dani shapiro inheritance a memoir of genealogy paternity and love

For example, if you’ve just discovered Belle Boggs’ first book by its title- The Art of Waiting-you might wonder what it is. It can be helpful at the beginning, though, especially for memoirs, where the subtitle helps tip readers off to the fact that they’re getting a true story.

Once a book becomes popular, the subtitle typically disappears from our consciousness. (When you were in eighth grade and your mom asked you what you were doing your book report on for school, did you say, “Why, I’m reading Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus”?) The ubiquitous Eat, Pray, Love was actually Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia, although I bet no one ever called it that. That’s when I realized some of the most recognizable books on shelves had extra words I’d barely noticed before on their covers. But I admit I didn’t give much thought to subtitles until I started working in the book world several years ago. That is, it’s not what anyone calls the thing, but you’re stuck with it forever, so you might as well pick something good.Īs a person who goes by both my first and middle names-“Mary Laura”-I’m extra sensitive to the idea that every part of a name counts. And the subtitle? It’s the book’s middle name. The author’s byline is the book’s surname, which it has in common with every other book by that writer. The title is the book’s given name, what it goes by. Naming a book is a bit like naming a child.

Dani shapiro inheritance a memoir of genealogy paternity and love