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This sort of underminds the fact that, like any art, many authors write books because they actually enjoy the act of writing (perhaps not physically) and telling a story, and are doing so for their own sake. They aren't making their work convenient for you, but producing a work that they personally feel happy about. Sure, cut the Great Gatsby down to the bare essentials.. but then it probably wouldn't be the Great Gatsby.

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I wish them all the best, and will probably be reading something else.

It's all a matter of personal taste and the purpose of reading a piece.

Think of it as being like food, or some other sensual pleasure you enjoy.

If you could condense all meals into a pill and just swallow it would you? Probably not, because sometimes you want to just 'get the sustenance' and sometimes you want to enjoy the experience, to revel in the presentation, flavour, texture and company you're with. Books are exactly the same. There are times when the we want the key pieces. But sometimes, fiction and otherwise, it's worth enjoying the writing itself, the mental images that are created, the use of language, rhytmn and flow to make both major points and to explore subtleties.

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