What is the toughest book you've ever read of your own choosing?

CPL Brendan Hayes — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:02:27 -0400

I like to think that I'm a pretty adept reader, and every now and again I need to try something that will make me work a little. The books I have struggled with in the past usually end up being the most rewarding. This made me wonder, what have other readers picked to "test" themselves a little?

Response by CPL Brendan Hayes made Aug 19 at 2015 11:03 AM

CPL Brendan Hayes — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:03:30 -0400

Here is the current "workout". I'm on my third attempt and about halfway through. I really like the book, but I tend to run out of free time for it. I WILL get it done this time.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Aug 19 at 2015 11:13 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:13:04 -0400

Philosophy always makes me suffer, even when I try to read it on my own...

Response by SFC Douglas Duckett made Aug 19 at 2015 11:33 AM

SFC Douglas Duckett — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:33:43 -0400

My wife's "honey to do list".

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2015 11:48 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 11:48:34 -0400

Hands down...Insomnia by Stephen king. I only got about half way thru the book when I stopped reading it (and it took me about 6 months to get that far). I would read about 2 or 3 pages and I would fall asleep every time, never failed.

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made Aug 19 at 2015 12:32 PM

MSgt Michael Durkee — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 12:32:09 -0400

The absolutely, most brutal for me was The Life of Pi. Ugh. It took me several months to read, my teens would bust on me and ask how it was coming since normally I'll power through a novel in a week, tops. I should have just let it go, but for some reason I wasn't going to accept defeat :)

Response by SN Greg Wright made Aug 19 at 2015 1:26 PM

SN Greg Wright — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 13:26:16 -0400

A Tale of Two Cities.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Aug 19 at 2015 2:04 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:04:54 -0400

CPL Brendan Hayes, Easy question: Gibbons, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire!

Response by CPL Brendan Hayes made Aug 19 at 2015 2:14 PM

CPL Brendan Hayes — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:14:20 -0400

I like reading the responses, but maybe I should add a caveat. Why was it such tough read?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 19 at 2015 2:38 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:38:15 -0400

Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. The Fountainhead was my first real "intellectual" read. The book occupied several months of my time while I worked at Fort Irwin as a PL and XO. The Fountainhead is a difficult book because it contains many complex ideas and messages that others sometimes exploit for gain or become offended because they resemble characters in the book. It is an honest read.

Response by CPT Maria Burns made Aug 19 at 2015 9:28 PM

CPT Maria Burns — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 21:28:23 -0400

Two of them: Black Hearts and The Bitch Posse. Not because they were boring. They were definitely the opposite, and the emotional intensity made them both difficult reads.

Response by SPC(P) Mark Newman made Aug 21 at 2015 5:04 PM

SPC(P) Mark Newman — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 17:04:49 -0400

Oh God. James Joyce's "Ulysses." I had heard about it, and thought it sounded important. I checked it out of the library and I was like, "WTF is this guy talking about? Well, I'll read a little further." I pushed. I made an almost physical effort to keep reading. OK, I gotta' admit, Cpl Hayes, that after a while, I just gave up. I really tried. It was like trying to read Korean. Worse, because the words looked familiar, they just weren't making sense to me. Ouch.

There was another book that hurt my brain, but I don't remember the title (must have been traumatized) though I remember it was by Kurt Vonnegut.

Response by Pvt Richard Hy made Aug 29 at 2015 1:14 AM

Pvt Richard Hy — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 01:14:53 -0400

Anything by Watchman Nee, early Chinese Christian philosopher. Intelectually stimulating with the depth of oriental thought.
Leo Tolstoy is just a struggle, you really have to want to finish his work.
The Bible of course due to length and depth of thought.
Most enjoyable was the Harry Potter series. Ms. Rowling has a riveting style that keeps your interest from start to finish.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made May 16 at 2017 11:32 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 16 May 2017 11:32:42 -0400

The Bible. If you want to challenge yourself to understand the major points of the Old and New Testament, read Deuteronomy, the Gospel of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Have a good commentary available to help explain, expand, translate, and relate the information in these three books. If you get your head around these books, then go back (using the commentary) and read Paul's letters in chronological order.