Reading X for the nth time

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

I've been combing FA threads, but can't find a topic quite like one that's been on my mind. I frequently re-read books, as I tend to speed read through the first time for plot. Most of what's in my own library has been read at least twice--if not more. What books do you all find yourself re-reading again and again and why?

I've recently started re-reading Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog for about the, oh, I don't know, sixth time. Give or take a few. It blends a little time-traveling tweak with the light silliness of a Wooster novel and an Agatha Christie puzzle. It's got a billion literary and historical references, a gentle love story and load of word-play. I find it enjoyable, requires enough thought that it absorbs me but is not so action driven that I stay up all night reading.

What worlds do you keep traveling to? C'mon, add to my to-read list! (Feel free to organize my topic differently, Jason and LadyD).

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I've re-read the Dresden books several times, and am almost through another reread waiting for the next (more than half way through Turn Coat). I've read many books multiple times of course. I recently re-read the Paksenarrion trilogy also.

Of course if I listed them all the thread would go on forever... :)

[[deleted user]]

The ones I've reread more than three times are Dresden, ASoIaF, NotW and the Thrawn Trilogy(ew, Star Wars).

[Judy]

I have been through several readings of the Dragonriders of Pern, the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz, and YA trilogy that includes Inkheart. Like old friends and comfort food.

[Kevin]

I have read Martin the Warrior, especially when I first discover the book, over 100 time now and counting.

[Rob]

I find that I always go back to the light fluffy stuff for re-reading. One of my staples is Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series, since it doesn't take a lot of time to read, and it's quite soothing.

The last few years I've had that little time to sit down and read that I tend to only read new stuff though. Although having more ebooks floating around means that I can read more often and carry a decent library around with me *strokes ipad lovingly*.

[Tracey]

I love To Say Nothing of the Dog to pieces - but I've only read it once. I'll remedy that.

In fantasy, I used to read Prydain pretty often, and Elizabeth Marie Pope's two books. Oh, and The Interior Life - I love that book. Non-fantasy: I always go back to Green Gables.

But hands-down my most-reread books are The Lord of the Rings. The movies kind of screwed that up (as they screwed up so very much). I used to read them every Christmas, and I had the books open pretty much nonstop for about four years, annotating the transcripts and other geeky things - and I burned out. Haven't cracked the cover in at least three years.

The #GeekGirls Book Club is starting The Hobbit next week (it's May that soon?!), which should be interesting. I hope I don't have to thump anyone for "omg its so borrring and hes so longwinded so manny wurds and who cares about the stoopid trees" nonsense. Because I don't think I'll be able to resist thumping.

[Rob]

I have MP3s of the BBC radio play of The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. That's my go to source of Tolkien since I can listen to it while driving (since I live a few hours out in the country it makes for some good accompaniment for drives to the city).

Good memories - they were on the radio when I was a kid, along with Hitchhikers.

[Tracey]

Oh! And Robin McKinley's Beauty. That's a comfort book. In fact, that's what all of those I mentioned are to me: my comfort books, the ones I hide away with when the world sucks, or at least the last book I read sucked, and I need something I know won't fail me. Old friends.

I have tapes (yes, tapes) of LotR and The Hobbit; I should keep them in the car.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

I re-read almost everything that I really enjoy. Sometimes I read a book again right after finishing it - to make sure that I got everything.

I have some books that I've read over 5-10 times. I've read Silver May Tarnish and The Duke's Ballad like a million times. In fact, they will be read again this year... :-) *sigh* Favorite books :-D

[Cheryl]

The Harry Potter series twice, Lord of the Rings at least twice, Sword of Shannara twice, and probably more that I can't remember right now.

Lately, I've been adding so many new fantasies to my TBR pile that I don't have time to read anything more than once! But, I'm sure if I come across books that I really, really like, I'll probably read them again sometime in the future. :)

[Tracey]

I don't know why, but the only Andre Nortons I remember really getting into were The Crystal Gryphon and Gryphon in Glory and Gryphon's Eyrie. I loved Kerovan. *adds to "reread-soon" list* I have The Duke's Ballad; don't know why I've never read it. It has one of my favorite covers.

[Leighann]

There are too many to count - but the one i read the most is the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I read it every summer - in fact it's coming up on my reading list very shortly! I'm excited.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Tracey wrote: "I don't know why, but the only Andre Nortons I remember really getting into were The Crystal Gryphon and Gryphon in Glory and Gryphon's Eyrie. I loved Ke..."

I own the entire Witch World series. :-) It took me forever to track down some of the older ones. I was getting books delivered to work almost every day for a while. :D

The prequel for The Duke's Ballad is Ciara's Song: A Chronicle of the Witch World. If you haven't read it first some of the stuff in Duke's Ballad won't make sense...but it is mostly a stand alone so you don't have to.

