> It's so tedious, repetitive, and obvious that I genuinely can't understand what people see in it.

same! but i finished it anyway. it was during my speed-reading / audiobook transition. i have now become a normal reader again :)

to your point though, in retrospect, i think it all depends on when in your life/career you read a recommended book. seems to me that by the time you got to how to win friends, you have already read a lot and learned most of the "obvious" things in the book.