But still, I never understood those titles either! I mean, metadata or no, don’t tell me everything that happens in the book from the title! Nothing screams “spoiler alert required!” more that the full titles for Moll Flanders or Robinson Crusoe!

Can’t someone just assign keywords to books for searching without them being in the title?

I do agree with you that with fiction in particular there is a surprising lack of creativity in creating this “search enhancing” phrase. Colon:A Novel is such a cop out. I would love to see a return to the more baroque titles of the 18th Century. The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling is quite descriptive but nothing compared to the naturally search optimized The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, Etc. Who Was Born In Newgate, and During a Life of Continu’d Variety For Threescore Years, Besides Her Childhood, Was Twelve Year a Whore, Five Times a Wife [Whereof Once To Her Own Brother], Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon In Virginia, At Last Grew Rich, Liv’d Honest, and Died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums., but I don’t think anyone could beat The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York, Mariner: Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an un-inhabited Island on the coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque; Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, where-in all the Men perished but himself. With An Account how he was at last as strangely deliver’d by Pyrates. Written by Himself. Type The Great River of Oroonoque into Google and see what the first 5 listings are.

And yes, Whatever: A Novel, I KNOW you’re a novel. I’m in the Fiction section at the bookstore. Chances are, I’m buying a novel.

Sheesh!

Somehow, I feel like this is all Dave Eggers’ and McSweeney’s fault.