Re-reading seems to be a divisive topic in the reading community. I know some readers who never, or rarely, re-read a book. I’m in the opposite camp: I think re-reading a beloved book is one of the greatest pleasures in life.
Last year, of the 62 books I read, 10 of them were re-reads. This year is only two months old, and I’ve already re-read 5 books. I easily have hundreds (more likely thousands) of unread books on my To Be Read list, but I still make time to re-visit books I’ve already read.
I’ve thought about the different reasons I re-read books. They mostly fall into these three categories:
- I want to be transported into a familiar, usually extremely cozy, world that I love. This is my favorite type of re-reading. It’s the equivalent of re-watching your favorite movie, or listening to a favorite song or putting on your favorite jeans. It feels happy, welcoming and familiar to read these books. The characters are like old friends. Books that fall into this category for me are often series: the Harry Potter series, the Anne of Green Gables novels, the Betsy-Tacy series, the Lord of the Rings. But non-series novels can also fit this category too: Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I Capture the Castle. Just thinking about these books makes me long for a cozy chair, a blanket, and a cup of tea.
- I want to refresh my memory on the information a book contains. An example of this is In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson. I read it years ago – it’s what first made me want to go to Australia. Last year I re-read it via an audiobook edition while traveling through Australia – I wanted to remember the historical background the Bill Bryson provides in his characteristically entertaining way. Re-reading a book before a sequel comes out, or before watching a movie adaptation, also fall into this category.
- I want to get to know better a book I consider to be an “all time favorite” – to read it deeper and broaden my familiarity and understanding of it. I believe that if a book is an all time favorite, it should be revisited regularly. It has new things to show you at different points in your life. I re-read Slaughterhouse Five for the third time last spring while traveling to Dresden. I regularly re-read Salinger. I just re-read The Elegance of the Hedgehog for this reason. I re-read Jane Austen. (Most of the books under category 1 also fall into this category, as they are usually all time favorites as well.)
I read this passage in Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer, and it made me think a lot about re-reading, and specifically the type of re-reading in category 3:
In his essays “The First Steps Toward a History of Reading,” Robert Darnton describes a switch from “intensive” to “extensive” reading that occurred as books began to proliferate. Until relatively recently, people read “intensively,” says Darnton. “They had only a few books — the Bible, an almanac, a devotional work or two — and they read them over and over again, usually aloud and in groups, so that a narrow range of traditional literature became deeply impressed on their consciousness.”
But after the printing press appeared around 1440, things began gradually to change. In the first century after Gutenberg, the number of books in existence increased fourteenfold. It became possible, for the first time, for people without great wealth to have a small library in their own homes, and a trove of easily consulted external memories close at hand.
Today, we read books “extensively,” without much in the way of sustained focus, and, with rare exceptions, we read each book only once. We value quantity of reading over quality of reading. We have no choice, if we want to keep up with the broader culture. Even in the most highly specialized fields, it can be a Sisyphean task to try to stay on top of the ever-growing mountain of words loosed upon the world each day.
This passage made me stop and think about the way I read. Reading more intensively is something that has been on my mind often lately, as I’ve been looking back at books I’ve read and realize how little I remember about them. Farnam Street has a great post about taking notes while reading, and his process for reading more intensely. I have my own, less formal technique. I’m good at taking notes and marking important thoughts while I’m reading, but I could benefit from more reflection once I’m finished and have time to reflect on the content. Joshua Foer also notes that Michael de Montaigne also suffered from the extensive vs. intensive reading dilemma, and compensated a bit by “writing in the back of every book a short critical judgement, so as to have at least some general idea of what the tome was about and what he thought of it.” I love that idea and might adopt it myself.
Reading more intensively can also be achieved by re-reading. It gives you the benefit of bringing all the new experiences and knowledge you’ve acquired since your first reading – you’re a slightly different person, and the book holds different things for you. I’m often surprised that the types of things I mark in a book the second time through are sometimes completely different than what jumped out at me the first time. When you’re re-reading a novel, you also have the benefit of knowing the ending in advance (if you remember it), and can read the beginning with a deeper understanding of the narrative themes and building of the overall story.
There are a few books high on my list of books to re-read: books that I consider among my all time favorites, but that I’ve only read once. This list includes: David Copperfield, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Book Thief, The Bell Jar, and Just Kids. I’m excited to revisit these wonderful books with fresh eyes.
Embracing re-reading and knowing that reading intensively has value allows me to re-read without the burden of feeling like I should be reading from my endless stack of unread books. I have no guilt about it. I read a lot of new-to-me books, but I have no regret about the time I spend reading books I already know that I love, and getting to know them better.
