Quirk Books
Encyclopedia
Quirk Books is an independent book publisher based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, United States
.
The company was founded by David Borgenicht, co-author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, which has spawned sequels, as well as a TBS television series and a board game. Quirk develops "Coffee Table" books. Their books are made to attract a person's eye at first sight.
More recently, its "Quirk Classics" imprint has also begun publishing mashup
combinations of public domain
literary classics (currently from Jane Austen
, Leo Tolstoy
and Franz Kafka
) and added anachronisms or juxtaposed tropes from other literary genre
s such as zombies, predatory sea monsters
, robots, androids and kitten
s.
Mashup Books
Published under the "Quirk Classics" imprint
The Brick Testament
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The company was founded by David Borgenicht, co-author of The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, which has spawned sequels, as well as a TBS television series and a board game. Quirk develops "Coffee Table" books. Their books are made to attract a person's eye at first sight.
More recently, its "Quirk Classics" imprint has also begun publishing mashup
Mashup (book)
A mashup novel, or mashup book , is a work of fiction which combines a pre-existing text, often a classic work of fiction, with a certain popular genre such as vampire or zombie narratives...
combinations of public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
literary classics (currently from Jane Austen
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
, Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
and Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
) and added anachronisms or juxtaposed tropes from other literary genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
s such as zombies, predatory sea monsters
Sea Monsters
Sea Monsters was a BBC television trilogy which used computer-generated imagery to show past life in Earth's seas. In the U.S. it was known as Chased by Sea Monsters. It was made by Impossible Pictures, the creators of Walking with Dinosaurs, Walking with Beasts and Walking with Monsters...
, robots, androids and kitten
Kitten
A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species....
s.
Crossover books
Quirk specializes in "crossover books" that can be sold outside of book stores. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, David Borgenicht said, "We look for a concept that has a clear core market and, if published and packaged correctly with real, useful, and/or cogent information, has the ability to cross over into non-book stores."List of published books
- How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is the Antichrist by Patricia Carlin and Michael Miller (2010).
- Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin D. Anderson and Sam Stall(2010)
- Friend or Faux (2009) by Heather Wagner
- Geeky Dreamboats (2009) by Lacey Solow and Sarah O'Brien
- The Encyclopedia ShatnerShatnerShatner may refer to:* Melanie Shatner , television and movie actress, daughter of William Shatner* Mordechai Shatner , Zionist activist and a signatory of the Israeli declaration of independence...
ica (1998: 2009) by Robert SchnakenbergRobert SchnakenbergRobert Schnakenberg , also known as Nguyen van Foch, is the author of more than a dozen books, including Sci-Fi Baby Names, Secret Lives of Great Authors, and The Encyclopedia Shatnerica... - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - A Graphic Novel (2008, ISBN 978-1-59474-281-1)
- Christopher WalkenChristopher WalkenChristopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
: A to Z (2008) by Robert SchnakenbergRobert SchnakenbergRobert Schnakenberg , also known as Nguyen van Foch, is the author of more than a dozen books, including Sci-Fi Baby Names, Secret Lives of Great Authors, and The Encyclopedia Shatnerica... - The Pregnancy Instruction Manual (2008) by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg, M.D.
- The Rookie Mom's Handbook (2008) by Heather Gibbs Flett and Whitney Moss
- Margarita Mama (2008) by Alyssa Gusenoff
- Mama Knows Breast (2007) by Andi Silverman
- The Amazing Magical Wonder Deck, by Mr. Mysterio
- Chef's Secrets, by Francine Maroukian
- The Field Guide to Produce, by Aliza Green
- How to Survive a Horror Movie, by Seth Grahame-Smith
- My First Book of Business Ethics, by Alan Axelrod
- The Peanut Butter & Co.Peanut Butter & Co.Peanut Butter & Co. is a sandwich shop in Greenwich Village, New York City that was founded in 1998 by Lee Zalben. Its menu primarily consists of peanut butter sandwiches and other items made with peanut butter....
