The point is that they’re classics, not genre fiction. The person I was replying to would be well served reading great classics

Classics like Charles Dickens and not some pulp genre trash pumped out for weekly social media installments?

Sure, whatever old stuff that is loved by non-idiots that he hasn’t tried. Odyssey, KJV Bible, Shakespeare, Moby Dick, Dostoevsky, Dickens, etc.

Hmmm. FWiW that was another literary jest, you know, what with Dickens famously:

    Dickens's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers, a publishing phenomenon that sparked Pickwick merchandise and spin-offs.

...

    His novels, most of them published in monthly or weekly instalments, pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction, which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication.

How are any of these lame jests actually helping the OP who is impoverished in his joy of reading? Keep them to yourself.

Best answered by asking the OP their position on lame jest Vs pompous arrogance I guess.

Might also ask their position on taking advice from those that cannot follow it.

It’s not arrogant to suggest someone read the classics. This demonisation of quality in literature is anti intellectualism

> It’s not arrogant to suggest someone read the classics.

Agreed. 'Arrogance' likely refers to attitude and manner.

> This demonisation of

What demonisation?

> is anti intellectualism.

What intellectualism?

Huh?