# Co-worker wrote a book - it's terrible. What to say? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732 "2013-01-19T18:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/1 "2013-01-19T18:35:33Z")
About a year ago one of my co-workers, Eric, wrote and published a book. He gave a signed copy to me and another co-worker, Craig. The book is so bad it’s unreadable. I’ve tried and tried but I can barely get past the first page. Craig also finds it unreadable although he’s been able to get through a couple of chapters. Craig eventually lost his book and I told him that he could have my copy if he read it and then he could tell me what happens so I’d be able to say “good job” or something to Eric. Craig can’t manage to read it either - it’s just so bad. Every time I see Eric, I feel guilty because I’ve never said anything about his book. Should I just never say anything? I love reading and I go through a couple of books a month but I simply am not able to read this book. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/2 "2013-01-19T18:42:12Z")
Skim it so that you can at least pretend to have read it, if ever asked. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/3 "2013-01-19T18:50:03Z")
Read enough of it to know the genre, and maybe the basic plot. If you are ever asked about the book, just say,“well, I’ve never read much of that genre,so it was all a new and interesting experience for me. Totally different than the stuff I usually read.” Then shut up, before you make it worse for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/4 "2013-01-19T18:52:58Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Read enough of it to know the genre, and maybe the basic plot. > If you are ever asked about the book, just say,“ **well, I’ve never read much of that genre,so it was all a new and interesting experience for me. Totally different than the stuff I usually read**.” > > Then shut up, before you make it worse for yourself. That’s true actually! It’s supposed to be a spy thriller which has never interested me. I’ll have to remember to say that if he asks. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/5 "2013-01-19T19:10:35Z")
If it got the point he self published it IMO he’s not really looking for any constructive criticism. If he wanted that he would have asked before he published. Just make evasive polite and nice, anything else will likely not be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/6 "2013-01-19T19:13:37Z")
“Thank you for the book. I lost no time in reading it.” ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/7 "2013-01-19T19:15:55Z")
In addition to the "I don’t usually read that genre … " comment, IMO it can’t hurt to add “It’s very hard to get a book to completion and publication, isn’t it?” Then smile and nod while he talks about his travails getting his work to print. If he goes on for too long, say “Oops! I need to get back to work.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/8 "2013-01-19T19:15:56Z")
It reminds me of the time I was at a work a friend brought his ice cream maker in from home and made some jalapeno sherbet. I tried some. “So what do you think?” “It’s an interesting flavor.” “But do you like it?” “I’m going to stick with interesting.” ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/9 "2013-01-19T19:16:05Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > “Thank you for the book. I lost no time in reading it.” That is freaking brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/10 "2013-01-19T19:27:00Z")
''This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly." _It is to be hurled, with emphatic force._ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/11 "2013-01-19T19:30:10Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > “Thank you for the book. I lost no time in reading it.” > [@Katriona](#): > > That is freaking brilliant. Agreed. I think the thread is pretty much finished. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/12 "2013-01-19T19:44:41Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Agreed. I think the thread is pretty much finished. It’s an old publishing joke. Not to say it still doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/13 "2013-01-19T19:49:26Z")
One of the nicest bosses I’ve had once loaned me a book I could not remember having read. After a couple of pages I realized that I actually had read part of it years before in English and found it a pretentious piece of shit. It’s a pretentious piece of shit in Spanish, too. When I returned it to him and he asked whether I had liked it, I responded “it’s not quite my style, sorry.” ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/14 "2013-01-19T19:51:53Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > One of the nicest bosses I’ve had once loaned me a book I could not remember having read. After a couple of pages I realized that I actually had read part of it years before in English and found it a pretentious piece of shit. It’s a pretentious piece of shit in Spanish, too. > > When I returned it to him and he asked whether I had liked it, I responded “it’s not quite my style, sorry.” If he was just loaning me a book I’d have no trouble saying that. But I wouldn’t ever say that to him about a book he wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/15 "2013-01-19T20:11:33Z")
I’d just tell the truth, but I have no tolerance for crappy writers, especially now it’s easier than ever to pollute ebook stores with your unedited “masterpiece”. Or worse, “self publish” and maybe trick someone into buying your ego-masturbating crap thinking it’s a real book. You might not want to do that if you actually like the guy, though. > [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > If he was just loaning me a book I’d have no trouble saying that. But I wouldn’t ever say that to him about a book he wrote. Honestly, if “it’s not quite my style” upset an author, they have no business writing. Not everything appeals to everyone, and after all, you don’t read much in that genre, so it wouldn’t be your style before you even knew it was bad. Feel like sharing some particularly awful examples of his writing? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/16 "2013-01-19T21:55:08Z")
> [@Sevencl](#): > > I’d just tell the truth, but I have no tolerance for crappy writers, especially now it’s easier than ever to pollute ebook stores with your unedited “masterpiece”. Or worse, “self publish” and maybe trick someone into buying your ego-masturbating crap thinking it’s a real book. > > You might not want to do that if you actually like the guy, though. You’re just speaking theoretically on how you would talk to your friends if you had any? ---
**Author:** ![Sevencl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sevencl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevencl)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/17 "2013-01-19T22:11:14Z")
Well, my friends are my friends in part _because_ they appreciate hearing the truth, however negative, so yes, I’d tell them the truth. However, note that everything after “I’d just tell the truth” is privately the reason I’m so intolerant of bad writing, and not necessarily something I was suggesting OP say to their co-worker. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/18 "2013-01-19T22:29:55Z")
Don’t lie, don’t tell the truth and say something encouraging. So some shit like, “Hey Eric, I’m finally done with your book. It’s a genre I wouldn’t even try to read if I didn’t know the author. Maybe I’ll be quicker with your next one, particularly if it’s porn. You must be very proud getting that first one published.” ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/19 "2013-01-19T23:10:16Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Don’t lie, don’t tell the truth and say something encouraging. So some shit like, “Hey Eric, I’m finally done with your book. It’s a genre I wouldn’t even try to read if I didn’t know the author. Maybe I’ll be quicker with your next one, particularly if it’s porn. You must be very proud getting that first one published.” I agree with this - you have to continue to work with this guy, and you don’t want to make for a difficult working environment. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/20 "2013-01-19T23:16:12Z")
If you can turn the conversation around and get him talking about how he came to write it, how long he was kicking the idea around before he got it underway, the process of finding a publisher and getting it published, what he’d written prior and what he hopes to write in the future, what he reads and what inspires him and that sort of thing, you could probably have a whole long conversation without ever needing to express an opinion about the book. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732.md?page=2)