Books You Can Read Again... and Even Again After That

Chrissy · May 12, 2014

I've been recently thinking that this is the *hallmark* -- for me at least -- of a truly good book: one that you can read more than once. Even though you know what will happen, it's still a genuine pleasure to read it again. Even more than once.

An example for me would be Justin Cronin's "The Passage." I've just started reading it for the third time (ETA: it might actually be the fourth time, I can't remember), and I still love it. I think it's the characters. Their motivations, their dilemmas, how they face them, their flaws, their strengths, that continue to intrigue me, and to make me think.

I would love to know what other AWers' favorite re-reads are, how many times you've re-read them, and why?

Sleepysara · May 12, 2014

Any Shakespeare--it's the gift that keeps giving. I find something new--a line, a theme, a character--that speaks to me each time I reread a play.

Beloved: again, this novel is so complex and beautiful that I find something new each time I read it.

As I Lay Dying: this one is the characters and the language.

Watership Down: It was important to me as a child and I still love it.

mrsmig · May 12, 2014

So many. Re-reading beloved books is like wearing your favorite comfy clothes.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White (because it's whimsical, wry and heartbreaking)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (because it evokes so many tastes and smells and sounds of the deep South, with a message that is just as ringing now as it was when it was first published)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (touching without being sentimental - and it's about a girl learning to be a writer!)
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (another girl learning to express herself in writing, with a quirky family and fascinating setting into the bargain)
The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sara Orne Jewett (a series of short stories set in a fishing village in Maine - again, centering on the experiences of a female writer. Gorgeous descriptive passages and a sense of place so strong that I felt I'd lived there)
The entire Sherlock Holmes canon by Arthur Conan Doyle (because there's nothing like a great, well-written mystery - unless it's a whole bunch of great, well-written mysteries!)
The Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian (robust, funny and moving historical fiction about a great friendship between two very different men)
The "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (simply written, deeply felt. I knew it when I first read the books as a kid; I know it again every time I re-read. The television series is clumsy and overwrought in comparison.)

That's just a few...

Emermouse · May 12, 2014

There are too many to list but the one that comes immediately to mind is Lord of the Rings.

Ari Meermans · May 12, 2014

Oh, wow; so many to choose from. So, I'm going to go with the first one I thought of: THE FAR PAVILIONS by M.M. Kaye. I just checked and saw that I bought those two volumes in February 1980. I can't begin to guess how many times I've read them.

ETA: More than one? Okey-doke: THE MORE THAN COMPLETE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE by Douglas Adams; THE HOBBIT & THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy (need I say by whom?); THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver; FOAL'S BREAD by Gillian Mears. Okay, I'll stop now.

Chrissy · May 12, 2014

Ooooo goodie! Book recs! *scribbles on Post-It*

I'm curious if anyone can state *why* their particular choices are so re-readable? (Sleepysara gave reasons for each listed.)

I suppose it may not be possible to articulate sometimes...

The dual purpose of the question is to find more books to fall in love with (cuz people around here tend to have really good taste) and also to try to advance teh writin' skillz (cuz people around here tend to have really good... oh, wait, I already said that).

ETA: mrsmig, I absolutely love your reasons! *scribbles*

LJD · May 12, 2014

Honestly, I do not re-read books anymore. There are just so many new ones I want to try. I think the last book I re-read was Bridge Jones's Diary, which I thought was hilarious. I re-read my favorite bits many times. I also think I re-read parts of Sophie Kinsella's The Undomestic Goddess.

But when I was a kid, I used to re-read like crazy. It was hard to get me to try a new book. Sometimes I would re-read the whole thing; sometimes I just re-read my favorite parts. Ones I remember reading a lot: Ballet Shoes (Noel Streatfeild), All of a Kind Family (Sydney Taylor), various L.M. Montgomery books (especially Emily of New Moon and Anne of Green Gables), various Gordon Korman books (especially I Want to Go Home! which might be the funniest thing I've ever read), and also the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House books to a lesser extent.

I do plan to take a couple months at some point and re-read books I've marked "favorites" in the past three years on my cool Excel spreadsheet...

Chrissy · May 12, 2014

LJD said:
Honestly, I do not re-read books anymore. There are just so many new ones I want to try.

