[Closed] Re-reading books

Depends on the book, my copy of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has been re-read so many times its falling apart.

Me.

If it's a series then I re-read all of them from the start each time a new one comes out.

Otherwise I have a few 'favourites' that get read maybe every 2 years or so.

A few - yes. Maybe thrice so far.

Me, I've read a few twice and one three times. Interesting to see what you missed the first time reading it. (assuming its a complex story)

I finished the Expanse series a few months back but have just started re-reading it again, spotting little details that I didn't the first time around.

Very rarely, only a few books I can think of

The only book I've read twice was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Mostly because I thought much of the deeper aspects of it had passed me by on the first reading, which they had.

as wwaswasm I re-read series - read most pratchetts many times over. Reacher books too. Quite a few others such as the wheel of time. Not so much with standalone books, but not out of the question

Depends on the book, my copy of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy has been re-read so many times its falling apart.

Ditto. I could probably transcribe most of it from memory.

Often, probably 1 re-read to every 2 or 3 new books I read. Was kind of necessary when I was younger, I pretty much read everything interesting in the library and I didn't have the money or space for more books. Now I have more money and space and not as much time, ah well.

Just finishing re-reading Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy for I think the 4th time, it's a huge dense bloated bastard of a thing and takes ages but, well, it's too good to not read again. I got Pratchetted out but I'm about 2/3ds of the way through everything...

There's a few books I'll probably read every few years for as long as I live- Vurt, Espedair Street, Mars, 1612:A Sundial In A Grave, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, Diamond Age, Stand On Zanzibar, Flowers For Algernon, the Star Fraction, the Baroque Cycle, Amber... mostly things I first read a long time back but every so often I add a new one, the Watchmaker of Filigree Street probably just made the list and maybe also the Ancillary series. Yeah it's all nerd stuff, that makes sense because I'm a nerd.

Heh, actually I went through all the bookshelves and removed everything I was fairly sure I'd never read again, and it was literally 10 books. The real test is whether I buy it again on Kindle. nbt - Member

Quite a few others such as the wheel of time.

I guess I'll have to do this some time. The first couple were great, and the Brandon Sanderson ones were just the most perfect ending, but most of the middle is proper shit and there's an awful lot of it <tugs braid>

Every few years I read through all Kurt Vonnegut's books. Helps keep me sane!

Only one, On Extended Wings, Diane Ackerman. About her experiences when learning to fly light aircraft. She found it really difficult, and nearly gave up. It's a book that makes me keep trying and dig in when things are not going well.

Keep planning to re-read Fight Club, but there are so many books in the world I've never got round to it.

I mean to and then rarely do.
The ones I do reread are not often the ones I mean to either.
(Tend to be light hearted and short like Pratchett or Douglas Adams that make me laugh)

I'll start re-reading some longer and more serious ones I really enjoyed 1st time round but then get distracted into reading something new.

After Iain Banks died, I re-read all his Iain M. Banks SciFi/Culture books.

I've not read the Sanderson books yet. I'm going to pick them up and re-read the lot when I'm ready

Have read Lonesome Dove three times, fantastic book.

Read Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden in my teens, reread them in my 30's and appreciated them much more.

[i]Keep planning to re-read Fight Club[/i]

best off not talking about this, I'd say.

High Fidelity - Nick Hornby

Might not be be the most cerebral but I love it, had to buy 3 copies over the years

I re-read mostly every half decent book I ever read. It seems wasteful not to.
I usually enjoy the re-read more than the first time through most times. There's no worrying about if it's gonna turn out to be any good or not.

I also re-watch movies quite a lot. Watched In The Line of Fire again last night, for probably the twenty something'th time. Still enjoyed it.

nbt - Member

I've not read the Sanderson books yet. I'm going to pick them up and re-read the lot when I'm ready

I was on holiday when I started into Memory of Light, I ended up basically sitting in the hotel room reading instead. It's not perfect- Sanderson will never write a battle that doesn't feel like a board game and he's always going to invent some clever magic then have a **** over it- but it is Incredibly Awesome. I wish I could read it again for the first time.

