FWIW, I read Batuman's book about Russian Books and the People Who Read them.

I'd have had it shredded if not for there being a hapless soul who wanted to read it, so I mailed him my copy.
He hated it, too.

Basically, I found her take on reality (especially on that part of reality that reads books) insulting in the extreme. I dis-recommend her writing most enthusiastically. The world would be a better place if she were landscaping. Or deep-sea diving. Or the drawing of water from forgotten wells. Or dental hygiene.

On second thought, scrap the dental hygiene idea. From what I've read of her writing, I don't get the impression she'd play nicely with other humans.

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