Kailey (Luminous Libro)’s Reviews > Why Not Catch-21?: The Stories Behind the Titles > Status Update

Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" was almost named Catch-18, until another book was published by blockbuster novelist, Leon Uris, entitled "Mila-18" also about WWII. The publishers insisted on changing the title number, and Catch-11 was suggested, but rejected because of the popular Ocean's 11. The number 22 was settled on b/c the publisher thought it had a funny ring to it.

C.S Lewis included three things in the title of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" as a nod to traditional fairy tale structure and the importance of the number three in folklore and myth. He began writing about a faun carrying parcels in the snow, and said that Aslan came bounding into the story because Lewis had been having recurrent dreams about lions at the time.

"Winnie-the-Pooh" was named after a swan in the park, whom Christopher Robin called "Pooh" (since if he didn't come when you called him, you could pretend to be saying "pooh" as if you hadn't wanted him anyway), and a bear in the London Zoo called "Winnipeg" (named by an American soldier after his hometown). Winnie-the-Pooh's true name is Edward Bear, and Pooh is just a nickname.

Alexander Dumas Fils' "The Lady of the Camellias" was based on the true story of Alphonsine Plessis, with whom he had an affair. Alphonsine broke off her connection with Dumas Fils, married a rich man, and died (probably of consumption) at the age of 23. Soon after her death, Dumas Fils was in need of cash and wrote a fictionalized account of the affair with himself cast as the hero.

The first existing version of Cinderella was an Egyptian tale of a girl who has her slipper stolen by an eagle. The version we know today is the result of an error in translation from the French word "vair" meaning an ermine-like fur, which was changed to "verre" meaning glass. Cinderella would have been more comfortable with fur shoes, but the idea of glass has stayed in the imaginations of readers for centuries.

"Around the world in 80 Days" may have been based on George Francis Train, an American railroad owner who claimed he could travel the globe in 80 days as a political campaign stunt to gain him votes. He didn't complete his journey on time, due to being arrested in Spain for supporting and aiding revolutionaries. Jules Verne denied that Train was the inspiration for his novel.

"Moby Dick" was based on a real albino whale named "Mocha Dick" after the island of Mocha nearby. Just nine days before it was published, a whale rammed and sank a ship out of New Bedford, fueling book sales and delighting Herman Melville.