Re-reading favourite books

I often re-read books. Some books I have read more than a dozen times, usually finding something new in them, as well as re-affirming or re-experiencing at least some of my earlier reads.
Some books I have read ten times or more, over the last thirty years or so, and I hope and expect I will continue to re-read them every three or four years into the future.
These books include some that might be considered obvious for a fantasy writer such as myself, like The Lord of the Rings, or The Moon of Gomrath. But I spread my re-reading widely, and some of the books I have revisited in the last year or so include:Goodbye to All That, Strangers and Brothers 1, The World Of Psmith: The Psmith Omnibus, Double Eagle and Crescent: Vienna's Second Turkish Siege and Its Historical Setting, The Demon Princes, Black Hearts in Battersea, The Black Riders, and pretty much the entire oeuvre of thriller writers Desmond Bagley and Hammond Innes. In fact with the latter I re-read The Wreck Of The 'Mary Deare' only a month or so ago, and then saw the film completely by chance a few weeks later.
That is pretty much a random sampling of the recent re-reads, just from looking at what has migrated from the piles next to my bed to the nearest bookshelf. I see a couple of Heinleins too, notably Starman Jones and Citizen of the Galaxy. Which by a process of childhood association, makes me think I am overdue to re-read some Andre Norton, specifically Star Man's Son, 2250 A.D and perhaps Sargasso Of Space . . .
Though perhaps I should read some of the new books next to my bed first!
16 likes ·   •  11 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on October 08, 2012 01:48
Comments Showing 1-11 of 11 (11 new)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Corrie (new)

Corrie Wilkins I'm 23 and i have a large list of books i read yearly, sometimes more than once a year. Some for instance, such as Watership Down, Harry Potter, and The Abhorsen Trilogy i have read more than 10 times. I think re-visiting books is a comfort like tomato soup to someone with a bad cold. Pure image and soul recognition in paper form. Inspiration to a weary mind to keep on going with creative processes and mundane tasks. I'm always hesitant when starting a new author, series and even stand alone books because i feel they can't live up to the fantastic stories already stored in my mind and sitting on my bookshelf... But i know that's no way to go, so when I've read every book by an author i love, i go back to their original novels and short stories then look for someone to enhance it.
It gives me so much pleasure to look at some books... At YOUR books, again and again, to find my friends in the pages and forget the endings over and over.
This is what makes reading such a pleasure to me.
Thank you for your contribution to that.


message 2: by Caeleigh (new)

Caeleigh I reread books often.
My most reread at this point probably Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.


message 3: by Luci Ann (new)

Luci Ann Keenagh Oh I love Andre Norton and Heinlein! Wonderful adventures!


message 4: by Matthew (new)

Matthew There's been a few books I've read several times, such as the Lord of the Rings and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I've made a decision to wait a decade or more before reading them again. Hopefully I'll be able to recapture some of the magic of reading them for the first time again. I hope I can wait that long.


message 5: by Luci Ann (new)

Luci Ann Keenagh They are both really good stories! Definitely worth revisiting! =)


message 6: by Steve (new)

Steve Smy I love the first two books you mention, Garth:) Of course, I'd add The Weirdstone of Brisingamen to The Moon of Gomrath, if I could get a copy at a sensible price ;) I'm an inveterate re-reader. It's like visiting old friends, those you've grown with, have become comfortable with over many years.


message 7: by Amaris (new)

Amaris Aramanda I've been rereading some of Robin McKinley's books lately and I'm so happy I did, it's a wonderful way to relax between projects at school. :)


message 8: by Cami (new)

Cami I'm in the middle of a re-read of the Abhorsen trilogy myself. My husband just finished. We recommend this series to our friends and family with no little pressure. :)


message 9: by Luci Ann (new)

Luci Ann Keenagh Yes the Abhorsen series is Brill isn't it! I really enjoyed it. Just started Citizen of the Galaxy by Heinlein, been meaning to read it for ages.


message 10: by Natalie (new)

Natalie I reread books as often as I get the urge. Tomorrow, When The War Began and the rest of the series by John Marsden probably top the list of books I reread the most but the Abhorsen trilogy, Uglies saga and any Star Wars book could make it up there too. That said I have reread at least half of the books I own at some point and quite often to the neglect of new books I have bought.


message 11: by Rohini (new)

Rohini Anand Rereading the same books over and over again is like,returning to them as if they are old friends,which pretty much they are..:)


back to top