LOL, yes, very much like that



In your experience, is he more likely to get mad or upset with you if you say you don't like his book, or if you lead him to believe that you do and he finds out later that isn't true?

The tricky part is to do it in a way that isn't BS'ing him. Really point out things you genuinely like about it, and work hard not to make it look like you're holding back. You said he's really proud of this, so I think he's expecting you to like it. People will generally see what they expect to see I know this is true for my situation...the person writing the book (my brother actually) is someone who knows me better than most people on the planet, but because he is expecting me to love it, that's what he gets out of my comments. The flip side of that is that I know HIM better than most, and so I know the kinds of things I can say that he'll take as positive feedback.

IF he pushes or if he gleans from your answers that you aren't digging it, work very hard to make that seem like your failing rather than his. Or make some point about personal preference and how there are some books you think are awfully written (but maybe word that better ) that end up being huge commercial successes, so that by no means does your liking or not liking it guarantee that it will or won't be published.