escape.

The sorrows of an american is a great title as well, because it's so memorable.

what are your favourite book titles?

I dislike this one, but I read that it got picked up because the publisher thought the title would sell:
'Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman'
I suppose that might shift a few books in Waterstones but it's not for me. Although it does illustrate that it pays to put some thought into your title.

Well, I would imagine that that doesn't appeal to anyone who's female and over the age of 35!

IMO, any title with a hint of ponce should be avoided, because the best novels don't have them.

Crime and Punishment
Middlemarch
Wuthering Heights
etc.

On the other hand, you get books like "Atonement" with a simple, all encompassing title. I have picked this up several times in the bookshop, but haven't parted with money yet. I know it has lots of fans, but it has a fatal whiff of the intelligensia about it.

A Jerk on One End is very good - oh how the British do love wordplay. Living overseas, I miss it.

A one word title like Atonement does indeed suggest a serious, intelligent tome, but you have to look at the cover of it as well.

Alas, these days you can judge a book by its cover.

The actual title would not be totally out of character for this author or this one

Oh goodness, yes, book covers are just Barbie / Action Man for grown ups now.
Only the "intelligent" reads in teh middle seem to escape the cliched covers.

I have thought of a title, and it has 5 words and a nice rhythm, and is a manifesto of the book, and also has a double meaning. Is too complicated to be taken seriously

Ooooh, tell, tell!

Am on the way to bed so might not be able to comment till morning though...

no, or the copyright will rest with mn! Will probably post if I manage to sell the book

Once in a House on Fire by Andrea Ashworth - I love the title pf that book and it sums up the main theme.

Bit late to this but I like Sense & Sensibility. Elinor is Sense and Marianne is Sensibility - just like Mr Darcy being Pride and Elizabeth being Prejudice. They have to learn from each other and find the middle ground, d'you see?

I also like The Catcher in the Rye - Holden explains it in the book - he has misheard a children's rhyme (think it's a Rabbie Burns poem) about a body meeting a body coming through the rye as 'catch a body', and he pictures lots of children in a field near a cliff with him as the catcher who has to stop the children falling. It's do with him being on the verge of a breakdown, I think? Or am I wrong?

I have a secret guilty passion for crime thrillers, which always have the most awful titles. Always. But rubbish James Patterson's terrible books I think take the biscuit - they're SO contrived. It's the seventh book in the series, what shall I call it? Ooh how about Seventh Heaven?

'Lucky Bitches!' the spook jackie collins novel by french and saunders

The Catcher in the Rye is a great one!

My vote goes to:

"The Fuck-Up" by Arthur Nersesian

My first reason is it's a great cover, with the title spelled largely across front spine and back. This makes it quite fun for reading on public transport, I always find I get some curious looks and the seat next to me stays empty!! (even in London)

Another reason is the title is a description of the main character and it's a very well written book, which I would recommend to anyone.

Another quite fun title is "The Colour of a Dog Running Away", but I can't remember who wrote this.