Funny, I never asked Gege's reason for not rereading. I, however, have only one: I barely have enough time to go through the mountain of books I haven't read yet, so why would I spend these precious free hours reading something I've already read?
That's Gege during our book discussion of The Hunger Games trilogy last weekend.How about you, dear reader? Do you reread? If you do, what motivates you to reread a particular book? I really want to know.
And the one holding his tummy because of uncontrollable laughter is me.
I think we were discussing the possible actors who would be perfect for The Hunger Games movie.
40 comments:
I almost always don't have a backlog of books, because I read crazyfast. So yeah, I reread almost all the time. Especially the books that I love. I think I reread Hunger Games thrice, Deathly Hallows more than that, and Of Mice and Men a lot of times as well.
Hi, Bookie! The Hunger Games three times! Wow! That speaks volumes on how much you love the first book.
I reread rarely but actually I'm rereading a book right now...Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. I only reread when I've completely forgotten the plot of a book I really enjoyed.
Hello, Mrs. B! That's a perfectly good reason to reread! In my case, I just do a quick Google search if I've forgotten the plot.
I've reread some of my favourite books. I like to return to old favourites and also re-read books to see whether I can see things within the book that I didn't notice the first time around.
I've reread North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell a couple of times, and British comedian Peter Kay's autobiography more than once because it makes me laugh so much.
I also regularly listen to the Harry Potter audiobooks as well, which I don't know whether that counts as a rereading?!
Hey there, Evanescence! Well, yes, that counts as rereading of course!
Ha!, I used to listen to Goblet of Fire a lot, and then the Half Blood Prince and now it's a combination of the Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. I also 'read along' with them using my copies of the Harry Potter books.
I'm also trying Terry Pratchett audiobooks after loving them as a young adult and I want to try other authors too.
You know which audiobooks are really enjoyable? Neil Gaiman's! Especially when he reads them, since Gaiman's voice is so full of character!
I didn't re-read when I was younger, for exactly the reason you stated: there are so many books I want to read. But I find now I am re-reading selectively, often to re-visit books I remember really liking many years ago. There's a comfort in them when I get into a reading funk and nothing new is working.
I also re-read if one of my reading groups chooses something I've already read. I find the 2nd time around, I often find things I missed. Same thing when I'm reading books in a series. If it's been more than 2 years since I read earlier ones, I'll go back and pick up at least the last one again before I read the newest.
Great question Peter and good discussion.
Do you have a favorite restaurant you go to over and over and always get the same thing because you know you will like it? -some people reread for a reason like that-sometimes I reread as I think I can get more fron the book on the second reading either in terms of enjoyment or understanding-and sometimes I might reread a book I read 40 years ago-the good ones I can still recall the plots!
Thanks, Tina! I just love hearing about your thoughts.
I can somehow relate when you mentioned the part about your book club selecting a book that you've read way, way before. This has also happened to me. In these cases, I usually just scan the book and try to remember as much of it as I can.
Hi, mel u! Well, that really made sense to me! Hmmmm... I never thought of it that way.
i do re-read books.
1. because i am in love with the book (like harry potter, which i practically grew up with)
2. when suddenly, out of nowhere, a particular scene from a book i've read just pops out, i would end up not just reading that certain part, but the entire book
3. when i have to use it as a reference
4. when i'm bored
[P.S. Thank you for droppin' by. I love it here in your blog. Book lover here!]
Hi, Desole Boy! Thanks for dropping by too!
Rereading for me is like revisiting a great conversation with an old friend. It's comforting to read something familiar that made you feel good. :)
I don't reread either. The world is much too full with undiscovered treasures I can't miss. There's a long list of TBR right now. I reread magazines though. Haha.
Hi, Peter! I do reread books, and doing so gives me fresh insight almost always. The time factor is a good point, though. Made me think twice about rereading. :)
I'm not a rereader at all - in fact, I've only re-read two books in my entire life (Portnoy's Complaint and Trinity). Too many good books out there to read re-runs! ;)
I rarely reread for the same reason as you. I have too many new books to read to reread old books. I wish I did though because I've read some fantastic books that I wouldn't mind rereading.
I really only re-read one book, and that is The Stand. I've been reading it and re-reading it now for about 16 years. It's a great book.
@Portobello's coffee: Excellent analogy!
@gonegagainthecity: Hahaha. Well, time is precious.
@Christine Marie: Magazines I don't read that much.
@Greg: I loved Portnoy's Complaint. I have yet to read a Leon Uris novel though.
@Linda: I guess we'll reread when we have way too much time on our hands.
@Tami: Then you'll love Cronin's The Passage!
I also don't re-read. Even my favourite books. I feel that it's a waste of time.
My motto in life is to try everything twice, so I am a total re-reader. There's much to be gained, for me at least, by rereading, and interesting to see how your perspective changes with time. Certain books I thought were fantastic when I was younger do not impress me much now.
I do agree though, that there are too many good books to be read and more coming out every month. So my annual reading is usually 75% new reads and 25% rereads. Old favourites must be visited again and again. :)
@rowell: Exactly!
