LONDON (Reuters) - "Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers" benefited from a late surge in public support to win the title on Friday of oddest book title of the past 30 years, The Bookseller magazine said.
The book -- a comprehensive record of Greek postal routesby Derek Willan -- grabbed 13 percent of the 1,000international public votes cast to chose the oddest title fromthe winners of the annual competition that began in 1978.
It beat "People Who Don't Know They're Dead" and "How ToAvoid Huge Ships" into second and third places with 11 and 10percent respectively.
"The posties pulled off a real shock here. Thepre-tournament favourite was the prize's first ever recipient -"Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on NudeMice," said Horace Bent, custodian of the annual Diagram Prize.
"Right from the off, it was Gary Leon Hill's "People WhoDon't Know They're Dead" that set the pace. It topped the pollsfor over three weeks," he added.
Another early favourite "How To Bombproof Your Horse" alsofailed to feature in the final count.
The prize was dreamed up initially at the 1978 FrankfurtBook Fair as a way of avoiding boredom. It has since become anannual star. This year's winner was "If You Want Closure inYour Relationship, Start With Your Legs."
(Reporting by Jeremy Lovell; Editing by Matthew Jones)
