Do You Re-read Books?

[jnidoh]

Have maybe 1500 books in my house and except for some that my wife bought, have read most of them at least twice......some 3,4 or 5 times.

A lot of reference and history books. Many good authors like Hemingway, Steinbeck, Hugo and dozens more. Many books by historical figures/soldiers who wrote only one or two and are not well known by most.

After 30-40 years, you never really forget a book, but some of the details get fuzzy or lost and it's nice to refresh your memory.

When I look at the titles on the shelves and take down a book I've read before, it's like meeting an old friend again and talking about good times you both shared many years ago.

john

[Brucebubs]

Do 'Playboy' magazines count?

[M19]

Originally Posted by IBKuz

I too have read TLOTR many times. After all the movies came out, I ended up re-reading the books to get the story straight again. They added stuff and left out some of the parts I really enjoyed. Give it a go, I ended up really enjoying the books again and have read them twice now since the movies came out. If you have not read the Silmarillion yet, read this before you re-read TLOTR again. A bit disjointed but gives more back story.

Read The Silmarillion a few times, and all of Chris Tolkien's stuff (Book of Lost Tales, Unfinished Tales, Morgoth's Ring, etc.), Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, etc. etc.

Aside from leaving out Tom Bombadill, The Barrow Downs, The Gray Company, Elladan and Elrohir, and Prince Imrahil, the movies played most loosely with Aragorn and Arwen IMO, but still love them. Really like the treatment of Rohan and their peoples. The Hobbit trio was very good too, though even more "adapted" than LOTR.

[hairpuller]

Yes, I've read "Are You My Mother" about a hundred times.

My kids couldn't get enough of that one.
scott

[jpd]

I have many authors, subjects and magazines too!

[Jeremy]

Only twice. I've re-read "Ship of Fools" by Richard Paul Russo twice and "Contact" by Carl Sagan once. I prefer to move on to new books when I done with one.

[The Bard Rocks]

I try to read a book every week or two. While I have re-read many over the years, it is not my current practice. But if I forget and start one that i read before, I'll read. it through again, figuring that if I didn't remember it from the first time, it needs to be better reinforced. My wife thinks I am punishing myself for forgetting I'd read it already.

"Already"... think about the word.

[flaggerphil]

All the time. I have numerous books I've read at least five times.

[Silurian]

There are a number of writers I've read multiple times: Twain, Fitzgerald, Vonnegut, Steinbeck, Conan Doyle.

There are some works I've attempted to read several times but never made it to the end, most notably The Iliad and Crime and Punishment.

[Fogducker]

I'm big into non-fiction and enjoy re-reading many of my books. If an author/book is great, it will be a pleasure to read it again after a few years.

Fog

[Don W]

Yes...so many books , so little time. But now...I have a lot more reading time available. I am re reading Justin Cronins trilogy of 3 books "The Passage". I re read Hermann Hesse many times especially Siddhartha and Steppenwolf. I have lots of books. I have read about 2/3's of them. Mostly Non fiction, existentialism, philosophy, classic literature...but during this time of virus some fiction is fun. Interestingly...The "Passage" trilogy is about a virus.

[AX17609]

I only read non-fiction, and I am the King of the highlighter. When I re-read a book, I read my previous highlights, frequently adding some if I feel I missed something important.

[Slothead56]

I’m a re-reader also...like my Father before me. I swear that man read the same 200 paperbacks over and over and over.

Someone mentioned the Travis McGee series by John D. MacDonald. I’ve read them all at least three times in succession.

I’ll recommend a couple that I’ve read a bunch in the event anyone is looking for something new:

• Chesapeake by James Michener is an amazing tale. You have to be committed to get through Michener but this is tops among his stuff that I’ve read.
• Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy. Please forget Barbara Streisand and the somewhat twisted rendering of the movie. This is a great book...Conroy at his picture painting best. There’s a lot of angst and self pity in his books but the writing! The prelude alone is a masterpiece.

[Mr. Paul]

Not as a rule, but ...

Desert Solitaire. 4x

Grapes of Wrath. 3x

Hobbit. 3x

Lord of the Rings trilogy 2x

Great Expectations 2x

Originally Posted by hairpuller

Yes, I've read "Are You My Mother" about a hundred times.

My kids couldn't get enough of that one.
scott

LOL yes, forgot about that one!

[dirkronk]

Originally Posted by Don W

I re read Hermann Hesse many times especially Siddhartha and Steppenwolf.

Ah...forgot to mention Hesse myself. Siddhartha and Steppenwolf got all the attention back in the '60s and '70s. But for me, his last two books (Narcissus & Goldmund and Magister Ludi/The Glass Bead Game) were an utter revelation in my first read-through of all his work decades ago. I'd like especially to reread those soon and see if they still have the same insight (if not the same impact) that I recall.

Cheers,

Dirk