The Next Best Book Club discussion
Book Related Banter
>
Do you re-read?
date
newest »
newest »
Sharon wrote: "There are some books that rereading enhances your appreciation of. For huge ones like Count of Monte Cristo, which has lots of plot twists and so many characters to keep track of, I find that re-re..."Ooooh- I have I Never Promised You a Rose Garden- I like hearing that you love it so much you keep rereading it!
Sharon, thats impressive that your friend has to replace The Last Unicorn every 6 months. Is she really obsessive about the conditon of her books? I know someone who's a bit OCD and she cannot bear to crack the spines of her books.
That is impressive- maybe she just loans it out or loses it? I have OCD and I actually have it pretty darn bad, hence the way too many books and getting more every day, but not so much on the condition.
I mean, I do like them to look nice but having them look used is okay with me- as long as it's not TOO used!
I hate re-reading books. I can't. I'll pick up a book thinking, "oh I'd like to read this again". I get about two sentences in and the entire story comes flying back at me. So, I lose interest and just put the book back LOL. There are very few novels I can re-read, sadly.
very rarely because I buy books faster than I can read
I do re-read books sometimes and there is actually a few I would like to re-read soon. It doesn't bother me to re-read books because I can read pretty fast.
Often. I'm known to have re-read books for over 10 times. I also do 'selected re-readings' (I don't know how to expressi this in English)-I re-read passages or chapters only, those I liked best or the most thrilling ones etc.
Even though there are tons of books out there that I want to read, I also love re-reading books. Its like visiting an old friend again for the first time in months (or years, depending on how long its been before I re-read it). Here are some of my favorite books to re-read: East By Edith Pattou
Marley & Me by John Gorgan
The Earth, My Butt, and other big round this by Carolyn Mackler (not the most sophisticated reading material out there, but it makes me smile and I can relate, so why not?)
:)
X's and O's,
Della
I collect my favorites from adolescence, and yes I reread them and always get something new from them.
There are certain authors I would happily reread- in my comfort reading category. I used to keep all my books until they took over and I realised that I probably wasn't going to reread most of them. Now I tend to keep only my very favourite authors and I have just rejoined the library in the hope that I'll start saving a bit of money and also read my tbr bookshelves.
I absolutely re-read. With many books, I find that I don't get it all in just one read, and in going back once (or twice...or in the case of a very few, many more times than that...) I find new things to appreciate and love about the book.
Constantly. If I've just read a book that I really like, I'll re-read it tons of times until I practically have parts of it memorised.
I agree with Jessica, when you re-read some books, you discover new things to appreciate and love, and also some stuff you didn't notice before.
I agree with Jessica, when you re-read some books, you discover new things to appreciate and love, and also some stuff you didn't notice before.
Susanna wrote: "Just asked my mother (a professor of English) what her vote would be.
She said she'd have to choose between Huck Finn, The Great Gatsby, or Absalom Absalom."
Haven't read the third, would concur on the first, and must disagree very strongly with the second!! I'd have to go for Mockingbird, I think.
and I can't skim either. Only in desperation when I'm doing a challenge and want to count a loathed book... otherwise I have NO problem with closing a book before I have reached the end. Life is too short!!
She said she'd have to choose between Huck Finn, The Great Gatsby, or Absalom Absalom."
Haven't read the third, would concur on the first, and must disagree very strongly with the second!! I'd have to go for Mockingbird, I think.
and I can't skim either. Only in desperation when I'm doing a challenge and want to count a loathed book... otherwise I have NO problem with closing a book before I have reached the end. Life is too short!!
I found Absalom Absalom difficult and confusing, but a pleasant sort of confusing, if you follow me. I like all of them, actually.I don't think I've skimmed since I was in grad school. Golly did we have a lot of assigned reading!
I love re-reading my all time favorites like Agatha Christie, David Weber, Georgette Heyer etc. Sometimes I have to re-read because it takes so long for the next book to come out in a series, I've forgotten the thread of the plot. Jean Auel takes the cake for this... there are supposed to be 6 novels in her series, and she started them in the 70's. I may die before #6 comes out.
I reread all the time. The second time round I am not in such a hurry to get the story and can appreciate the writing and the nuances I missed first time.
