Thursday is Groundhog Day, which always makes me think about the movie of the same name in which Bill Murray is forced to live a day over and over until he gets it right.
It got me thinking about re-reading books. Back in August of 2010, I asked a Monday Discussion question about which books you like to re-read. There I mentioned how I do often re-read Fahrenheit 451, but overall I am not a re-reader. Click through to see what I and others had to say.
I would love discuss our re-reading habits some more, but in the spirit of Groundhog Day, the movie, I also thought we could talk about books we re-tried and gave another chance. For me, last year I read 2 books that I had begun a few years before and couldn't get through, but then tried again, and enjoyed them. They were Brookland and Ahab's Wife (the links lead to my detailed reviews).
So for today's Monday Discussion, share your favorite books to re-read or a book you gave another chance to and subsequently found out you did enjoy it.
For past Monday Discussions, click here.
Halloween Hangover Meet Election Anxiety via Emily Hughes in Slate
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I know the blog-a-thon ended yesterday but ending on a Thursday didn't sit
right with me, so I have one final post to round out the week.
With the electi...
1 day ago
6 comments:
There was a time in my teenage life when I re-read Gone with the Wind every year. Re-reading it again after a 30 year break gave me a whole different take on the book. Generally I don't re-read books, but here are those I have: War and Peace, The Killer Angels, and The Brothers Karamazov. A book I couldn't finish the first time through and then re-read and enjoyed was Tess of the D'Urbervilles. There is one book I have tried to read several times but have never even reach the half-way point: The Other Boleyn Girl.
I'm not a great re-reader, although I claim to want to read several books I've read in the past. They would be anything by Thomas B. Costain (his writings gave me my love of historical fiction), The Once and Future King (to get over my crush on Lancelot)and the Princess Bride (for the funny bits).
I have re-read Little Women and found myself thinking that it was a very preachy book. I absolutely loved it and all the other books in the series when I first read them. Last year, I also read a book I loved when I was a sophomore in high school. It was The Second Conquest by Louis de Wohl. This time, I thought it was rather one dimensional, but I did love it again anyway.
Oooh! Okay, I love this topic because it really is rare that I will re-read books, but the ones I have re-read I love. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Dracula by Bram Stoker (actually try to re-read every year in October), Tully by Paullina Simons and all of the Harry Potter and Twilight books. Okay, so maybe I re-read more than I thought. I like to listen to them in audio format as much as possible for re-reads.
2nd chance books. Game of Thrones. I had a hard time starting this book, tried twice. After watching the show I was able to fly through and I am reading the 2nd book now. Sometimes I can listen to a book vs. reading it, or vice versa. A Still Life by Louise Penny I had to listen to. I tried reading it in print and didn't like it, but I loved the audio! There are several titles that I have not gotten far in that I still have on my "to-read" list, bu there are too many to list!
I rarely ever start a book and then not finish it. I usually figure I've invested so much time, I should just get it over with. That being said, it's happened more recently, but I've never tried any of the books I rejected over again.
As far as rereading books is concerned, I think that I choose to reread when a book has resonated with me emotionally. In the past, books I've chosen to read include the Harry Potter series and Jane Austen novels in particular. I form attachments to those books and then want to experience those emotions all over again.
On the other hand, many novels are an enjoyable romp, but once you discover the ending, there is little reason to revisit them. Those, I generally choose not to waste my time rereading. There are so many books in the world that I have not yet consumed.
Mike BPL REF
The only book I have ever read
twice was Hemingway's "The Old
Man and the Sea". Great story so
beautifully written I WANTED to
read it again.
I have also re-read a Hemingway classic. A Farewell To Arms. The ending has such a huge impact. Several mysteries, to me, are worth re-reading because you often miss details. The Agatha Christie Poirot series are the ones I most revisit.
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