OnlineDM
Adventurer
The point is, however badly written it may be, it was designed to be read, not just referenced.
Current rule books resemble reference books. You look something up in then. You don't pull them off the shelf and read them.
Morrus - you keep referring to current books, and it sounds like you're only talking about books from 2008. Have you read Heroes of the Feywild? Even Heroes of the Fallen Lands / Forgotten Kingdoms are much better in this respect than the 4e PHB1.
D&D 4e has gotten better about being readable over the years. Really.