Re-Reading A Book I’ve Read

I did something last week I almost never do. In fact, I really don’t think I’ve ever done it, except for Shakespeare’s plays, especially Hamlet. For many years it was my practice to read Hamlet during the penitential season of Lent. But last week, I did indeed re-read a book I had read before.

It is not just any book, though, it is one of my favorites, and may indeed be my favorite book of all time.* It hits so many themes that ring in my soul — history, faith, speculative fiction, vivid landscape, biblical references, and glorious dialogue. The book I am referring to is shockingly under-read and not well known outside of niche groups. It makes no ones list of top books ever, but boy should it! I am talking about A Canticle For Leibowitz, blessed be his hame. If you’ve never read it, do yourself a favor and do so. I chose to re-read this particular book because it is my favorite. If you do read it, remember, it was written in 1955 yet somehow it is prophetic in its contemporary application, especially the second and third parts.

My 1988 pulp paperback copy. Can you smell those old pages?

I never read books again for there are so many great books that I’ve yet to read, therefore, it seems a waste of time to revisit a narrative already attained. C. S. Lewis argues the contrary, though, that if reading a page gave you pleasure the first time, why not read it again? I understand the logic of that thought for how many times have I seen every episode of Star Trek — it all its forms? Many. I can quote Star Trek II almost verbatim. Ship . . . out of danger?

So why not similarly enjoy a book? Well, this week I did so and I can tell you, I am glad I did. I perhaps enjoyed it even more this reading than the previous reading years ago. Having read it before, I could see many of the connecting lines I’d previously missed as well as drink in the delicious setting and dialogue structures because I wasn’t rushing to ‘find out what happens next’ which is what happens when you read a really good book, you jump too fast from one paragraph to the next. I’d also forgotten the emotional intensity of the ending, and I had mis-remembered the actual sene at the end of the book. Reading it again made it clearer, and better.

I’ve already started on my next read, which is one I’ve not read before and is 1000 pages — historical fiction set in ancient Rome. I may, though, when I finish that and get caught up on all those old issues of National Geographic, re-read something else. Here is a list of possible re-reads for me.

All the Pretty Horses/Blood MeridianThe Foundation novels (because I’m watching the Apple TV show, and that feels way different than what I read so long ago so I want to compare, maybe, but this would be a big undertaking)Quiet (not a novel, but this book meant a lot to me)David CopperfieldThe Martian Chronicles

There are some others, but these are on my short list. But how knows, I may catch a wild hair and re-read for the third time of Saint Leibowitz and the bookleggers and memorizers of his monastery and marvel again that Lucifer Has Fallen.

*This statement, of course, excludes the Bible. This probably should go without having to mention it but I would not want anyone to jump to an unreasonable and illogical conclusion based upon a statement that was never intended to be a creedal claim about scriptural authority.