Hardly ever reread but am reading book lover at the moment and enjoying just as much as the first time.
I absolutely re-read.
Most of the time, I read a book and then re-read it again immediately. I know how weird that is, but I read it the first time for the story - what will happen next, and then I read it for the language and the skill of the writer.
I also love re-reading because I find that books I was only lukewarm on the first time around are a lot better the second time around. On the first pass, I didn't like Empire Falls by Richard Russo and I was only lukewarm on Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King, and now these two are high up on my list of favorites.
I also love re-reading books after a period of years, because they are both a little foreign yet, familiar. Its like running into an old friend after a long separation.
Most of the time, I read a book and then re-read it again immediately. I know how weird that is, but I read it the first time for the story - what will happen next, and then I read it for the language and the skill of the writer.
I also love re-reading because I find that books I was only lukewarm on the first time around are a lot better the second time around. On the first pass, I didn't like Empire Falls by Richard Russo and I was only lukewarm on Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King, and now these two are high up on my list of favorites.
I also love re-reading books after a period of years, because they are both a little foreign yet, familiar. Its like running into an old friend after a long separation.
I re read nearly all of my books. Certain ones I don't. I don't re read the Inheritance Cycle or the Wardstone Chronicles. But I have to be careful that I don't read a book so much I get sick of it. I read all of the Twilight books about 10 times and now I can't stand the sight of them. Confessions of Georgia Nicolson and Cathy Cassidy books never get old, though
The only book I've re-read so far was twilight. I also want to re-read the others at a time but I also want to continue reading and finishing the new ones I got so... twilight only.
OMG! I have never met anyone else that has re-read books. I thought I was weird. (I also rewatch movies too!) I read the Twilight series at least 5 times (My daughter and I went to Forks, WA in March (we are from S. Louisiana)) I am currently re-reading the Sookie Stackhouse series and the Mortal Instrument series - though haven't read the third book yet.
When I was really young I'd probably read all of my books about 15 times each.I try not to so much anymore because I have so many books on my TBR. I try to read a few new books before returning to an old one.
I usually have about 3 books on the go at once though, and often one of these will be a reread that i pick up when i feel i don't have much of an attention span
Also when I'm upset I like to go back to old favourites
Things I've read many times: Harry Potter, Narnia books, Roald Dahl, short story collections
I'm trying to read 90% new books atm, but a few of them I'm finishing and know I'll reread at some point. For example, I'm on book 5 of The Dark Tower series right now and I know I'll read it again at some point.
I also read just the last sentence of a book! And I dont know why. If I don't I can't stop thinking about it and can't concentrate on the story.
And I always put a bookmark in the halfway point - I just like to know when I'm more than halfway through. Strange.
I'll re-read if I really like a book. I also do it when I can't figure out what I'm in the mood to read out of my TBR so I'll grab an old favorite. Everyone around here always asks why I reread books. Like you Vickie they all think I'm weird for rereading, rewatching and replaying (video games).
I re-read books all the time. It's interesting still (to me) ;)
I have always been a huge re-reader. I read the first few installments of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, but because of circumstances and my mood wasn't that impressed. I am re-reading them now and can not believe how excellent they are! What was I thinking before. Because I AM such a moody reader, it sometimes pays off big time to re-read something I didn't love, but also didn't hate the first time.
I like to reread also every few years because sometimes I don't know what the author means exactly but in a few years (after learning a bit more) I'll reread and get more out of the story. Like books I read when I was younger like Wuthering Heights and stuff I definitely got more out of it when I got older.
I have a few books I want to re-ead, but I never find the time. I only re-read one ("Ruby" by V.C. Andrews) because I wanted to read the sequels and I felt the nedd to refresh my memory about the first of the saga. Aside from that I just usually hopp on to the next book, never having the time to go back to the re-readable ones. Shame!
I've got a terrible memory for detail, so I reread some of my favorites now and again. I used to reread the Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles every Christmas holiday as sort of a ritual. I don't have the time to reread books between work and the long reading queue -- though I'll still go back and reread comics, since that's not a huge chunk of time.But I've replaced that with getting my absolute favorite books on audio and listening to them on the commute if I haven't found something new and interesting. I probably run through LoTR and Harry Potter once every year or two now.
