Image by lazytom via Flickr
Ran across your site today and it reminded me to tell you how your first book, Juggling for the Complete Klutz, inspired the first in the bestselling tutorial series of all publishing history: DOS for Dummies.
I was founding editor of IDG Books, back in 1991, and needed an idea for a beginner series of books for computer users. Long story short: My uncle suggested the title to me, and because years earlier I had bought a copy of Juggling for the Complete Klutz (complete with two red juggling sacks)(although I never learned to juggle, darn it!), I was prepared mentally and morally to listen to and act on my uncle Hugh's suggestion.
Your book, and the VW Repair book with a similar title (can't remember exactly: VW Repair for hte nonmechanical? No, something snappier. But aimed at the same audience) inspired me to follow up on the idea, and we took DOS for Dummies in one year to become the alltime bestselling computer book. The series produced a dozen million-sellers, and eventually hit nearly 500 titles before being pruned back recently to a more reasonable number by new owners.
If I hadn't seen and bought the Klutz book (and the VW repair book), I might very well not have recognized my uncle's title idea for the genius that it was. In fact, in later years I found that the phrase "DOS for Dummies" was a joke insider title among longtime publishers for beginner computer books – and it certainly never would have occurred to them to actually publish a book with a name like that. But that's because they were too close to it, and didn't really understand their audience. Luckily, I had come from outside the computer-book-publishing industry and wasn't smart enough not to do something that dumb.
But I always remembered the Klutz book that helped make it possible for me to *see the possibilities*! And for that, I – and millions of happy book buyers for the past 15 years – owe YOU a big THANKS!
Best regards,
Michael "Mac" McCarthy
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