Lots & lots, couldn't tell you how many time I've read dune (just the original book not the series), & and as per others I used to reread the complete series before the new book from Pratchett, Banks, though only the current expanse series is being regularly done now (audiobook versions have made this eaiser lately)

I can't think why anyone wouldn't re-read books. After all we generally listen to music more than just once.

Rarely, and usually with disappointment

I've re-read Good Omens by Pratchett & Gaiman at least 10 times.

I restarted the Discworld series from scratch when Pratchett died. Still not finished it, but some of the early books were like reading anew, so much time has passed since the first time.

Only the 'rat' segment in American Psycho.

Used to re-read a lot as a kid as I'm quite picky about how fiction is written (in a low-brow style - Stephen King and Sven Hassel rocked my teen literary world). Don't do it so much now as I've discovered non-fiction and don't have as much time, currently basking in The Miracle Of Castel Di Sangro for probably the fourth time.

I can't do it, i think its down to my memory but when i recognise things of read i skim through and ultimately lose interest.

Used to do it in my teens and twenties, but nowadays I just can't for some reason. It's the same with films. Once I've seen something I won't actively search it out to watch again. Tried re-reading the Dark Tower series last year and just gave in after Wolves of the Calla.

I can't think why anyone wouldn't re-read books. After all we generally listen to music more than just once.

For me personally music has a very different effect. It can take me back to a time and place or stir emotions in me that no other media / art form can. There's something about a great album that just never diminishes for me.

I've re-read Groundhog Day a lot.

Used to do it in my teens and twenties, but nowadays I just can't for some reason.

I think for me, part of it is that I've got a massive backlog of reading to do before I even consider rereading old ones.

Almost every book I have gets re-read, some dozens of times over the years. My Sven Hassle's got a battering as a youngster as well. A few get read once only but they are usually the duffers from a favourite author. Nothing currently being re read but I was given 5 Dervla Murphy for my birthday a fortnight ago and I have only just finished them. Been busy so reading is probably only an hour a day.

I've read Haynes manual for a Mk2 Golf about million times and even now 15 years later I know exactly enough to do 90% of any job right and 10% wrong meaning I have to read the book again and re-do it.

Does that count?

If i finosh a book and have nothing to reread i just start it again.

The only book I've read twice was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Mostly because I thought much of the deeper aspects of it had passed me by on the first reading, which they had.

That's one book i have read quite a few times, usually if go away for any length of time i take "zen" with me.

Could be worth reading it again very soon as [url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/apr/25/robert-pirsig-obituary ]Robert Pirsig[/url] died two days ago. I've a week up at Aviemore starting next saturday so i'll take my well travelled and battered copy up with me, hope the weather is kind n' dry/warm so i can throw it in my camalbak to take out for contemplative reading wi a hip flask of Balvennie in the wilds. And if the weather is shite it will do just as well for reading as i stare out of the chalet window or sit in the mountain cafe whilst eating cake n' drinking coffee

Oh god, I constantly re-read books. If you're not going to reread it why would you keep hold of it? If I know that's the case off to the charity shop it goes.

Started as a kid when I would read Day of the Triffids at least a couple times a year. The Chryssalids less so

I then progressed to Sunset Song (probably my all time favourite book), Neil Gunn and the Utopian authors (whilst still at school).

I re-read Stephenson (Anathem at least 1/2 dozen times), Gibson oh, and American Gods probably 4x now.

Trying to reread Gravitys Rainbow atm, first read it thirty years ago. It was hard work then!

Not rereading, that'd be like buying a cd and only listening to it once....

gonefishin - Member

I can't think why anyone wouldn't re-read books. After all we generally listen to music more than just once.

To be fair, I don't have any songs that take five hours to listen to. Well except that one.

never re-read a book in my life, books are way too long to re-read and I'm too slow a reader for that(deliberately so, I don't properly take in things if i read too fast.).

