'Joke' from my mother (an English Lit. professor):

If someone tells you they enjoyed Ulysses, they're either pretentious or mad. If someone tells you they enjoyed Finnegan's Wake, they're a liar -- because no-one has made it through that book.

This is a silly joke.

A good number (I won't say plenty) of people have read Finnegans Wake and enjoyed it. At the risk of being branded a liar I can say that I've read the whole thing (out loud) and found it a very worthwhile experience. Some of the language play is very enjoyable.

n.b. reading _Finnegans Wake_ out loud is fundamental to the purpose of the book and it's enjoyment as a reader. I find myself laughing regularly and not knowing exactly why; maybe just because of the surrealist nature of the language.

James Joyce actually advised people to read it out loud and there is a nice recording of the man himself reading an exert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8kFqiv8Vww).

It also helps to read it in an Irish or Scottish accent!

side note: patiently waiting for all lorem ipsum to be replaced with random bits of finnegans wake :)