Is reading difficult books worth it?

My Current Mood:

Current Mood

Over at Book Riot this week, I write about the challenge of reading difficult books that we might necessarily enjoy or look forward to. 

This is all due to the challenge I set myself to get through the 700+ pages of James Joyce's Ulysses, which has proved every bit as frustrating and difficult as I thought it would be. In the post, I ask myself why, exactly, we might choose to read for anything other than enjoyment. Is it worth it? What do you think?