Melville House Books

When D.H. Lawrence showed the manuscript for his new book to his printer, as he later recounted in a letter to Maria and Aldous Huxley, the printer became “very cross, morally so” and “suggested rather savagely that I should call it: ‘John Thomas and Lady Jane.’” Rather than be insulted, Lawrence liked the idea. “Many a true word spoken in spite, so I promptly called it that,” he told the Huxleys. “Remains to be seen if Secker and Knopf will stand it.” Alas, they didn’t, and that’s how the book came to be called Lady Chatterly’s Lover, rather than, as those who’ve read it will understand, something much more deliciously outrageous.

This, and many other lovely such stories can be found on one of the most fun websites Moby has come across in a while, the smart and kooky How Books Got Their Titles.

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.