If you want to tell me "I tried X, and it doesn't work." My first reaction is, "How did you do X?" I feel author should have also explained how did he read tho

If you want to tell me "I tried X, and it doesn't work." My first reaction is, "How did you do X?" I feel author should have also explained how did he read those books. Without knowing that, it's hard to see how exactly things didn't work.