Why would anyone consider an entry level title as a sign of credibility at this point? I remember picking up such books a quarter century ago where it was abun

Why would anyone consider an entry level title as a sign of credibility at this point? I remember picking up such books a quarter century ago where it was abundantly clear the author either had very little knowledge on the subject or the publisher was simply trying to profit off of the latest fad. That isn't to say that a book cannot be used as proof of knowledge, communications skills, etc.. In some ways it may be better than most forms of proof since it can actually be verified. On the other hand, it's useless unless the quality is actually assessed.