# What "favorite book" would cause you to walk away from someone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [June 6, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567 "2024-06-06T19:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/23 "2024-06-06T21:21:27Z")
_Camino_, by Monseñor Escrivá de Balaguer, it is the Opus Dei ~~Bible~~ breviary. Never knew anyone who admitted to it, but there must be some. It is in the same vein as many other books that have already been mentioned, which I second too. Which makes it sort of a contribution to a list, the whole thread being the list. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/24 "2024-06-06T21:24:48Z")
Once again, the whole thread is NOT what is meant by “list”. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/25 "2024-06-06T21:27:05Z")
A book I plan on reading. I hate spoilers. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/26 "2024-06-06T21:29:21Z")
I added a staff note to the OP, maybe it will help. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/27 "2024-06-06T21:32:28Z")
If they just told me this title, I’d walk away: > **[Walkaway](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40604388-walkaway)** > > An epic tale of revolution, love, post-scarcity, and th… ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/28 "2024-06-06T21:34:02Z")
Any book written by authoritarian child-rearing “experts” Jim Dobson or John Rosemond. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/29 "2024-06-06T21:40:50Z")
Yes, or The Fountainhead which is the same thing pretty much. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/30 "2024-06-06T22:04:47Z")
_Protocols of the Elders of Zion_ Damn, I wish I could make a whole list. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/31 "2024-06-06T22:11:40Z")
I figured that _Mein Kampf_ would be the first one, so was going to mention _Atlas Shrugged_ because you just know you’re in for a lecture from some pretentious, selfish person. But not surprisingly, that was an early entry too. So I’ll go with _Hustler’s University_ (or any book) by Andrew Tate. > [@AHunter3](#): > > _Lord of the Flies_ Uh oh. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite, but it’s up pretty high on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/32 "2024-06-06T22:17:30Z")
_Catcher in the Rye_. Not because I would fear the person is a murderer, but I don’t want to hear about how Holden Caufield is a misunderstood anti-hero. No he was not - he was an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/33 "2024-06-06T22:17:40Z")
You can pick a book someone has already picked. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/34 "2024-06-06T22:35:51Z")
There isn’t one. I’d have to know _why_ it’s their favorite, for reasons already mentioned here. I’d say my antenna go up when someone cites a self-help book, though. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/35 "2024-06-07T00:21:05Z")
[God and Man at Yale](https://www.amazon.com/God-Man-Yale-Superstitions-Academic/dp/089526692X) ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/36 "2024-06-07T00:40:07Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > there are a ton of books that would make me walk away from someone figuratively (“no second date.” Indeed - I’d probably want to finish the conversation no matter what book they said, just to get a little insight into their thinking. But a “no second date” book for me is _probably_ Dune. In my experience, people who take that book too seriously over-identify with Paul, in ways that aren’t mentally healthy. Of course, I’d ask them to explain why they loved the book so much, and if the answer was sane (“the originality and completeness of Herbert’s world-building continues to delight and amaze me”) I’d be okay with it. But if they zero’ed in on how amazing Paul’s visions were … yeah, probably not someone I’d be overly compatible with. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/37 "2024-06-07T00:54:33Z")
I’ll third the books of Ayn Rand. Sure, _Mein Kampf_ or _The Turner Diaries_ or a book of that type would also do it, but those people are usually obvious in other ways. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/38 "2024-06-07T00:58:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The Art of The Deal. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/39 "2024-06-07T01:07:54Z")
This tripe: > **[The Hidden Messages in Water: Emoto, Masaru: 9780743289801: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Messages-Water-Masaru-Emoto/dp/0743289803)** > > The Hidden Messages in Water \[Emoto, Masaru\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Hidden Messages in Water ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/40 "2024-06-07T08:40:46Z")
The _Necronomicon._ ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/41 "2024-06-07T10:15:55Z")
Turtles All The Way Down: Vaccine Science and Myth A supposed review of scientific arguments against vaccination safety. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/42 "2024-06-07T10:18:40Z")
_The Secret_ and _The Da Vinci Code_ are two I’ll add that haven’t been named yet. Someone who says Harry Potter was their favorite when they were a kid is fine, but if it’s still their favorite now, I’m out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567.md?page=3)