ETA: The Gryphon Cycle is the first books of the Witch World I ever read!

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I didn't list nearly all the books I re-re-re-read either. I've read the Harry Potter books a few times also. Then there's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that I've read too many times to count. They're not fantasy, but To Kill a Mockingbird I've read over and over and I've read all the James Herriot book (All Creatures Great and Small and all the sequels) till they fell apart and I had to replace the books. I've read the first Amber series by Zelazny many, many times also and the Elric and Hawkmoon series by Moorcock also come in for occasional rereads. There are also a few Koontz books I've read more than once.. I could go on, but I just keep thinking of others. :)

[Tracey]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I didn't list nearly all the books I re-re-re-read either. I've read the Harry Potter books a few times also. Then there's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings ... To Kill a Mockingbird ... James Herriot ..."

Ditto, and ditto, and ditto. More comfort books I forgot!

[[deleted user]]

Hmm...I reread tons of series. I've re-read Malazan, Wheel of Time, The Dresden Files, The Belgariad, A Song of Ice and Fire, Everything ever written by Robin Hobb and David Gemmel and a ton of other authors...Hmm..in fact it's a bit unusual for me to read a novel only once. If I only read a book a single time then I didn't care for it much. Also, I tend to immediately re-read a novel back to back if I enjoyed it immensely so it's not unusual for me to read the same novel twice in two days times though i do tend to slow it down a bit on the re-read to try to pick up nuances I may have missed the first time through.

[[deleted user]]

Look, we get it self. You have a OCR scanner instead of eyes that lets you read books in an instant.

Stop showing off.

sheesh.

Cyborgs these days, I tells ya...

[[deleted user]]

Hmm..speaking of which Im seriously considering of branching off into Scifi a bit. The Deathwalker character that made an appearance in Daemons Are Forever kinda caught my interest. I'm not big on space jazz but futuristic badass warriors sounds kinda cool. Any recommendations?

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Starship Troopers :-)

I don't read a lot of sci-fi... :)

[[deleted user]]

Have you read the Thrawn Trilogy yet? Also Armor. And I, too, have been planning on reading the Deathstalker stuff...

[Leighann]

Grant wrote: "Hmm...I reread tons of series. I've re-read Malazan, Wheel of Time, The Dresden Files, The Belgariad, A Song of Ice and Fire, Everything ever written by Robin Hobb and David Gemmel and a ton of ot..."

Just finished the Dresden Files (well those that are out) they are already slated for a re-read. I'm reading Robin Hobb for the first time ever - wondering how I've missed this before hand. But enjoying so far!

[[deleted user]]

I haven't read any of those, Ala. I'll give them all a look plus Starship Troopers, MrsJ. Thanks!

I'm really glad you're enjoying Robin Hobb, Leighann! I hope you started with the Farseer Trilogy...?

[Leighann]

I did...I'm on the second one now.

[[deleted user]]

Excellent. They get better as you progress ;)

[whimsicalmeerkat]

I'm actually more likely to reread books that are light or silly than serious ones, unless I am reading them with someone or for some reason of that sort. I'm branching out into new authors, but when I was younger I didn't have the YA books that are so popular now, so I have read most of, and have lately been rereading some of the following list: Agatha Christie, Alistair MacLean, Mary Stewart, Marion Chesney and Betty Neels. I also would be rereading, could I find them electronically, Elsie Lee and Emilie Loring. I've been having to find other absurdly silly palate cleansers to replace them.

There are some notable exceptions to this habit of mine. Dune and To Kill a Mockingbird are the first two that came to mind. I've read each of them multiple times.

[Amanda]

The Stand Love this books to death and first read it as a lonely teen. It got me through a lot and I still like to go back and either reread the whole thing or certain sections.

Walk into the NightA historical novel with a bent toward romance but the nice thing is that the story and the writing are really wonderful. I know so few people who've read Beverly Bird which is a shame because her writing is more than worth your time.

[Maggie]

Leignann is falling prey to all our TBR madness here. They got me to read Hobb too Leighann

As for the Stand, I remember way back in the day when I read it, I was complaining about it for some reason and someone recommended Swan Song which I loved. Any Stand fan will like it

[Cheryl]

If you like The Stand by Stephen King (and, I do since I've read it a number of times), you might also like The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. It's very similar to The Stand in that it's about people surviving after a major catastrophe. I've read it at least six or seven times; that's how much I enjoy it.

[Bill]

My most re-read work is LOTR which I have kept track and up to 26 times over 4 decades. Second would be the Dune series, 5 or 6 times and then Riftwar, esp the Empire trilogy, Foundation series, Vorkosagin Saga, almost all of CJ Cherryh, Ender series, Pip and Flinx & Humanx Commonwealth, Last Herald Mage trilogy, almost all of Juliet Marillier and Morgan Llewelyn's books and others. And I want to read all the Star Wars novels again.

