The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Marriage; Diabetes for Dummies; The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Impeachment of the President; Ebay for Dummies; The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amazing Sex; Pregnancy for Dummies

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Dec 13, 1999 | by Jennifer Harper

From auto repair to amazing sex, it's all explained in these `references for the rest of us.'

Dummies and idiots rule! Thanks to several hundred breezy how-to guides to modern life, there no longer is a stigma attached to being a bit unsure. Indeed, dummyhood and idiocy have been packaged into something cute -- even appealing.

Witness herein: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Marriage; Diabetes for Dummies; The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Impeachment of the President; Ebay for Dummies; The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amazing Sex; Pregnancy for Dummies.

These books celebrate self-help, a "reference for the rest of us," says John Kilcullen, founder of IDG Books, which publishes the infamous Dummies guides. "We're geared to those who are confident enough to admit they don't know much about something," counters Vicki Skelton of Macmillan Publishing, which offers the rival Complete Idiot's Guide series. Both cast dummies in the role of virtuous novices bent on improvement rather than, well, plain old dummies. Well, duh!

Few topics escape their light-hearted predigestion -- computer science, the Internet, history, philosophy, psychology, ethics, relationships, careers, finances, food, health and culture. The two publishing companies have raised such easygoing fare to a high art, vying for the shortened American attention span and aspiring to be as familiar as, say, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

California-based IDG Books has offered the brilliant yellow Dummies series since 1991, when Kilcullen, then employed by another publisher, decided to rid people of their computer anxiety "by poking fun at it with books that are insightful and educational." The concept worked: IDG now offers more than 450 titles in 31 languages in 40 countries. The company has purchased Cliff's Notes, the old student standby, and maintains a Website (www.dummies.com). IDG also has combined with the popular "Ask Jeeves" Internet advice site to offer the "Dummies Help Desk," a question-and-answer center that will go online shortly.

"Dummies has a trusted ability to demystify complicated subjects," says Senior Vice President Brenda McLaughlin. Thus, we get Roses for Dummies and Champagne for Dummies with Auto Repair for Dummies, Visual Basic 6 Database for Dummies and the ever-popular Politics for Dummies, which includes a voter-registration card and pointers on how to recognize media manipulation or negative campaigns. "A rose is a rose, but a pot is not a pan," notes Cooking for Dummies, published in 1996. "If it has two opposite-set handles and a lid, it's classified as a pot."

Things can get very specific, indeed. "E-mail eliminates tone of voice and body language -- a huge potential for misunderstanding," says Karen Leland, author of the brand new Customer Service for Dummies. The book includes guidance on proper "electronic emotions" for those who do business on the Internet.

Philosophies are similar at Indianapolis-based Macmillan Publishing, where Complete Idiot's Guides address some very pointed topics -- more than 300 of them. Companion computer software is available for some titles; a Website (www.mcp.com) previews works in progress from the huge stable of Idiot's authors. "We cater to a very wide audience," says Skelton, Macmillan's spokeswoman. "Scholars, businessmen and people on the street read us and can spot our covers at a glance."

One can be schooled in resume-writing, genealogy, divorce, marriage, insurance and annuities, wills and estates, leadership, winning through negotiation, leasing a car, home maintenance, beer, wine, chess and dog training. "The trick is to keep it light and easy," explains Skelton. "That way, these topics are less intimidating."