I got an email promoting a book summary app that allegedly helps readers "absorb" main points from books in like 15 minutes. I swear I don't understand things like this—either read/listen to the book or don't! Why are we trying to hack reading?!
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Prezactly. They want to be included when someone mentions a book, without wasting, as they see it, their time actually reading it.
It would be sad if it weren't so dishonest, since they apparently do not have the capability to enjoy a book, and probably don't believe others do either.
I get the impulse to do something like this with those ubiquitous business/achievement/self-help books that shouldn't be more than a 10 page memo, but with actual literature?
Also if I want an overview of a book without reading it, then I’ll read a good review or for nonfiction an article or podcast discussing the topic by the author. Summaries, especially AI summaries, are soulless bullet points with no substance that I’m sure I’ll forget the minute after I read it.
I mean, I get that it's some sort of "optimize your life" subscription that I'm definitely not the target audience for. But it's just so depressing. Independent bookstores & libraries both need support. And reading is something that can be savored! I don't understand wanting to "optimize" it.
I was thinking of this exact thing 😭. SparkNotes saved my ass in highschool (2016) the year I got stuck with the football coach teaching my literature class and he didn't give us enough time to actually finish reading our books before tests. I'd NEVER trust an AI with that if it happened again now.
the only use i've ever seen for those is for research. i,e - having something summarise a huge paper/book and just checking if it's something you're looking for. then read it.
trying to sum up a book (especially fiction) just seems amazingly insulting. Like listening to an album via tiktok shorts
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It would be sad if it weren't so dishonest, since they apparently do not have the capability to enjoy a book, and probably don't believe others do either.
trying to sum up a book (especially fiction) just seems amazingly insulting. Like listening to an album via tiktok shorts