But there's so much new stuff, where's the time?

[Leighann]

Maggie wrote: "Leignann is falling prey to all our TBR madness here. They got me to read Hobb too Leighann


I'm just glad I found this place - I've seen so many great books mentioned - and so many I want to read! Ahh the bookshelves are already overflowing but soon it will be even worse

[[deleted user]]

Lol...I love being a good influence on folks. Only time that's been true in my life ;)

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Grant wrote: "Lol...I love being a good influence on folks. Only time that's been true in my life ;)"

*snicker*

[Sonja]

I highly doubt that it's the only time, Grant, but as one such "influenced" individual... thanks and I hate you. ;)

[[deleted user]]

Thanked and hated in the same line.

Poor self.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

One would think you'd be used to it by now :P

[[deleted user]]

*grins* I am ;) Seems like everyone close to me loves and hates me depending on the day or even the time :P

@ Sonja. You're welcome and glad you're back around to be quietly, evilly influenced..oh..oh I mean good..yeah influence for good *eyes dart left and right* good I say.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Is this new slang???? Like when "bad" meant "good"?

[[deleted user]]

Lol. *pats Mike on the head affectionately*

Ah, they don't build em like they used to anymore :)

[whimsicalmeerkat]

All the kids are using it these days. Kinda like meth.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Oh ya, meth, that's the stuff with the numbers...right?

[mark]

series : LOTR, Hobbit, Narnia, Dark Is Rising, Lewis Barnevelt, most jack vance, Tales of the Flat Earth, Xanth & Apprentice Adept (embarrassed), Cluster & Tarot (not as embarrassed), Oz, elric of melnibone & chronicles of corum, His Dark Materials, a few philip k. dick novels, The Once and Future King.

stories: clark ashton smith & algernon blackwood & robert aickman & h.p. lovecraft & cordwainer smith, Kingdoms of Sorcery: An Anthology of Adult Fantasy, Galactic Empires 1, Galactic Empires 2

only the one: Dune, Davy by edgar pangborn, Sunfall by cj cherryh, Boy in Darkness by mervyn peake, Gloriana by michael moorcock, Found Wanting by lin carter, Red as Blood, or Tales from the Sisters Grimmer by tanith lee

[carol. , Senor Crabbypants]

Lol @Tracey, for the thumping. I've been in more than a few threads where there's complaints about "so manny wurds."
I think I re-read sometimes like MrsJ, to make sure I got everything (by the way, I am supremely jealous at your heroic endeavor of tracking down all the Witch World books. Want to will them to me?), and sometimes like others said, because it's soothing and reliable. I think I read a few three or four times, then let them drift to the back of the shelves for awhile once I know them well.

Lately God Stalk, Magic Strikes, the Vlad Taltos series, later Dresden files, Silver Borne; recently Sookie Stackhouse (mild embarrassment), The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (have towel, will travel), and some of Harry Potter. The Year of the Griffin was a recent discovery. Beagle and Zelazny are favorites.

[Tracey]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Oh ya, meth, that's the stuff with the numbers...right?"

*giggle*

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Carol wrote: "Lol @Tracey, for the thumping. I've been in more than a few threads where there's complaints about "so manny wurds."
I think I re-read sometimes like MrsJ, to make sure I got everything (by the w..."

I have to talk to Grant about that, Carol. My cuz already put first dibs on all my books ;-)

[Mike (the Paladin)]

There have already been disagreements as to who gets which of my books when I die...talk about depressing. My son, my daughter, a young man who practically grew up in our home and is all but a son to me (my son's best friend)...our pastor (he's about the age of my kids) are waiting like vultures to loot my shelves when I...shuffle off this mortal coil. (cool euphemism huh?)

I don't plan to leave a will dividing up the books...let them fight it out.

[Sonja]

Tracey wrote: "Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Oh ya, meth, that's the stuff with the numbers...right?"

*giggle*"

:) These threads always keep me chuckling. @Grant I do plenty of "good" as is, so I figure it's just fair that others influence me as well. Also, I have no idea what I'd do if my TBR was actually a manageable size...

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "There have already been disagreements as to who gets which of my books when I die...talk about depressing. My son, my daughter, a young man who practically grew up in our home and is all but a son ..."

Circling like vultures, eh? Tell em to hold off and wait, you're not kicking the bucket until Butcher completely finishes the Dresden files and you've finished your TBR pile. :-D

[[deleted user]]

I will so Thunderdome your kids and your preacher for your books, Mike.

[MrsJoseph *grouchy*, *good karma*]

Ala wrote: "I will so Thunderdome your kids and your preacher for your books, Mike."

oh my