Do you need to understand everything that you read?

[Luiglin]

This is half the reason why I don't read much hard sci-fi. Sometimes it feels like the authors are bombarding me with science - or their made up science - in order to dazzle me with their scientific knowledge. Nothing to say that's not a bad thing for others though. I don't read romance for the same reason as it feels like the authors are bombarding me with love - or their made up love - in order to dazzle me with their libidinous prowess.

 

[Penny]

hard sci fi often feels brutal and depressing to me its like it highlights how impossible it would actually be to do all this stuff.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

My enjoyment of any work of art hinges on how much it challenges me. If a book, film, painting or song for that matter can be wholly ingested and processed to its full extent in one sitting, then it's nothing to write home about. For something to stay with me long after the last page has been read or the end credits rolled, I have to have engaged with it intellectually and failed to unravel it all.

I will go even further: The older I get, the more a work of art has to be abstract and/or nonsensical for me to really enjoy it. I don't care about the intentions of its author. I don't care about plot. I care about the empty spaces in between. If it leaves no room to dream, if I don't have to bring anything of my own on board, if it's a full package that is a little too tight or too neat, too self-contained, then I'm not interested in it.

 

[Parson]

My enjoyment of any work of art hinges on how much it challenges me. If a book, film, painting or song for that matter can be wholly ingested and processed to its full extent in one sitting, then it's nothing to write home about. For something to stay with me long after the last page has been read or the end credits rolled, I have to have engaged with it intellectually and failed to unravel it all.

I will go even further: The older I get, the more a work of art has to be abstract and/or nonsensical for me to really enjoy it. I don't care about the intentions of its author. I don't care about plot. I care about the empty spaces in between. If it leaves no room to dream, if I don't have to bring anything of my own on board, if it's a full package that is a little too tight or too neat, too self-contained, then I'm not interested in it.

Whoa! we really are cut from different cloth. The more abstract and nonsensical something is the less I enjoy it. I want to extrapolate from the possible not ruminate on the impossible.

 

[Andy Mender]

It very much depends for me. If I don't understand a word or two, but the context is sufficient to fill in the gaps, I proceed and have no problems visualizing the world, characters, etc. However, some books like William Gibson's Neuromancer are full of slang or metaphors (or both!), making them extremely difficult to follow. Getting used to the writing style of an author helps a great deal, though .

 

[Caliban]

When you read M. John Harrison understanding what you’re reading is a rarity.

 

[Vince W]

It very much depends for me. If I don't understand a word or two, but the context is sufficient to fill in the gaps, I proceed and have no problems visualizing the world, characters, etc. However, some books like William Gibson's Neuromancer are full of slang or metaphors (or both!), making them extremely difficult to follow. Getting used to the writing style of an author helps a great deal, though .

Gibson is one of those authors that won't hold your hand. He throws you in and you either sink or sink less. I doubt you ever really get your head above water with Gibson. Not really.

 

[Vince W]

When you read M. John Harrison understanding what you’re reading is a rarity.

Oh so very true.

 

[Parson]

I doubt you ever really get your head above water with Gibson. Not really.

I managed to slog through 2 of his books and finally decided I had better ways to waste my time.

 

[Vince W]

I managed to slog through 2 of his books and finally decided I had better ways to waste my time.

Not me. I read Neuromancer as a teen and fell right down the rabbit hole. I've been a fan ever since, but his last novel The Peripheral was the most difficult of his that I read. It took a while to come to grips with all the in-story jargon. Sometimes I think Gibson is more a linguist than author.

 

[Andy Mender]

Not me. I read Neuromancer as a teen and fell right down the rabbit hole. I've been a fan ever since, but his last novel The Peripheral was the most difficult of his that I read. It took a while to come to grips with all the in-story jargon. Sometimes I think Gibson is more a linguist than author.

Frankly, it did take me most of the Neuromancer to sync with Gibson's writing style, but it's partly my fault since I haven't read any of the earlier short stories set in the Sprawl culture. That motivates me, though. If I don't understand a book entirely during the first read-through, I usually read it again .

