I knew there would be someone who piped up with that
I agree with you actually, on both counts. What I was suggesting though, especially for someone who at this point is looking like not even reading LOTR because the beginning is such a struggle, is some perspective. If you've seen the movies, you'll have a minor bit of background to get started, so you can skip ahead a bit. If skipping ahead means you'll be able to get into the whole book, then it seems like that's the way to go - once you've been caught by the book, then yu can go back and explore the beginning. Where you jump to is the point of debate I guess. Where the pace starts to get cracking some may say is when they meet Strider, others may argue it's back when they sneak out of Hobbiton, others at the party when Bilbo vanishes. I think all of that is important, especially Frodo's isolation in the village, but if it's these sections that are dragging you down, maybe you should skip ahead.
On the other hand, if you skip head and it just isn't working for you, maybe you should just move on. Tolkien I think is a ust read for fantasy fans, as it's the point where it all started, and absolutely no one has been able to create such an epic, or a world of such thoroughness, since Tolkien - though many have tried. He really set the way for people making their own complete worlds, he was the master at it. BUt he is quite tough to read at times.
For me, I just skipped the history bit, and started reading at the pooint where it seemed like Tolkien had decided to start the actual telling of the tale.
I've also read LOTR twice, and probably won't ever read t again.