Is this an acceptable gift? What to do?

[PresentingPercy]

A friend received this book (Don’t read this if you’re stupid) as an anonymous gift in her pigeon hole at work. No note with it. Plain white envelope. Her name but a slight error on the address. She doesn’t think it’s from a client. The info about the book is attached from the publisher. It’s the last sentence that’s the issue. Friend lives in South London. Any advice welcome.

Bloody phone - Depends

What a strange post, OP. I thought the bit in brackets was an instruction.

As for the rest, no idea. Maybe a friend who has sent it for a laugh?

I'm not exactly sure what the problem is.

Unless she’s a serial killer that tells bad jokes or genuinely think someone wants to murder her then I would see it as exactly what it is... a book.

That description is nails down a blackboard for me - oh this is soooo alternative and edgy. Hmmm. Sounds like the kind of person who would love that book is also the kind of person to think they're being dazzlingly unconventional by sending it to her for Xmas anonymously.

Boring.

This is one of those occasions that calls for correct grammar.

You sound like a bit of a Twonk with the brackets tbh.

probably an admirer who is too stupid to realise anonymous gifts might cause concern.

There must be a story in there that resonates with someone she's had a conversation with recently. This is exactly the kind of thing I would do, then realise I'd forgotten to put a note in and send a text or FB message to explain!
It's by Tibor Fischer isn't it? So whoever sent it doesn't think she's a literary lightweight. I used to find him quite hard going/ a bit pretentious.
Or perhaps it's the first part of one of those Mail Order mysteries, and there is a clue in there but if she doesn't read it she won't find it......

The use of brackets is fine and it was obviously the title. It's either done as a joke or to get a dig in. Does she know anyone who has that type of sense of humour?

I wouldn't encourage her to think it's something overly sinister. She'll start seeing things that aren't there.

What on earth should she be worried about? Someone sent her a present that looks like a collection of funny stories that whomever sent them thinks she might like them. I mean, its a bit odd that there is no note, but what advice is needed?

And the words in brackets is the name of the book for those asking.

Is it a secret santa present? Seems like a joke present to me from someone that thought she might enjoy it.

Or it's the set up line for a joke at her expense in the new year; 'Did you read that book I sent you' 'No, I didn't' 'Oh, so you think you are stupid as well then? ' hohoho

What exactly is she worried about?

What is her job? Might shed some light on why someone would have sent it.

The book looks like shit anyway....where's the nearest recycling bin?

@ODFOx I think that might be it too.

I think it was from someone trying to be humorous with the reference to South London

And failing

Is this an advert for the book or are you stupid enough to think the blurb on the back of a collection of short stories is a threat?

What a fucking ridiculous thread. That's 30 seconds of my life I'll never get back, thanks OP

What is the bit “don’t read if you’re stupid” about? That seems unnecessarily rude and aggressive. Why would you write that?

Depends on her job I suppose. It looks like dark humour to me. If she’s say, a probation officer, responsible for the rehabilitation of murderers post-release, then it could be interpreted differently, but without knowing her job or client base it’s hard to say.
On the face of it I wouldn’t be too worried.

@PresentingPercy

Probably posted in wrong section. Is she being unreasonable to be a bit worried?

Perhaps you could give some sort of explanation as to what she is finding worrying, because it seems nobody actually knows what you mean?

I think you should have used capitals for the title as that but in brackets makes you sound like a twat

If it’s the title of the book it should have been in inverted commas. The way it’s written looks like some weird attack on posters.

Under The Frog by Tibor Fischer is a very good book. This one is not. I think I started it but abandoned it or at least have no real memory apart from that I didn’t like it. Reading Amazon reviews of it a few people also think it compares badly with The Thought Gang and even The Collector Collector (I think I would agree). So, whoever gave it to her has chosen a poor example from a sometimes brilliant writer. Curious. I wouldn’t be alarmed, I’d be a bit intrigued.

Where does she work if the fact that she lives in south London is such an extraordinary fact about her? Tibet?