How do you read very boring novels that have been greatly recommended?

Tolkien. I don’t see how anyone wades through it. (So technically, I guess I only read part of it.)

If I have a choice not to, I don’t. Why should I? Reading should be for pleasure. If I don’t enjoy the excercise of reading then why would I bother.

These things must surely be a matter of taste; I loved that Ishiguro book, and have read it three times, never once feeling that it lagged at all.

I sit down and I read them and I’m bored but that’s how I do it. Usually it’s the required reading material that bores me, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. If it’s boring and it’s not required I will probably just put it down, as @holden said, and maybe return to it later.

Edit: Also, coffee.

Last night I read Tao Lin’s Shoplifting from American Apparel and though it was mostly boring I made myself finish it because it’s really short anyway. Turned out the ending was good.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I never thought it would end. So many recommend and enjoy this book. I guess I just don’t get it. I felt like it wasted a bit of my life.

I read them in short intervals until I am through with them. This works well for me especially when I have to read boring books for school assignments. However if it is a really boring book then I reward myself after reading it and that works for me.

The secret to reading Tolkien is to skip all the boring intro to middle earth stuff. The actual story was very good but all description of trolls and other characters was brutal. I tried to read War and Peace and it is beyond dull. All those similar sounding names makes for one dull read. Sometimes the true genius of a book doesn’t come out till the end. Case in point – A prayer for Owen Meany…ploughed through that one and although I thought it was an okay story – it wasn’t till the ending when everything came together in a way that was not expected. Pure genius.

First of all, I agree that “Remains of the Day” was dreadfully slow and seemed to go nowhere. My advice is to multitask. Maybe read this book one night and another the next. Or, read it someplace near your computer so you can look up the people and places from the flashback/party scenes.

That’s how I’m plugging through Salman Rushdie right now: lots of wikipedia and trying not to read when I’m too tired.

When I have a book that needs reading for class, I try to read it in “chunks”.

Setting a timer works; also, if you have something you want to do (watch a movie, read a (better) book, eat something yummy), read part of the book, then do part of your “reward” activity. Better yet, have a decent “prize” for when you’re done with the book.

Or have something, like a specialty tea or a fun Japanese snack that you’re only allowed to touch while you’re reading the book.

Umm..sorry. I’m hungry; can you tell? :P

@evegrimm

Do you mean pocky? That’s perfect to use as a motivator because it disappears so quickly and it’s so expensive. ._.

@candylady – I had to read War and Peace for school, and I actually liked it. I also read it again as an adult. It’s a book you have to marry for a while, but for me it was worth it. Everyone’s taste varies, looks like! :)

I always finish books I start. I feel bad for the authors if it’s a really famous book that I SHOULD be enjoying. Usually it has it’s good parts. Usually.

I don’t read them. My time is precious and there are so many more interesting books I could be reading instead. Also, just because other people say it’s great, or it’s a classic, doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll like it or that it’s an absolutely necessary read. For example, I really did not like The Catcher in the Rye, but loads of people love it. I basically wanted to slap Holden the entire time I was reading. :P

I used to feel obligated to finish a book because then I felt I could say I read it, but I’ve since gotten over that. I will give a book a few chances and some time to catch my attention, but if the thing is boring or dry or whatever, I put it down and don’t look back.

@absalom, I wasn’t referring only to Pocky, but that would definitely be one idea. And adzuki bean cakes, and mochi, and green tea ice cream, and Hi-Chews…

@evegrimm

Omfg Hi-Chews are amazing.