Are you a Re-reader?
I’m in charge of my bookclub’s discussion tomorrow night, and the book we chose to read was Stephen King’s 11/22/63. (That’s a slightly dated pic of my club on the left). I love King’s non-horror books and stories (The Stand is a favorite and his short story Shawshank Redemption inspired the fantabulous movie of the same name). 11/22/63 is about a regular guy who learns he can time travel and decides to try to prevent the assassination of President John Kennedy. I read the book about a year ago and since I have zero retention, I had to reread it. All 800+ pages of it, although since I read on my iPad, I didn’t actually realize how long it was. It’s a super fast read despite the length, especially if you stay up till 2 am every night because you can’t put it down. I loved it just as much the second time as I did the first and I’m glad my memory is terrible, because I could enjoy the unfolding of surprises all over again.
So, are you a re-reader? I hear from some of my readers that they read my books two or three times, and a couple re-read them every year! While I’m hugely flattered, I can’t imagine doing this when there are so many new things to read in the world. I’d love to know your ‘reading behavior’.
I’m definitely a re-reader. I generally re-read my favorite classics, such as JANE EYRE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, GONE WITH THE WIND, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, etc. I will occasionally re-read some of my favorite contemporary authors, which includes the fabulous Diane Chamberlain. The only other time I re-read a book is when I’ve lost notes for a blog review and have forgotten much of the plot requiring a re-read for an accurate post (a recent occurrence due to the loss of my notes on over 60 reads). I find great enjoyment in most of my purposeful re-reads as I generally will gain new perspectives, but agree that with so many new books out there it is difficult to fit the re-reads into my schedule.
I love to re-read my favorites. It’s a comfort to me to revisit old friends. I usually find something that I missed or didn’t understand the first read.
I am not a re-reader of books, I have so many waiting to be read on my TBR pile that I feel I need to read them. I have found some fun reading with Amanda Grange’s books about some of the characters in the Jane Austen books. I like reading them because it is like visiting all the characters in her novels again but I don’t have to read Ms. Austen’s novels over again. However, I do have some movies I call my comfort movies and I watch them over about once a year.
I’m definitely a re-reader, Diane. Altho there are all kinds of new books to be read, I can’t resist returning to my ‘friends’ from earlier classics; in particular KEEPER OF THE LIGHT. I have probably read this book at least 10 times and will continue to do so…when I find a book I absolutely love I return to ‘her’ maybe a year or two later. Right now I’m re-reading many of the Nantucket novels from Elin Hilderbrand because I’m not quite ready for summer to be over…all her novels take place on the Island and summer is always present. This Winter I will pickup KEEPER again and make myself at home in the art world of stained glass. (-:)
By the way, I thoroughly enjoyed Stephen King’s 11/22/63…wish I were a member of your bookclub because this book could be discussed for literally hours on end.
So trued about the King book! I’m looking over some discussion questions and they’re really thought provoking. ps I wish you were in my bookclub too!
I am a re-reader of favorite books. I always re-read a book when the sequel comes out. That makes it seem like one book instead of two.
I have been meaning to read 11/22/63 for ages. It is on my kindle and I tend to read newer books and forget about it. The comments on this blog have made me move that book to the top of my TBR list. Am looking forward to it now.
Ann, 11/22/63 moves really fast, in spite of its size…I couldn’t put it down. I’m like Diane and prefer Stephen King’s non-horror novels and this is one of them.
Def NOT a rereader but I did reread “To Kill A Mocking Bird” a second time (after four decades), ironically when many clubs were reading it, including my daughter’s so I had the rare opportunity to discuss a book with her we were both reading at the time.
I first read “Gone With The Wind” in my teens and then reread it a few years later when my sister was reading it, just to share the experience with her. We discussed and cried over it for two weeks! Both reads were delicious but I especially enjoyed the second time around with my lil’ sis:)
Although I am not a rereader I will watch my fav films over and over again! It does not matter if it is a 40’s black & white classic or a contemporary film (destined to become a classic), if it touches my heart it is mine forever! I have even replaced some of my very fav VHS films with DVDs. Too many favs to mention however, I celebrated the release of “High Road To China” on DVD last April by watching it multiple times, after anticipating its release for years. “The ox is slow but the earth is patient!”
Thanks Margo, now I am really excited about reading the book – you and Diane both liiked it. That ‘s a real recommendation.
I reread PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and EMMA every other year or so. I go to look up a quote and the next thing I know, I’m halfway through the book again.
I’ll only reread books I loved the first time. If I struggled or lost the plot, or jut hated a book everyone cooed over, then I register the book with http://www.bookcrossing.com and ‘release’ it into the big wide world. Some outstandingly good books (if my opinion is to be trusted) are so worthy of sharing that I hunt out a copy from a used bookstore and once more send the book on its way to be enoyed by others, I hope. I always feel a little guilty as I leave the book on the train, on a park bench, or in a cafe. It’s an International thing now, and quite compelling! So, check out the site, and choose a book to release into the arms and eyes of the world!
Steph, I love book crossing and have blogged about it in the past. It’s always fun to see where the books have traveled!
I am definitely a rereader… I find that I fall in love with a particular story, time, place and just have to revisit it. Lets not even talk about my Twilight obsession…but this is just one. I have also found that when I fall in love with a book, and I can’t put it down, I read it so fast…When I go back and reread it…I am amazed at how much I miss. My daughter and daughter in law have all gotten on board to read the same books and we have our own little “Book Club”. When we call each other to discuss a thought we had about the book, then of course you look up that particular part and you find yourself lost in it again. The books that become movies…well of course we watch them…and we have to discuss how the movie dropped the ball. Of course then we have to look up the parts that they didn’t get right. And we end up reading it again. I am beginning to think I need meetings for this kind of behavior. I will now have to read this Steven King book…And I too wish I could be in your book club… Come on Diane, Oklahoma isn’t that far away. 🙂
I’m something of a rereader. If a book is part of a series and the followup isn’t released to months / a year later then I’ll probably reread the previous book or some books I’ll reread because there is something comforting about them or it’s sort of a tradition at that time of year. But for the most part I mainly read ‘new’ (to me at least) books.