Manual titles aim directly at the clueless

Are we all idiots?

Or maybe dummies?

At least two very active publishing companies have had great success treating us that way.

From the intricacies of the Amish to the mysteries of sex, the orange-and-blue “Complete Idiot’s Guides” have brought enlightenment to clueless Americans. They’re joined on bookshelves everywhere by the more conservative — but just as far-reaching — yellow-and-black “For Dummies” series. Between them, they’re turning everything from the sacred to the sexy into a manual.

The two series now are read in more than 40 countries by everyone from Korean businessmen to Polish housewives. Together they have sold more than 150 million books on everything from Shakespeare to feng shui.

And they aren’t slowing down.

Alpha Books, which publishes “Complete Idiot’s Guides,” releases around five new titles a month; John Wiley & Sons, publisher of the “For Dummies” series, releases more than 100 a year, not including new editions of earlier titles.

How did what started as computer manuals turn into blueprints for life?

It began in 1991 with “DOS for Dummies,” followed by “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to MS-DOS” two years later. From there, it quickly spread to everything from the Bible to Las Vegas.

Of course, not everything worked.

Dawn Werk, director of marketing at Alpha Books in Indianapolis, says “Idiot’s Guides” to alternative medicine have not been foolproof.

“For Dummies” have been translated into 39 languages; “Idiot’s,” 26.

“Some of our most popular places these days have been Asia and Eastern Europe,” says Werk.

Aside from foreigners eager to learn capitalism, who is buying the books?

College-educated married women with children for the most part, according to “Idiot’s Guides” data. Which doesn’t quite describe Glenn Graham, a 38-year-old nursing student who was recently looking for an “Idiot’s” or “For Dummies” guide to tattoos. The topic might make a nice “Pocket Idiot’s Guide.” Those have proved popular with male readers, says Werk.

“That’s just enough information a guy wants to know,” she says.

And now they can know a little about Islam, mortgages and getting girls.

Margie Bobzien doesn’t mind some of the far-fetched topics of the books so much as the titles. Idiot and dummy are not words she wants on the cover of her books.

“When you look at it, it looks like a joke,” says Bobzien. “It’s such a turn-off, I won’t even look inside it.”

But millions of others will.

For them the months ahead will bring plenty – including a “Complete Idiot’s Guide to eBay Business” and “Da Vinci For Dummies.” Unfortunately, “Mail Order Brides For Dummies,” “Money Laundering For Dummies” and “Suburban Poultry Raising For Dummies” are three books you won’t see – despite readers’ requests.