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Book Quote by Lemony Snicket

“There are many, many types of books in the world, which makes good sense, because there are many, many types of people, and everybody wants to read something diferent. For instance, people who hate stories in which terrible things happen to small children should put this book down immediately. But…” quote by Lemony Snicket
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““There are many, many types of books in the world, which makes good sense, because there are many, many types of people, and everybody wants to read something diferent. For instance, people who hate stories in which terrible things happen to small children should put this book down immediately. But one type of book that practically no one likes to read is a book about the law. Books about the law are notorious for being very long, very dull, and very difficult to read. This is one reason many lawyers make heaps of money. The money is an incentive - the word "incentive" here means "an offered reward to persuade you to do something you don't want to do" - to read long, dull, and difficult books. The Baudelaire children had a slightly different incentive for reading these books, of course. Their incentive was not heaps of money, but preventing Count Olaf from doing something horrible to them in order to get heaps of money. But even with this incentive, getting through the law books in Justice Strauss's private library was a very, very, very hard task. "Goodness," Justice Strauss said, when she came into the library and saw what they were reading. [...] "I thought you were interested in mechanical engineering, animals of North America, and teeth. Are you sure you want to read those enormous law books? Even I don't like reading them, and I work in law.””

Lemony Snicket

About This Quote

Source Book: A Series of Unfortunate Events, 1999-2006

People seek reading material that matches their interests; legal texts are often seen as tedious, making them a deterrent unless a strong incentive exists.

In simple terms: People read what they like; law books are boring without a strong reason.

Key Takeaway

Find motivation that aligns with your goals.

Themes

reading preferences motivation legal complexity

Mood

irry reflective

Type

literary satirical

When to use this quote

  • studying law
  • choosing a hobby
  • overcoming reading aversion
  • educational incentives

Key Concepts

incentive theory literary satire information overload

Questions to Reflect On

  • What incentives could make dense material appealing?
  • How do personal interests shape reading choices?
A Different Perspective

Not everyone will find law books rewarding even with incentives.

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