Alternative title (publishing)
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An alternative title or alternate title in book publishing refers to the usage of "or" in book titles, typically seen in the form "Title: or, Subtitle," a practice that started in the 17th century, and was common in both English and American literature. During this period, many books aimed to appeal to a broader audience by using more descriptive subtitles.
As an example, Mary Shelley gave her most famous novel the title Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, where or, The Modern Prometheus is the alternative title, by which she references the Greek Titan as a hint of the novel's themes.[1] More examples are On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life and Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.
This convention started to decline in the 19th century as book titles became more concise and marketing strategies evolved[2], and the more modern usage is to simply separate the subtitle by punctuation, making the subtitle more of a continuation or sub-element of the title proper.
References
- ^ Cantor, Paul A. (1985). Creature and Creator. CUP Archive. pp. 103–104. ISBN 9780521313629.
- ^ A.L.A. Catalog Rules: Author and Title Entries. Chicago: American Library Association. 1941. p. xv:
Alternative title. A subtitle introduced by "or" or its equivalent
.