 

[Lumens]

With Neuromancer, I had to reread sections over and over until I finally got them, and it was slow from begining to end. It was worth it, though.

 

[dwsowash]

I'm asking because some times I love reading, even if I don't understand what's going on. Why? I guess it has something to do with the imagery and the flow of the language. Also, some times it does magical things to my mind, especially if I'm tired.

It comes from reading books as a child which were not meant for children. I was making up for it by filling in the gaps with my imagination.

The hardest for me to understand (apart from maths equations) is poetry. I can still enjoy it though, if I'm in the mood for it. Walt Whitman is a favourite.

I am also asking because I am writing a novel where there are expressions that are purely made up, and if the reader wants to understand it, currently there is no Google for that...

I would say no.
And your using "expressions that are purely made up" is not unheard of.
To understand 'A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess' where he made up his own slang language, you pretty much need to use the 'Nadsat Glossary'.

 

[Venusian Broon]

When you read M. John Harrison understanding what you’re reading is a rarity.

I haven't read all his work but I've not had problems understanding.

But then again I've treated his works as vivid technicolor hallucinations/lucid dreams.

That his writing style kinda feels 'familiar' to me helps.

 

[Quisizyx]

I find it interesting that some found Neuromancer difficult. I don't recall having any problems with it. It felt like an expansion of Vernor Vinge's True Names. I found it captivating & practically read it in one go. Perhaps my early fascination with computers and my stint as online tech help for Gateway helped.

 

[hitmouse]

Gibson's sf novels can seem a bit disjointed at first, but the plot soon coalesces into something tasty and perfectly coherent. I think he plays with the form in an effective way. It requires a bit of faith but soon pays off.

 

[hitmouse]

I am watching the current BBC documentary series Civilisations which is sort of a grand history of art and consciousness. Very good. Last night I saw one on religious art, and the very interesting point was made that much of the narrative, in numerous religions, of religious art deliberately places demands on the viewer or reader to think hard in order to follow and understand.

 

[Quisizyx]

You've got to be careful making up new words/phrases and such but, when it's done well, it can really draw a vivid picture of a world. Alex the G and T used one of Heilein's terms from Stranger in a Strange Land--excellent example. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it to all my little droogs.

At the extreme, there are stories that are specifically intended not to make sense. Check out some Zen koans in The Gateless Gate. It's also easy to find a bunch of koans online. Here's one example:

Mokugen was never known to smile until his last day on earth. When his time came to pass away he said to his faithful ones: "You have studied under me for more than ten years. Show me your real interpretation of Zen. Whoever expresses this most clearly shall be my successor and receive my robe and bowl."

Everyone watched Mokugen's severe face, but no one answered.

Encho, a disciple who had been with his teacher for a long time, moved near the bedside. He pushed forward the medicine cup a few inches. That was his answer to the command.

The teacher's face became even more severe. "Is that all you understand?" he asked.

Encho reached out and moved the cup back again.

A beautiful smile broke over the features of Mokugen. "You rascal," he told Encho. "You worked with me ten years and have not yet seen my whole body. Take the robe and bowl. They belong to you."

Koans are intentional apparent illogic in an attempt to derail the train of thought, stop the internal Color Commentary of everything we observe and experience, and break the model of reality that we have constructed in our head. It's an attempt at nonplused surprise that removes the filters that we use for everything we observe and experience hopefully forcing direct observation without internal comment or judgement. Those that Understand don't find koans nonsensical.

 

[frhudson]

Not really. On the most important tasks of reading is education. That`s why, it could be challenging to understand some thoughts in a particular book, but the award you`re getting after finishing is a pleasure of struggling with deep ideas.
And how many could understand ancient philosophers or Nietzsche from the first sign?

 

[Quisizyx]

As for made up words, context usually provides the means for understanding, so no dictionary or google should be necessary.

Unless you're a Smurf! One of the reasons I hated the Smurfs is the imprecise language and using Smurf for practically everything.