some people have the same problems as people in a book and so thats why they explain peoples lives to know that your not the only one going through things and some people dont like hearing other people's life story's because it might remind them of someone they cared about who is gone or anything like that.
In school it sometimes gets boring to listen to the teacher all the time, and work with the same person over an over againe. Group work is the best solution for this.