Cookbook, by Lee Zalben - Dracula's Heir: An Interactive Mystery (2008, ISBN 978-1-59474-285-9) by Sam Stall
- The Bride Instructional Manual: How to Survive and Possibly Even Enjoy the Biggest Day in Your Life, by Carrie Denny
- The Groom's Instruction Manual: How to Survive and Possibly Even Enjoy the Most Bewildering Ceremony Known to Man, by Shandon Fowler
- The Newlywed's Instruction Manual: Essential Information, Troubleshooting Tips, and Advice for the First Year of Marriage, by Caroline Tiger
Secret Lives
- Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents, by Cormac O’Brien
- Secret Lives of the First Ladies, by Cormac O’Brien
- Secret Lives of Great Artists, by Elizabeth Lunday
- Secret Lives of Great Authors, by Robert SchnakenbergRobert SchnakenbergRobert Schnakenberg , also known as Nguyen van Foch, is the author of more than a dozen books, including Sci-Fi Baby Names, Secret Lives of Great Authors, and The Encyclopedia Shatnerica...
Pop Culture Handbooks
- SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
Handbook by Scott Beatty - The Indiana JonesIndiana JonesColonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
Handbook, by Denise Kiernan and Joseph D'Agnese - BatmanBatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
Handbook, by Scott Beatty - The Captain Jack SparrowCaptain Jack SparrowJack Sparrow is a fictional character and the central protagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, portrayed by Johnny Depp. He is first introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
Handbook, by Jason Heller - The Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
Handbook, by Seth Grahame-Smith - The Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
Handbook, by Ransom Riggs
Mashup BooksMashup (book)A mashup novel, or mashup book , is a work of fiction which combines a pre-existing text, often a classic work of fiction, with a certain popular genre such as vampire or zombie narratives...
Published under the "Quirk Classics" imprint
- The Meowmorphosis by Franz KafkaFranz KafkaFranz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
and Coleridge Cook (2011) - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After by Steve HockensmithSteve HockensmithSteve Hockensmith is an American author. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He now lives in California.-Biography:Hockensmith is the author of the Holmes on the Range mystery series...
(2011) - Android KareninaAndroid KareninaAndroid Karenina is a 2010 parody novel written by Ben H. Winters and based on Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. The novel is a mashup, adding steam punk elements to the Russian 19th-century environment of Anna Karenina, a book first published in 1877....
by Leo TolstoyLeo TolstoyLev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
and Ben Winters (2010) - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the DreadfulsPride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the DreadfulsPride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls is a parody novel by Steve Hockensmith. It is a prequel to Seth Grahame-Smith's 2009 novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, focusing on "the early life and training of Elizabeth Bennet, heroine of the earlier Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as...
by Steve HockensmithSteve HockensmithSteve Hockensmith is an American author. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He now lives in California.-Biography:Hockensmith is the author of the Holmes on the Range mystery series...
(2010) - Sense and Sensibility and Sea MonstersSense and Sensibility and Sea MonstersSense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is a parody novel by Ben H. Winters, with Jane Austen credited as co-author. It is a mashup story containing elements from Jane Austen's 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility and common tropes from sea monster stories. It is the thematic sequel to another 2009...
(2009) by Jane AustenJane AustenJane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
and Ben Winters - Pride and Prejudice and ZombiesPride and Prejudice and ZombiesPride and Prejudice and Zombies is a 2009 parody novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. It is a mashup combining Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice with elements of modern zombie fiction, crediting Austen as co-author...
(2009, ISBN 978-1-59474-334-4) by Jane AustenJane AustenJane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.Austen lived...
and Seth Grahame-SmithSeth Grahame-SmithSeth Grahame-Smith is an American best-selling author, screenwriter, and producer of film and television. He is best known as the author of The New York Times best-selling novels Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, both of which are being adapted as feature films...
The Brick TestamentThe Brick TestamentThe Brick Testament is a project created by Brendan Powell Smith in which Bible stories are illustrated using still photographs of dioramas constructed entirely out of Lego bricks. The project began as a website in October 2001 that featured six stories from the book of Genesis, and is completely...
- The Brick Testament: The Ten Commandments (2005, ISBN 1-59474-044-5) by Brendan Powell Smith
- The Brick Testament: The Story of Christmas (2004, ISBN 1-59474-012-7) by Brendan Powell Smith
- The Brick Testament: Stories from the Book of Genesis (2003, ISBN 1-931686-45-9) by Brendan Powell Smith