@Stepford Mum: Great motto! You still follow it even though the first time wasn't a good experience?
Certainly. Same reason I watched favorite movies again and again and again. Some books are just too good to be read once. Rereading sometimes repays me with new discoveries about a book I thought I already read close enough. Readers are like human beings (hehe!) who acquire new perspectives, knowledge, experiences through time. These new perspectives can be applied once again to books already read, and I find that books I've read again, whether after 10 years or even after only a few months, are read as if for the first time. It's like I know the book previously only through spoilers and this time I'm getting most of the details behind the spoilers.
Hi, Peter! Generally, I'm not a rereader. But I can count a few books I've reread in my life because I wanted to--To Kill a Mockingbird, Hamlet, Pride and Prejudice, LOTR trilogy.
I think of them as friends. There are times in your life when you want to hang out with them again, because they were a comfort. And then when you do hang out with them again, you learn something new about them. I like that.
That said, I haven't reread anything else.
I forgot to add, thanks for the Neil Gaiman recomendation!
Talking about rereading books you didn't enjoy, whilst I've enjoyed rereading some of my favourites. I'm trying to get out of rereading books I didn't enjoy, as apart from the odd exception there's not been one that I've liked a second time. This I have found to be a waste of time.
@Rise: LOL at the "Readers are like human beings..." comment!
@fantaghiro23: Thanks for the wonderful insight!
@Evanescence: You're welcome!
Hey Peter, I just had to comment on this one. I don't get to reread either. As much as I would love to I am like you, I have a hard time getting through the tbr pile. But I do keep all the books so I can pull them back out and discuss them with others as they read. So you are not alone in not rereading.
@Melissa: Yehey! I knew I wasn't alone!
I only reread the books that I REALLY love, in a form of a comfort read. The last comfort read I had was A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which I've reread a lot of times since I was in elementary. I also reread if there's a need for it, like when I need to write a review or when it's a part of a discussion which is what I did for The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. But like you, I don't really have the time to reread books because I have too many waiting. ^^
i used to re-read when i was in High School. Probably because I have more free time and limited resources to buy new titles. hehehehehe.
i don't re-read much nowadays. except of course if it's Harry Pptter. I'd read the installment prior to a film opening. in a way, i get to review the plot. bad thing though, is that i tend to set higher expectations on the film version because i just got off fresh from the page.
I reread all the time, otherwise there would be no point in keeping the book. When you truly enjoy something why would you not want to revisit it. That would be akin to really enjoying a good steak but because you have already ate it once, you just move on and never eat it again.
Hi Peter! It's been a while. ^_^
The only book I've religiously reread was Harry Potter and naturally because I was still not yet aware then of other good books. But now, I don't reread as much anymore especially with novels which is weird since if I loved it I should probably be excited to read it all over again. But I can't do that because the backlog is growing so I have to move on.
I do plan on doing a lot of rereads though when I'm like 50 years old. By that time, I may not like the new books so I'd just go back to my old time favorites. I'd love to spend my late years reading about my old "friends" again.
Nice article btw. This is one thing I've always wondered about book bloggers. It's nice to know everyone's thoughts on rereading.
too many great books, more every day, too little time = no re-reading
@jellicleblog: If ever I were to reread one HP book, it would have to be The Prisoner of Azkaban, which has always been my favorite.
@Ryan G: Books and steak -- two of my favorite things! Hehehe.
@Patrick: Hey, long time! Glad to see you here again.
@caite: Exactly!
I shouldn't reread because my TBR is a monster. But I love fantasy fiction, the serial killer of tight budgets everywhere. If the time between volumes has been too lengthy I have to reread previous volumes to refresh my memory of plot and characters.
I also have several comfort books: relatively obscure books for some reason:
Harm's Way by Colin Greenland http://www.shelfari.com/books/3147692/Harms-Way
Atlan Saga beginning with The Serpent by Jane Gaskell http://www.shelfari.com/books/6512607/The-Serpent
The Secret Country Trilogy by Pamela Dean http://www.shelfari.com/books/241566/The-Secret-Country
The Tredana Trilogy by Joyce Ballou Gregorian http://www.shelfari.com/books/1504380/The-Broken-Citadel
Hello Peter! I'm guilty as charged when it comes to books. For me, there are books that became my trusted friends. Each time I need a good laugh or a good cry or when I misses them and just want to hear their stories again, i'll just pull out the book from my shelf and lo and behold, our relationship is rekindled. lol.
i love rereading Sophie Kinsella's books (esp. Can You Keep a Secret?) and also J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
hi peter... selective lang din ako... besides the medical books, i love rereading James Clavell's Shogun...
Yes, Peter, I reread. Mostly when I want to relive the emotions I felt when reading a particular book. Staples on my re-reading list are chick lits or fantasy books. The well-thumbed pages of Maya Calica's Break-up Diaries indicate the countless times I've read it. And no, I have yet to experience my first break-up so by reading the book, I think I'm pretty prepared. Hehe
(Glad to be back reading your posts and of my other fave bloggers'. :))
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