I never re-read, just move on to the next one. With some books I like to keep my memories the way they are - particularly stuff I read in formative years.
I've thought a lot about re-reading Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun - as it's my favourite book. I haven't, not because I'm worried about it being a disappointment to a more seasoned eye, but because it would replace the deep imagery I have of it with something less perfect.

I'm definitely losing something with not re-reading the more difficult books, though, - it's clear you need to re-read if you want to get to the bottom of them. Although I reckon you could read Gravity's Rainbow on an annual basis and still stuggle to articulate what it was really about.

I will re-visit some of the lighter novels that have given me pleasure in the past. So, for example, I have read and re-read a few of Robertson Davies' trilogies, and there is at least one detective series that I have a tendency to re-visit when I am feeling a bit low.

The only book I've read twice was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

That's one of the few I've reread

Robertson Davies' trilogies

And they might just make up everything else I've reread.

As has already been said, depends on the book(s) and the author, but also depends on your state of mind and stage in life. I've re-read classics because they're great, childhood stuff (Lewis to Blyton via Adrian Mole) for nostalgia, evocative (Herriott, Bronte), life-changing ('Tipping the Velvet', 'The Beach', 'A Life Without Limits'). And my guilty pleasure is Jilly Cooper. Don't question it, just enjoy it. And be glad you have a love of stories and aren't just watching dross on the box. Or wasting your time on an internet forum

bex - Member
Or wasting your time on an internet forum

Need to take issue with this point. Not all forums are a waste of time. Some are mind. But for example, my musical theory knowledge has gone through the roof since I started talking nonsense on theory forums as opposed to football forums!

Plus there's an awful lot of utter junk books out there too! reading books doesn't automatically = better than forums or tv. As with everything it really depends on your own personal ability to distiguish the level of bullshit in what ever medium. You can learn through them all.

Have read a few autobiographies a couple of times, Billy Connelly, Valentino Rossi, Michael Jordan. Also hobbit, lotr after watching the films to remind me what actually happened. A few other random's like watership down and bury my heart at wounded knee

There are a great many books that I've read many, many times over the years, Zelazney, Niven, Stephenson, Gaiman...
There are some books I bought back in the early 70's that I still read regularly, but there is one very important point: compare the size of a regular SF novel from the 60's-70's to what you see on the shelves now, one of those old books I could finish of over less than a week, a modern book, maybe a months.
Quite apart from carrying the damn things around.
Thank God for ebooks!

I don't normally re-read books.

But I'm soon to go on cycle tour so have ordered a copy of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" to read in the light of Mr Pirsig departing on his eternal tinker. Read it maybe 20 years ago?

If I particularly enjoyed a book then yes, I'll reread. Often more than once. Why not?

The only book I've read twice was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Mostly because I thought much of the deeper aspects of it had passed me by on the first reading, which they had.

Same here - I've read it a few times, as parts of it made my brain hurt first and second time around. Amazing book.
It also tickles me that the copy I have was passed onto me whilst in Thailand in the '90s, and had obviously been through quite a few hands over the years. It has guest house stamps in from Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand, etc. Comments in the margins by at least 5 or 6 people.
I've lent it out multiple times over the years, always happy if I didn't get it back, but it always seems to return!

I've re-read all of the Iain M. Banks sci-fi books at least once, and some of them 3 or 4 times.

I've actually bought books, only to realise at some point, that I've already read it 🙁 - I've done this 2 or 3 times!

I am trying to keep only the books I'd re-read which I do when something points me in it's direction. For example Flann O'Brien's Third Policeman, as it came up in a pole of 10 best novels about a bike. I read it so long ago I couldn't remember it being about bikes, but I'm really pleased I read it again. The only problem with my system is I cannot remember the books I've read that weren't worth re-reading, forget I've read it and but it from the charity shop again. Buying the same book 3 times is my record..........

Re-reading a favourite book is like seeing an old friend. Often, I notice a subtlety that has escaped me before.

I've actually bought books, only to realise at some point, that I've already read it

I'll buy physical books I find dirt cheap in charity shops when I've already read them on my kindle, I may never read them again but I like having them around.