Vanity Press

The French do have a sense of humor after all. The newspaper Le Figaro got up a manuscript of the famous 19th century French classic novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert and submitted it to five vanity publishers (new name: publish on demand, self publishing). Of course they changed the title and some of the main characters' names, but none of the vanity presses recognized the prank. One even estimated that the "new book" would sell for 21.50 euros. The highest charge offered was 4,800 euros. Another would have charged 4,200 euros to print 200 copies.

Mohammed Aissaoui, of Le Figaro, said: "These committees should have been surprised at the literary quality, at the style of this text and at the absence of faults, which contrast sharply with what they usually receive." (from the Times Online)

07/02/05 UPDATE Yikes! Somehow this paragraph was left out when originally published: At A Stop at Willoughby: Vanity Presses Stung...Again I like the hay Patrick makes of this news, especially, It's when they'll gush while writing you a check that you know you've written something worth printing. [Tectags: vanity press]

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