What's the most tedious book you've read?

[sparkchaser]

I couldn't get through Neuromancer by William Gibson, surprising since anything futuristic normally holds my interest. Something in the book repelled me, though I still can't point to a specific.

William Gibson's writing style is something that you have to get used to.

 

[Jez]

I couldn't get through Neuromancer by William Gibson, surprising since anything futuristic normally holds my interest. Something in the book repelled me, though I still can't point to a specific.

I couldn't get through it either. I thought he focused on the wrong things. Maybe I've just got to get used to his writing, but maybe I just don't like it

 

[blurricus]

The most tedious non-fiction book I have ever read would have to be my Dynamics textbook from college.

What?! How could your dynamics book possibly be the most tedious? It blew my mind apart and opened my third eye. The ASME guide to tool types, wearage and usage...that's tedious. I can honestly say that I didn't finish that one. But then again, it probably should be considered for this.
Lord Jim, though fiction is insanely tedious. So, as far as true non-fiction, I'd say the biography of Chuck Yeager.

 

[sparkchaser]

What?! How could your dynamics book possibly be the most tedious? It blew my mind apart and opened my third eye.

Too much math that I didn't want to do for an area that ultimately I would have nothing to do with. Now, control theory and digital systems and reactor design fundamentals - now we're tlaking!

 

[SFG75]

A new one

The Haldeman Diaries by H.R. Haldeman. This guy took meticulous notes of EVERYTHING. He remembers what people wore, if their fly was down during a press conference. He wrote EVERYTHING down. That was a trait that did in Nixon during Watergate. However, afterthe salient points, he decidedto write a book about EVERYTHING that he observed. Where people ate, what they ate, as well as what the agenda for that given day was. Honestly, I made it to page 100 before the nitty-gritty details did me in. I honestly can't take it any more.

 

[joderu95]

I struggled through Neuromancer too. My most tedious though was The 9/11 Commission Report. And what did I expect right? I know. If you do decide to ever read it just know that it is loaded full of times, dates and other assorted minutiae that will tax your attention span to its limits.

 

[PsychZero]

I will second THE STAND, by King. I kept saying to myself, "holy crap, would you spit it out already, man!"

Also, some of Descates' work was hard to get through too...

 

[Zolipara]

"Probability and Statistics for the engineering, computing and physical sciences" by Edward Dougherty.

 

[The waveguide]

Wind in the Willows. It's hailed to be such a classic, but I just couldn't get through it.

I liked that book. May be it depends in which age you read it?

Here are some books that I found tedious but rewarding:

Berlin, Alexander Platz - Alfred Döblin
Baltasar and Blimunda - Jose Saramago

I found them very hard to concentrate on, but it was a good feeling when I was through... And I liked the novelty in a style. Otherwise, they are very tedious.