Hi, I’ve recently begun reading more and picked up a book yesterday that was written in 1776.
I find the topic really fascinating, but the language is really difficult to keep up with. I mean, almost every sentence I need to reread and after chapter one I’ve written down so many new words you’d think I was studying a dictionary.
It’s going to take me a VERY long time to finish this book, I can feel it, which leads me to question whether or not it’s even worth finishing.
I like a challenge, and never really pushed myself to read something difficult, but I have to ask myself if I’m just jumping into quicksand to learn how to swim if you get what I’m putting down here.
Any opinions on this?
Is there even a way to work up to reading a book like this. I doubt I can find a book that’s “a little less difficult” but I’m not sure.
Will finishing a book like this make me a better reader?
by whynotcryaboutit
5 Comments
It’s not homework, so really only your own intrinsic motivation can pull you through this. If you don’t feel like the positive aspects (enjoyment of reading, learning new info, etc.) are outweighing the difficulty and tedium of making progress, then I don’t really see the point in continuing. Only you can do that calculus though.
Are you reading Adam Smith’s *The Wealth of Nations* ?
What’s the book, and why did you start reading it in the first place?
Finishing this book will make you used to this writing style, but the length might be too ambiguous for now. Reading something of similar topic and vocabulary but in shorter form might help you to develop this skill faster.
Or consider not trying to understand every single sentence and accepting that you will need to read this book more than once to fully absorb it.
> It’s going to take me a VERY long time to finish this book, I can feel it, which leads me to question whether or not it’s even worth finishing.
Why should the estimated time it takes to finish deter you from continuing? Do you have a deadline or some kind of reading quota to make? If not, then press on.