# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zuzu\_s\_Petals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@Zuzu\_s\_Petals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zuzu_s_Petals)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/41 "2013-01-20T11:56:01Z")
OP, was the book self-published? If it’s a been a year, I’d just keep quiet about it. He’s gotten the message by now that you didn’t like it. Because the only correct response, as far as he was concerned, would have been to rush up to him the day after he gave it to you, enthusing loudly over how it kept you up till all hours finishing it, and exclaiming over his genius. Silence for a year? Nah, he’s got it by now. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/42 "2013-01-20T12:24:45Z")
I’d feel so mean not to say anything. I imagine that writing a book is a very personal experience that makes you feel very vulnerable. When the author personally gives you a copy, what harm could be done by saying something nice about it? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/43 "2013-01-20T13:21:20Z")
“Don’t quit your day job!” ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/44 "2013-01-20T13:50:27Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > “Don’t quit your day job!” “Yes, I read your book. I look forward to continuing to work with you!” ---
**Author:** ![Zuzu\_s\_Petals](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@Zuzu\_s\_Petals](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zuzu_s_Petals)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/45 "2013-01-20T13:57:22Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > When the author personally gives you a copy, what harm could be done by saying something nice about it? Probably the biggest harm is to your own sanity, when they decide that since you like their work so much they’re going to talk to you about it ALL the time, and give you early drafts to read for feedback. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/46 "2013-01-20T14:12:33Z")
> [@orderfire](#): > > “I have never enjoyed a book like this one!” “I didn’t want to put it down.” ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/47 "2013-01-20T14:54:29Z")
> [@Zuzu\_s\_Petals](#): > > Probably the biggest harm is to your own sanity, when they decide that since you like their work so much they’re going to talk to you about it ALL the time, and give you early drafts to read for feedback. 😃 I plowed through a co-worker’s book and said nice things about it (the ideas were actually good, the execution less so). As a reward I wound up receiving yet _another_ book for my review. :eek: I had to bow out of that responsibility. ---
**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 20, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/48 "2013-01-20T17:04:22Z")
> [@Zuzu\_s\_Petals](#): > > OP, was the book self-published? > > If it’s a been a year, I’d just keep quiet about it. He’s gotten the message by now that you didn’t like it. Because the only correct response, as far as he was concerned, would have been to rush up to him the day after he gave it to you, enthusing loudly over how it kept you up till all hours finishing it, and exclaiming over his genius. Silence for a year? Nah, he’s got it by now. I think it is self-published. I don’t have my copy with me now; it’s still at Craig’s. When he gave it to me, I did say I had a long list of books to read so it might be a while before I got to it. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/49 "2013-01-20T17:37:36Z")
I found the font work to be quite illuminating. It has a typestyle all its own. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/50 "2013-01-20T17:37:49Z")
Well, some of my “writer” friends already know my opinion of self-publishing, but in all honesty, I’d probably just say “Sorry, it’s really not my style. I’m not into Spy Thrillers, so I can’t give you much of an opinion on it.” ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/51 "2013-01-21T14:44:22Z")
If asked about the book, just smile and tell him “it was a good book”, “congratulations on your book”, and similarly vague praise. If he presses for details, just say “I have to get back to work”, “I’ve got to use the restroom”, or “I’ll see you tomorrow, I’ve gotta run”, then wave goodbye and take evasive action. As a last resort, read the book synopsis on wiki, or if you’re really worried about your standing with this coworker, skim the book and take notes of main characters and basic plot points, and try reading the last chapter. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732/52 "2013-01-21T15:48:47Z")
This is though… Well, there’s on question I wanted to ask you. What was so bad about the book? Or what made the book bad? Maybe if you know specifically what made the book so horrible as it is, you could very politely tell him that the book is not of your style of reading, as **Chimera** said. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/co-worker-wrote-a-book-its-terrible-what-to-say/647732.md?page=2)