And today's awesome and totally-appropriate-for-me question is:
Do you ever pick up a book on your shelf, that you've already read, and just read it again?
My answer: ABSOLUTELY!
Once I fall in love with a book, we're friends for life. And it's not very nice to just leave a friend sitting on your shelf longing to spend time with you but instead collecting dust, now is it?
Certain books are like comfort food to me. For example: no matter what "kind" of sick I am, for some reason saltines and ginger ale always seem like a good choice. As does Harry Potter—rereading Harry Potter is my #1 go-to sick day activity. Then there's Little Women, which I reread every year at Christmas and surprises and delights me all over again with every read.
A few of my major re-reads include:
Anything by Walter Moers
The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde
Alice in Wonderland (usually every few years or so)
Les Miserables
Poetry by Richard Brautigan
Sense & Sensibility/Pride & Prejudice
...and several more.
...and several more.
I will say that Strider is an avid no-reread, no-rewatch man, occasionally to my frustration. He just doesn't see the point since he says he's already experienced it and already knows the ending. But for me, a great book isn't about the ending…it's about each page between the covers…which I love to explore over and over!
I know some people would say that with so many fantastic books out there, if I am constantly rereading, I'll miss out on something new. The truth is, I do have a healthy stack of new reads as well, but I'm also okay with missing out on something if it means I get to enjoy one of my favorites again. And the absolute beauty of books is that each person can enjoy them (old or new) exactly as they want.
Now I want to just go home and read all day….
YES! I know so many people that think I'm weird for rereading so many books. These aren't all current, but ones I've read a zillion times include:
ReplyDeleteThe Little Princess
Scarlet Pimpernel
Harry Potter
Peter Pan
The Outsiders
Lord of the Rings
Les Mis (or, it will be - I only finished it a couple months ago, though, so I haven't yet)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (SO good!)
Life of Pi
...and a ton more, but I don't remember them yet and this comment is getting long :)
Harry Potter really is the perfect sick-day read. It's like comfort food for the mind (and soul).
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, I have NEVER read Little Women. I have a lovely vintage edition of the book that I adore, but have never gotten around to it. Maybe this year will be the year? Should I wait until the Christmas season or do you think I'll enjoy it whenever?
Maria - glad to hear of your Potter-love! And I would definitely read it any time of the year. It sort of became a Christmas tradition by accident but it really is such a wonderful book!
DeleteHaha so many bloggers on today's link up have said Harry Potter - there's something just so magical about it that transports you somewhere where you aren't sick. (Or if you are, you get to eat chocolate frogs all day until you feel better... I want to go to there.)
ReplyDeleteAgreed! For me, I think its because I feel in love with them when I was still kind of a kid and there is something really comforting about it.
DeleteI've always liked the idea of reading a certain book each year around the same time. I have yet to actually do it though :)
ReplyDeleteI love that the book chat is mentioning a lot of Harry Potter. I like your description of comfort food. I'm going to steal that!
ReplyDeleteI really liked the way you described a great book being about everything in between and not just an ending. I think it's something we all know subconsciously but don't really realize.
ReplyDeleteGreat points! I call my favorite books my friends too. LOL
ReplyDeleteI reread parts of Les Mis sometimes, and of course Harry Potter, but that's about it. I'm not a big re-reader, re-watcher, re-anythinger, but I think it's great how you think of books as friends you want to visit! Now I feel bad about all the books I've read and promptly donated to the library....
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