This is actually similar to how I've been reading a lot of books over the past few years. As a practical realist, I realized that, when it comes to reading, if I have a clear objective in mind, as long as I feel I have accomplished that objective then I have no use to continue my involvement with the work. Much of my reading of literature has amounted to merely becoming somewhat familiar with the work such that I am able to understand what others are talking about when they refer to it, and can engage somewhat intelligently with them about that work. This does not require actually reading the entire work in many cases.

This for me is the true value of much literature as it applies to me personally. Of course, on a basic level this is perhaps not quite as rewarding as reading a book cover to cover and becoming intimately acquainted with all the characters, stories, facts, figures, and/or arguments inside. But in my approach to a life filled with an absolute abundance of ideas from so many brilliant minds - indeed, there are most likely more men and women of utter genius alive today than have existed in the whole of antecedent human history - I decided that it would be a shame not to become acquainted with as many perspectives and ideas as possible. Sure, I sacrifice the rewards that come with truly coming to understand some objects in depth, but my hope has been that in doing so I have assumed some breadth in the understanding of the world, its affairs, and a great many of its inhabitants' ideas.