Rant: People who ask for book recommendations but won't read anything over 200 pages

I help out at the reference desk at our local library on Saturdays, and this keeps happening. A person comes up saying they want a classic novel, something with depth. I suggest something like 'The Count of Monte Cristo' or 'Middlemarch'. But then they see the thickness and say they only read books under 200 pages with big text. That rules out almost every classic that matters. Why bother asking a librarian if you've already decided to reject anything substantial before you even hear the title?

2 comments

2 Comments

smith.anna21d ago

That "payoff without the work" line really hit home, because I used to be that person until I forced myself through a 900-page book.

janaf7621d ago

Is it just me or does this feel like the same thing with people who say they want to learn a new skill but won't put more than 10 minutes into it? Everyone wants the payoff without the work, like reading a classic or getting good at something actually takes time and effort.