This is how I have been mostly. But--and it might be my fault for picking the wrong new ones to try--I've felt frustrated lately. I haven't fallen in love with a new book for a while. Not to say I haven't really liked many new books I've read. But not to the point that they are worth re-reading.

I think the last book I re-read was Bridge Jones's Diary, which I thought was hilarious.

Me too! Great example because I laughed and laughed the first time (I mean, hysterically), and at some point (remembering how funny it was) I tried to read it again and... blah.

I mean, it's awesome to read a book and love it, laugh, be on the edge of my seat in suspense... but I'm starting to realize that the RE-readability of a great book is kind of... rare, I guess? I can't figure out why some books are so re-readable while others aren't, even if both are satisfying on the first read. (Realizing it's going to be somewhat different for everyone.)

William Haskins · May 12, 2014

i've read orwell's orwell's animal farm and nineteen eighty-four once a year for more than 30 years.

my daughter bought be a combined edition with an introductory essay by christopher hitchens, which makes it even more a treat.

i reread camus' the stranger every couple of years and, as much out of nostalgia as for any other reason, i read the adventures of tom sawyer and where the red fern grows every so often.

i also reread many different poetry collections.

Ari Meermans · May 12, 2014

For me, it's like enjoying the making of new friends but wanting never to let go of the old friends who've seen you through so much. And like old friends, every time you visit they have something new to tell you.

Jersey Chick · May 12, 2014

I reread A Prayer for Owen Meany every one or two years. It's one of my favorite books. Same goes for Gone with the Wind and Catcher in the Rye. And In Cold Blood.

When I'm sick, I go for my favorite Agatha Christie's - The Mirror Crack'd, And Then There Were None. I'm especially fond of the Miss Marples. I remember reading them when I was a kid, so they are like my comfort-food books.

Chrissy · May 12, 2014

William Haskins said:
i also reread many different poetry collections.

About poetry, though I haven't read near as much as you or many others... poetry seems to have a immediacy to it that excludes it from being an "already read, do I want to read it again?" thing. For me at least, its aspect places it out of the spectrum of books--with plots, arcs, conflict/resolution etc. (though I suppose poetry often contains those things in miniature).

Poetry is more like music for me. If it resonates, I can listen to it (read it) approximately one billion times and not get tired of it. If I like it, there's no question I'm going to read it again. And again. And again. Like a good song.

virtue_summer · May 12, 2014

I read in some very different genres so this list might seem odd, and I hope it's not too long:

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: I've read this one maybe four times. I can read anything by Bradbury multiple times. I love his language, his observations, and the way he can do so much with so little. It's a short novel, but it says a lot.
My One and Only by Kristan Higgins: This one's a romance I've read three times. The heroine's a prickly divorce attorney with issues and a sarcastic sense of humor that comes across in first person narration. The hero's her ex, which is probably one reason I like the book so much. I have a soft spot for reunion/second chance romances. This book never fails to both make me laugh and make me cry.
Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn: This one's a historical romantic comedy. I find it delightful, my go-to when I want something that's fun and not too serious but still IMO very well written.
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill: This is a collection of short stories. I think I've read them all at least twice. Hill writes a lot of horror, and some of that is in here, but my favorite is actually a more magical realist type story called "Pop Art" about childhood friends, one who has an unusual condition.
The Dark: New Ghost Stories: This is an anthology. I think some of the stories in here are the best I've seen in terms of building atmosphere, and I've loved ghost stories since I was a kid, so it's my go-to when I'm in the mood for that.
The Very Best of Fantasy and Science Fiction: Another anthology, this time of stories that appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. With stories like Bradbury's "All Summer in a Day" and Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon" it's eminently rereadable.

I also have a poetry anthology, The Seashell Anthology of Great Poetry, that I revisit over and over.

Brightdreamer · May 12, 2014

I reread books now and again, though not as much as I used to.

Some favorites:
- The Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy, by Tad Williams. My first epic fantasy love, and still a favorite.

- Tailchaser's Song, also by Tad Williams. I used to reread this one obsessively... it's the one that made me want to be a writer myself.

- Hatchet and Brian's Winter, by Gary Paulsen. They helped me through some tough times in the past, and I read them now and again when I need a pick-me-up.

- Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, by Bruce Coville. 'Cause it reads fast, and it's still one of my favorite YA dragon books.

And once in a while I get in the mood for something like The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (Patricia Wrede) or the Circle of Magic quartet (Tamora Pierce), or one of Bruce Coville's excellent anthologies (Half-Human's a favorite)...

