For dummies how many books

For Dummies originated in the late s, in California. At the time, technology was transforming the workplace, with people increasingly switching from typewriters and basic word processors to desktop computers. Users found the technology bewildering, but had nowhere to go for help. The initial print run of sold out in a week. By , IDG had 26 Dummies titles in print, all on tech subjects, seven of them written by Gookin, many of them bestsellers. The For Dummies guides are like the analogue equivalent of Wikipedia; they promise a short cut, a life hack.

Soon, IDG branched out into other areas, such as personal finance and lifestyle, producing For Dummies on red wine, alternative health and herbal remedies. All the books had the same formula, with short, punchy chapters, lots of tips and lists, and a chatty writing style.

Editors invariably commissioned leading experts as authors: Stephen P. But IDG also had timing on its side.

Big box stores had maybe , books, and maybe , titles. That allowed For Dummies to get a whole shelf alone. The big box stores also spoke to the market in a different way. For a long time, the books had a certain stigma. No one wanted to be seen reading a For Dummies on the bus or at the beach — or anywhere else, for that matter. But they accurately presaged a world that was increasingly information-rich but time-poor.

How-to guides have been around since Moses. The 10 Commandments is a how-to, of sorts. So is the Kama Sutra , which also came with helpful diagrams.

The following years saw a marked trend toward snootiness. Seth T. Even as recently as the s, how-to books, especially in the tech space, were essentially manuals: stilted, jargony and as dry as rock dust.

According to publishing house Wiley, which bought the franchise from IDG in , 6. For Dummies changed that. There are now different topics covered, and the books have been translated into 30 languages. Probably the closest comparison is the Lonely Planet travel guides, the first of which was published in This year, Wiley released Ghost-Hunting for Dummies , by the American paranormal investigator and television personality Zak Bagans, who explains, among other things, how to deal with unwieldy spirits and get messages from beyond the grave.

Now they monitor market data and track keyword searches on Google; Hayes, who specialises in tech, subscribes to a veritable library of trade newsletters and mailing lists. At 49, Hayes is pretty much a Dummies lifer. In , he became an acquisitions editor, a position he has held ever since. But sales can be country specific.

A good example is Cats For Dummies and the topic of declawing indoor cats. The two authors of the book had different views of the matter and the book offered them space to present both their viewpoints.

Of course, times change and values shift. But decriminalisation in some US states opened the door for that title, which was published last year. The For Dummies brand covers topics and the books have been translated into 30 languages. Randy Ingermanson Goodreads Author.

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Spam or Self-Promotional The list is spam or self-promotional. Incorrect Book The list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Creative Writing for Dummies by Maggie Hamand 3. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Blogging for Dummies by Brad Hill 3.

Want to Read saving… Error rating book. Public Speaking for Dummies by Malcolm Kushner 3. Guitar For Dummies by Mark Phillips 3. Drawing for Dummies by Brenda Hoddinott 3. Cooking For Dummies by Bryan Miller 3. Art for Dummies by Thomas Hoving 3. Manga for Dummies by Kensuke Okabayashi 3.

Photography For Dummies by Russell Hart 3. Sherlock Holmes for Dummies by Steven Doyle 4. Calculus for Dummies by Mark Ryan 3. Kabbalah For Dummies by Arthur Kurzweil 4. Islam for Dummies by Malcolm Clark 3. Biology for Dummies by Donna Rae Siegfried 3. Su Doku for Dummies by Andrew Heron 3. Existentialism For Dummies by Christopher Panza 4. Self-Publishing for Dummies by Jason R.

Rich 3. Arabic For Dummies by Amine Bouchentouf 3. Arden 3. The Torah for Dummies by Arthur Kurzweil 4. Fitness Walking for Dummies by Liz Neporent 3. Investing For Dummies by Eric Tyson 3. Sushi for Dummies by Judi Strada Contributor 3. Philosophy for Dummies by Tom Morris 3. Mythology for Dummies by Christopher W. Blackwell 3. Chemistry for Dummies by John T.

Moore 3. Psychology for Dummies by Adam Cash 3. Wikis For Dummies by Dan Woods 3. Poetry for Dummies by The Poetry Center 3.

Chess for Dummies by James Eade 3. The Bible for Dummies by Jeffrey Geoghegan 4. Being Vegetarian for Dummies by Suzanne Havala 3. Browning 3. Dating for Dummies by Joy Browne 3. Composting for Dummies by Cathy Cromell 3. Logic For Dummies by Mark Zegarelli 3. Physics Essentials for Dummies by Steven Holzner 3. Archaeology for Dummies by Nancy Marie White 3. Evolution For Dummies by Greg Krukonis 3. Yoga for dummies by Larry Payne 3. Latin for Dummies by Clifford A.

Hull 3. Singing for Dummies by Pamelia S. Phillips 3. Success For Dummies by Zig Ziglar 4. Everyday Math for Dummies by Charles Seiter 3. Puppies For Dummies by Sarah Hodgson 3. Quantum Physics for Dummies by Steven Holzner 3.

Nanotechnology For Dummies by Richard D. Booker 3. Rabbits For Dummies by Connie Isbell 4. Italy for Dummies by Bruce Murphy 3.

Organizing for Dummies by Eileen Roth 3. Stress Management for Dummies by Allen Elkin 3. Astronomy For Dummies by Stephen P. Maran 3. Buddhism for Dummies by Jonathan Landaw 3. Fibromyalgia for Dummies by Roland Staud 3. Beer For Dummies by Marty Nachel 3.

Ethics For Dummies by Christopher Panza 3. Violin for Dummies by Katharine Rapoport 3.