“You must read…”

People often know I’m an author after they know I’m an avid reader—for one thing, I present myself that way. In polite conversation, somewhat rare in this politically charged environment, we often turn to culture, usually a safe topic. After chatting about movies and musicals—often not blockbusters, by the way, because I rarely see them—we often move on to books. Then comes the pat on the arm and the statement, “You must read….”

Here’s why I hate that expression: it reflects the business model of th...