Calla Lily · May 13, 2014

*cracks knuckles*

When I'm feeling scattered and need something to counteract it: LotR

Because he's my inspiration and I love him, despite his many flaws: Everything by HP Lovecraft

When I'm sick or stressed out: All 7 of Georgette Heyers' mysteries

When I need a romance fix (yes, me. I really am a girl, I promise): Nothing Venture by Patricia Wentworth.
(I recommend Patricia Wentworth wholeheartedly. She writes mysteries with a touch of romance and they're easy, fun reads. She also writes some of the best "mothers from hell" I've ever read.)

Manga (apologies for not remembering the spelling of the following authors' names, so I'm not going to try):

Saiyuki
Saiyuki Reload
(If they ever translate the next books in the series, I'll glom onto those too. Humor, action, drama. These have everything.)

Diabolo

Angel Sanctuary

Hellsing

julietk · May 13, 2014

Everything by Dorothy L. Sayers. Comfort reading, for sure.

LOTR. (Although I haven't read it for a while.)

"Tam Lin" by Pamela Dean.

Quite a lot of early/mid-20th c kidlit, especially school stories. Again, comfort reading.

Tbh most of the books I *actually* reread (as opposed to all the ones that are on the shelves because I think I would *like* to reread them sometime) are fairly light, even trashy, because if I'm re-reading at all then it's probably because I don't want to have to think too hard. (Jilly Cooper being the classic example for me

) if I have the brain to read something more challenging, I'll likely read something new.

msza45 · May 13, 2014

Catch 22 - I've only read it cover-to-cover once, but I can pick that sucker up and open to any page and start laughing. Tropic of Cancer/Capricorn by Henry Miller is another one like that for me.

William Haskins · May 13, 2014

Chrissy said:
About poetry, though I haven't read near as much as you or many others... poetry seems to have a immediacy to it that excludes it from being an "already read, do I want to read it again?" thing. For me at least, its aspect places it out of the spectrum of books--with plots, arcs, conflict/resolution etc. (though I suppose poetry often contains those things in miniature).

Poetry is more like music for me. If it resonates, I can listen to it (read it) approximately one billion times and not get tired of it. If I like it, there's no question I'm going to read it again. And again. And again. Like a good song.

well said.

V.J. Allison · May 13, 2014

For me, it's mostly Star Wars books that I can read over and over again...

Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster.
Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command by Timothy Zahn. (Also known as the "Thrawn Trilogy")
Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn. (Also known as the "Thrawn Duology")

The rest is CSI novelizations based on the TV show.

I know, I'm a geek.

phantasy · May 13, 2014

Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I think I've read those at least ten times and they aren't even in the genre I write in. Strong women ftw!

I've also been re-reading parts of Joe Abercrombie's work. His characters and writing style is really excellent and good to learn from.

sophiabegum1980 · May 15, 2014

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis.
A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens.
The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins.

Caramello Koala · May 16, 2014

I don't re-read books generally, but there are a few books that I've read that I know I'll definitely like to read again in the future. Some of these are: Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, The Beach by Alex Garland, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart, Passage to India by E.M Forster, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson and Neuromancer by William Gibson.

Of those books I've only read Nineteen Eighty-Four, Lord of the Flies, and Fear and Loathing twice. I look forward to re-reading the others one day. I could never read the same book once a year though, I'd be afraid of ruining its magic. Like when you watch a movie too often or listen to a song too much, and you reach that point where you can't stomach it anymore. It would be a tragic thing for me to do that to a book, which requires much more investment on your part than a movie or a song.

Caramello Koala · May 16, 2014

sophiabegum1980 said:
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis.
A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens.
The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins.

As much as I enjoyed American Psycho I don't think I'd rush out to read it again. The endless descriptive scenes detailing what suits everyone wore, along with the whole chapters dedicated to Whitney Houston and other 80s pop artists/groups were a bit of a grind. I think that book, for me at least, was a dish best served once.

jaus tail · May 18, 2014

werelord series by curtis jobling
atlas shrugged by ayn rand

EarlyBird · May 18, 2014

I don't generally reread books, but there are a couple that I have and would again: Gone with the Wind and Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett.([I didn't bother watching the series, would have killed my love for the book, I think.)

Books You Can Read Again... and Even Again After That

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