It seems utterly superficial, but one of the most frequent methods of promulgating information about Christianity for fallen away folks or getting the word out to people who are teetering on the edge of this or that near occasion of sin is to give them a book.
Sometimes when I read a book, I have no trouble thinking of some poor sinner in my life who could benefit from it the same way this poor sinner did. But when I hear that as advice on, say, a call in radio show, I think it's a little lacking and doesn't do anything to actually fix the problem at hand.
How do you bridge the gap between giving a person a book and letting them make the most of it and giving a person a book with the expectation that it will do some good?
I'm seeking an answer akin to what one might be taught in a class on evangelization at a seminary, not just friendly advice.