To re-read or not to re-read

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Very few of my friends and close relatives seem to re-read a book once in a while and I was wondering how people here felt about re-reading books. Personally I've (tried, unsuccesfully) re-read The lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, The dark elf trilogy and the Icewind Dale trilogy, Servant of the Shard (although I kinda grew out of the Drizzt scene).

Currently I'm re-reading 'A song of Ice and Fire' which stands lonely on my top list and I'm loving it more than the first time I've read it. Of course I think you *have* to read these books at least twice to remember and comprehend every bit (the appendix of at least 25 pages with solely names of characters starring in the book).

So what's your view on re-reading books?

 

I do it all the time. Funny how the process of moving, with all the packing and unpacking of the library, reminds me of old favorites that are dying to be re-read.

I'm currently on my third time through Elizabeth Scarborough's "Argonia" series.

 

I hardly have time to read books once, let alone twice.

I can recall re-reading only two books - 2001: A Space Oddessy, and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series.

 

There are books have read thuirty times otrr more you should see just how scraggly my copy of Michael A. Stackpole's "I, Jedi" is

as it is, I love to re-read, since, well... I tend to unintentionally gloss. It usually takes me three reads to appreciate a book fully, xince first time is "devour" second is "read" and third is "cathch the stuff I missed earlier"

 

Agree with Arabwel,
Also with some series (Wheel of Time in particular) Each time a new book comes out you more or less have to start from book one in the series to try and remember all of the characters and their missions/history

 

I dont buy many books, and the ones I dont like, I will either throw away or let gather dust. But the ones I like I re-read many many times. Some series of Star Wars novels, or LotR I 've read lots of times.

 

I agree with Splunge. There are SO many books out there that are on my 'list' to read that there is no way that I could possibly find the time to read any of them more than once. As a kid I read 'The Lord of the Rings' several times but I no longer read books more than once.

So I guess I'm going for breadth rather than depth when it comes to my book reading experience.

 

Hehe, Arabwel, pretty much the same here.

I rush too fast through it the first time to really appreciate all it has to offer. That's why i also like to read them more than once. Still, very rarely more than twice, unless it's something like Song of Ice and Fire, where you simply have so much to absorb that you can definitely read it twice and still not know it all.

 

Re-reading books doesn't work for me because of the type of my memory. Sure, many details escape me, but I remember many others photographically, which disturbs me.

 

books are your friends! you can't just leave them, never to be picked up again. when confronted with my collection (several thousand and growing) many people ask me if i've ever heard of joining a library....... trouble is, i like to read and reread and reread and reread. if i don't like the book in that kind of way, it generally ends up in a charity bin.

 

Yes, books are your friends. But in the library, they can have many more friends than if they are stuck on my dusty shelf at home. And I can afford to have more 'friends' if I use the library

 

I reread books that I like quite frequently. I remember most of what is going to happen but that is no different than rewatching a movie or tv show.

A book is a piece of art and like any other piece of art each time you look at it you see it a little differently.

My most read book would be Lord of the Rings - I figure that I must have read it about 20 times now.

I have historically read somewhere in the range of 150-200 books/year since I was quite young so rereading a good book is a nice treat after reading a lot of the dreck that I have picked up over the years.

I used to go to the library every week but their science fiction and fantasy collection is quite pitiful in terms of quality and quantity. Now I just do a quick bit of research, place an order to the science fiction book club, and in a couple weeks I have another 10 to 30 books show up at my door. I can then read the books whenever I want and I have had far fewer bad experieces compared to when I settled for what the library had in stock.

 

I, too, re-read books often. I think I've read Neuromancer 20+ times and gone through The Chronicles of Amber in its entirety at least three times.
Re-reading is kinda like going away for a while and then coming home and hooking up with all your old friends.

 

I haven't re-read any of my books actually. I think it's because I put a lot of stock in the surprise of reading....of finding out what the ending is (hopefully unexpected). So then once I know the story and the ending -- it's done and I'm on to something new and different.

There are a few of my favorites that I have been considering re-reading lately, so I haven't ruled it out -- but I find there are SO many new ones that I have yet to read (sitting in stacks around me currently), that the urge to pick up one of those instead, is much stronger.

 

I agree with Spellbound about all the new books there are to read and I agree with JSBB that most of them are dreck. Luckily, my public library is pretty efficient and will pretty much order in any new book that you request, so I can get the quality books I want to read without having to pay to buy and store them.

 

I occasionally re-read books, but so far the one I've re-read most is probably Homer's "Odyssey" at four times followed by "The Iliad" at about 3. The rest are mostly Stephen King's novels a few of which I've read twice or thrice. For the most part though I've been borrowing a heap of books from the library so I don't have much opportunity to re-read.

 

I tend to re-read my favourite books and series quite often (though I probably will not re-read Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" series in one go. But one book once in a while is possible.).

And I must have read "Feet of Clay" and "Lords and Ladies" by Terry Pratchett at leas seven times. Because our schools library only had those two books by him, and my sister took our own collection to where she studies (other side of germany). Recently, they got two copies of "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents".

I especially re-read "The Chronicles of Narnia" (some of them I read seperately. You can see which, because I have the paperbacks. Except for one of those books, it is clear. But one of the books I had to re-buy, because I forgot my copy in the plane. I think that was "Prince Caspian" or "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader".), some Discworld Books (I plan on re-reading the whole series), "Song of the Lioness" quartet by Tamora Pierce (and others by her), and "The Neverending Story" and "Momo" by Michael Ende.

 

Just to clarify after reading my own post again. I couldn't finish Lord of the Rings twice because of the way it is written. The other ones I listed I did re-read.

@spellbound

I know you've read A song of ice and fire and I seriously recommend you to read it once more. There are so much things you've missed and it's a completely different read from the first time.

 

I re-read books occasionally...but I don't re-read big books only the short ones, just the other day I re-read "Only you can save Mankind", but I'd never re-read "the Chronicals of Thomas Covenant"...2 trilogies, each book over 500 pages long, no way! (unless I had alot of spare time...right I'd better get reading then! )