Not everyone responds to the Book of Mormon the same way. Some intellectuals find the book useless. Even some members never seem to get the Spirit of the book. But, such a response says more about the individual than it does about the book. As Paul taught, 'the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned' (1 Cor 2:14).
Hugh Nibley
"[Nephi] tells us he is going to give us an abbreviated account. 'Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world' (1 Ne. 6:51 Ne. 6:5). That's important. The Book of Mormon is not to be peddled for entertainment or TV fare. It's not meant to be diverting. Mark Twain said, 'It's simply chloroform in print.' Most people can't even get through it; they think it's the dullest book in the world. We know it's anything but that, but it isn't written as a best seller. It isn't written for the sake of the story or the thrills…When you pick up the Book of Mormon, you [have to] shift your mind into another gear..." (Teachings of the Book of Mormon--Semester 1: Transcripts of Lectures Presented to an Honors Book of Mormon Class at Brigham Young University, 1988—1990, p. 171.)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Naturally, some would like to have even more contextual material about the life, times, and culture of the peoples in the Book of Mormon. In fact, though, there is much more already given in the book than most of us have been able to assimilate and appreciate thus far. Nevertheless, such supportive but ancillary data are not the purpose for which the book has been brought forward. This reality is stated very early in the book itself: 'Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world' ("1 ne. 6:51 Nephi 6:5).
"No wonder these scriptures fail to please or to impress the world. There are those who prefer details on ancient agriculture to the 'bread of life,' who prefer information on the rising of dynasties to insights on the rising of Jesus from the tomb. Perhaps this is so because the former type of data is very interesting without being very demanding. The second type demands both faith and, thereafter, a certain behavior." (But for a Small Moment, p. 38)