I am a chronic re-reader. I read fast enough that I still consume enough "new" books to get bored. I guess I consider my book collection worth having because I do read the books more than once. I agree with lots of people that favorite books are like old friends.
The only book I've re-read so far is the twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer. LOLI'm planning on re-reading one of the books for Christmas. You know, I want to keep one book that I would re-read on Christmas holiday every year. I just thought about it and want to try doing it.
I am not a re-reader, for the most part. The only book I re-read regularly is The Master and Margarita, because it is my favorite book, and it's what I reach for when I'm tired or sick and need a comforting read.Beyond that, I don't re-read unless it has been at least 10-ish years since I first read a book and consciously want to revisit a book with a new perspective, or if a new book in a series has come out and it's been several years since the last one.
Natalia wrote: "I am not a re-reader, for the most part. The only book I re-read regularly is The Master and Margarita, because it is my favorite book, and it's what I reach for when I'm tired or sic..."Wow, not sure I could regularly read that one while tired or sick. The first (and only) time I read it was while I was recovering from surgery. I like to say that I don't think I would have enjoyed it so much had I not been on pain meds. :)
My tired/sick book to re-read is Harriet the Spy. It's like a warm blanket and a bowl of soup to me. :)
El wrote: "Wow, not sure I could regularly read that one while tired or sick. The first (and only) time I read it was while I was recovering from surgery. I like to say that I don't think I would have enjoyed it so much had I not been on pain meds. :)"I am very in love with literature and history of Russia in the time running up to and soon after the revolution - it's my favorite time/place in history. I think the more context the reader has for the things Bulgakov is making fun of, the easier the book is to read - But I think that's the case for all satire, jokes are always spoiled by explanations!
It's rare that I re-read, but there are a few exceptions. The Secret Garden and The Princess Bride. I read each at least once or twice a year. I just finished the Secret Garden again, actually.
I'm definitely a re-reader. Eventually I forget what happens in my favourite books and I need to revisit them. This is especially true of endings, I can never remember what happens at the end. I suspect this is because I always get excited when I near the end of a story and I read until the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I'm not sure why anyone would buy a book if they didn't intend to re-read it at some point.My sick day books are either Chronicles of Narnia or The Dark is Rising series.
Oh, my comfort/sick days book is definitely The Secret Garden.
My "I feel sick" books are ones I enjoyed as a teenager. I have no idea why.
Oh, Secret Garden, is such a good sick day book, Katie! Judging from the other posts, I'd say most of us seem to like the books from our childhood when we're sick. Maybe dreaming of the days when someone brought us hot soup to go with our reading shnugs?
I sometimes feel guilty about re-reading too, but then I think 'hey if I enjoy this, then why not!' I usually re-read the Harry Potter series before a movie comes out and I always re-read The Perks of Being a Wallflower(its my fav).
I think it has to do with the "I want my mommy" feeling, come to think of it.
Susanna wrote: "I think it has to do with the "I want my mommy" feeling, come to think of it."I like to think it's similar to "comfort food". Except now without calories! :)
It's quite rare that I re-read. The book has to be something very special. I think I can count on one hand the number of books I've re-read. The first one that comes to mind is The Great Gatsby because of Fitzgerald's genius and incredible use of imagery. That, and it's an obvious classic. Another one that comes to mind is Flowers for Algernon; such a wonderful and sad story.
I am a big re-reader, especially with with some that have become my favorites over the years such as LOTR and HP. Its almost like going home again or visiting with an old friend. And there is always something you see each time that you missed before.
You sum up my feelings on this exactly Flora!! Right down the the LOTR and HP! lol!
The Next Best Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Secret Garden (other topics)The Princess Bride (other topics)
The Master and Margarita (other topics)
The Master and Margarita (other topics)
Empire Falls (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lloyd Alexander (other topics)Elie Wiesel (other topics)
I do, however, listen to books I've read before, especially humorous ones. It's a new way to experience an old favorite, and you catch a lot more of the gags. If you haven't experienced Christopher Moore or Jasper Fforde in audio format, you're really missing out.