Anyone remember a 1960's novel "without any literary value"?

Question

Does anyone remember a novel from the 1960s, written by a group of English writers who sat down one evening to write a definitive novel without any literary merit. They wrote a chapter each and to their surprise, their joke became a best seller.

I'd be glad to get the title and any other detail. The content was considered very daring at the time(!)

Thanks

Answer 1

You're refering to a "composite novel," one novel written by multiple authors. Ken Kesey directed 13 of his students to write a novel in that format (CAVERNS), but that came out in 1990. Henry James collaborated on one, THE WHOLE FAMILY (1908), as did Harriet Beecher Stowe (SIX OF ONE BY HALF DOZEN OF THE OTHER, 1872). Then there's THE STURDY OAK (1917), with Fannie Hurst as one of the contributors. But I haven't found a listing for one from the 1960s that really fits the bill.