Is the book title misleading?

Use this forum to discuss the January 2018 Book of the Month, "And Then I Met Margaret" by Rob White
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Al Chakauya
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Is the book title misleading?

Post by Al Chakauya »

What title would best suit the book?
Would changing the book title help the reader choose a book suitable for them?

Personally,I feel the book title is rather
misleading. My opinion is that it was criminal of Rob to give such a title to his book- the book title reflects a romance novel. If it wasn't listed in the non-fiction genre, I wouldn't have picked it.
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Post by AliceofX »

I also had problems with the title. As I read the book I thought the story with Margaret would be the most important one. In the intro, he even says it turned his life around. Sure, it's what makes him realize how self-centered he was, but honestly, it was a letdown. I expected something a bit grander. The book's title seems very random.
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Post by kandscreeley »

I don't think it's necessarily indicative of a romance novel. I didn't get that idea from the title at all. I don't think it's a bad title.
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
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Al Chakauya
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Post by Al Chakauya »

kandscreeley wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 12:46 I don't think it's necessarily indicative of a romance novel. I didn't get that idea from the title at all. I don't think it's a bad title.
Fo me, the story with Margaret didn't sound to be the most important one to "take" the book title. Any other story would've nailed it to be the book title for me but Margeret! Really?
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Al Chakauya
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Post by Al Chakauya »

Al Chakauya wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 13:17
kandscreeley wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 12:46 I don't think it's necessarily indicative of a romance novel. I didn't get that idea from the title at all. I don't think it's a bad title.
Fo me, the story with Margaret didn't sound to be the most important one to "take" the book title. Any other story would've nailed it to be the book title for me but Margeret! Really?
And Then I Met The Maasai Mother, would have been a better title for me because the story sounded grandeur to me.
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Al Chakauya
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Post by Al Chakauya »

AliceofX wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 11:29 I also had problems with the title. As I read the book I thought the story with Margaret would be the most important one. In the intro, he even says it turned his life around. Sure, it's what makes him realize how self-centered he was, but honestly, it was a letdown. I expected something a bit grander. The book's title seems very random.
I totally agree with this. I thought the Maasai mother's story was more convincing and had a more powerful theme than Margaret's story.
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Post by lavellan »

Al Chakauya wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 13:29
AliceofX wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 11:29 I also had problems with the title. As I read the book I thought the story with Margaret would be the most important one. In the intro, he even says it turned his life around. Sure, it's what makes him realize how self-centered he was, but honestly, it was a letdown. I expected something a bit grander. The book's title seems very random.
I totally agree with this. I thought the Maasai mother's story was more convincing and had a more powerful theme than Margaret's story.
I agree as well. Margaret’s story was very underwhelming. I thought that the stories toward the beginning of the book like the one about the deer were more meaningful.
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Post by MsTri »

I haven't read this - nor do I think I will - but I did want to comment that it's a real downer when the title doesn't sufficiently convey what a book's about. I'm glad you were all able to like it despite the misnomer.
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Post by akeseh »

The title is misleading because it talks about the autobiography of the author
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Post by britt13 »

I think authors pick titles for very specific reasons. While to some it may seem misleading, others find a connection to it. I do not know that this title seemed very strange to me at all, in fact I actually liked it. It would be interesting to know why it was chosen though since it does seem that some readers have issue with it.
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Post by Sabina G »

Yes. I have just read the review and I expected to encounter a romance novel because of the title. It didn't dissapoint me because romance novels are not my cup of tea, but still, a bit misleading.
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Post by PriyaRD »

Just reading the title “And then I met Margret” can mislead.. but the below description “Stories of Personal Transformation” can tell what is the book about. I am yet to read it, but will prefer reading as most of the rating given is 4.
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Post by Sahani Nimandra »

Actually a big NO! The author pushed my "curiosity" button, like "why did he name the book after her?" But after he justified his reasons, I was very pleased with his answer. For me the author seemed to have used a continuous approach "... and then I met Margaret". The "and then" this expressed to me out of all people this particular person is "special", that he knew she had "hit him on the right spot" which as a result he dedicated the book to her. Actually yes she taught him a very important lesson for life.
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Post by Leyla »

The title led me to believe that there was romance in the novel. Very disappointing.
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Post by Vickie Noel »

MsTri wrote: 01 Jan 2018, 14:56 I haven't read this - nor do I think I will - but I did want to comment that it's a real downer when the title doesn't sufficiently convey what a book's about. I'm glad you were all able to like it despite the misnomer.
I agree with you, MsTri. Personally, I believe a title has to expressly signify most of the content of any creative writing, if possible, be present in the work itself. That certainly takes quite a lot of mental power, especially if it doesn't come straight to you and you've got to ponder over it. Sad to say, I feel authors take the easy way out when a book title appears random from its contents.
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