What about you, dear reader? Are you Team Re-read of Team Read Once? If you re-read, what makes you choose what books to re-read? What are your favorite books to revisit? How long do you usually wait between re-reads of a single book?
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More on reading and rereading:
- Are Rereadings Better Readings? (The New Yorker)
- How to Read a Book (Farnam Street)
- Re-reading: The ultimate guilty pleasure? (BBC)
- The Pleasures and Perils of Rereading (The Millions)
Every year I re-read – Under the Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes – They make me inspired and happy. Also Nella Last’s War – makes me want to visit The Lake District. Now these are audiobooks with the hardcopy in hand (sometimes). I’ll love the reader too. Carole Boyd, who read Nella’s Last’s War, made me listen to Edward VII. I loved it. Many more too.
I also re-read via an audiobook quite a bit! I love listening to the Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables series on audio. And it’s easier to follow along with an audiobook when you are familiar with the plot – I won’t get lost if I space out for a few seconds! :)
I’ve never read Nella’s Last War, but I’ve just looked it up and it looks extremely interesting – I’ve added it to my reading list!
I don’t reread very much, usually 2-3 books a year and some years there are no rereads. When I reread it is generally because of your third reason. But some of those books become so familiar they can move into comfort read territory (Pride and Prejudice I’m looking at you!). That said, I do reread individual poems quite frequently and favorite essays too.
I need to re-read Pride and Prejudice soon, I was thinking about that when I wrote this post. I’ve only read it twice. And as Karen Joy Fowler writes in “The Jane Austen Book Club” – we should reintroduce Jane into our lives frequently, and let her take a look around. :)
I had not ever occurred to me to re-read a book until about 10 years ago when I met a friend who told me she reads Rebecca EVERY October. But blogging has helped me consider the idea and I do see the value, it is just hard for me to tear myself away from the mountain tbr and the so-many-books I want to read NEXT.
What is rather odd is that I love to rewatch and watch again my favorite movies. But rereading a book sometimes gives me that “I’ve already read this” dejavu that is actually uncomfortable. I could write an essay about this topic but I’d bore everyone tears I’m sure.
EXCELLENT post. :)
I can definitely understand that. My memory can be so bad that sometimes I remember so little from a book that re-reading it is almost a new experience (which is kind of alarming). I was lending my mom my copy of “The God of Small Things” – I told her I owned it but hadn’t read it yet. When I opened it up, I saw my little post it in there with the date I read it! I remembered absolutely zero about it. That’s not the case with every book thank goodness, but there are some that have faded fast for some unknown reason.
Sometimes I re-read a book by listening to the audio edition. I don’t think I would have re-read Harry Potter as much as I have if not for the audiobooks. Anne of Green Gables is another favorite – Barbara Caruso’s narration is so very lovely.
I have maybe two or three books that I’ve worn out with re-reading and regularly pick up in search of comfort, but I don’t routinely re-read as much as I’d really like to. There are a few I know I’d like to get to specifically for the purpose of reading more intensively…it’s always just so hard with a world of unread books staring me down!
I agree – it’s hard to let the unread books sit in the pile while re-reading. And while I’m pretty successful with not feeling guilty about the books I DO re-read, there are a lot of books I’d love to re-read but can’t yet, or I’d never get any new reading done. I will someday, just not as soon as I’d like. The Thursday Next series is high on that list – I’m itching to re-read them and re-enter the incredible world Jasper Fforde created, but there are 7 of them! I will re-read them sometime, but they will have a wait a while. I’ve tried listening to the audiobooks of them (a way I often sneak in extra re-reading, while doing chores and walking – then I can keep reading new stuff in print), but they are too complex and hard for me to follow on audio.
I don’t re-read too often these days, but my memory is so bad that I really should re-read everything! When I have, it’s almost always either to refresh my memory (e.g. To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye) or as comfort reading (family sagas).
Mine too! I look back at fiction I’ve read 3 or more years ago, and sometimes have absolutely no memory of the plot or the characters! Some books I remember more than others, but I could read any of them again and be surprised by plot. To Kill a Mockingbird is very high on my list of books to re-read – I’ve only read it once. I love re-reading Catcher in the Rye, and Salinger’s other books as well. Many people find that Catcher in the Rye doesn’t appeal to them once they are older and re-read it, but I didn’t have that experience. I love reading it with fresh eyes, and I love Salinger’s writing.
I NEVER hear ANYONE talk about the Betsy-Tacy books and they were some of my favorites growing up! I have re-read them several times throughout the years, and think they are books to be enjoyed from childhood on up. This was a GREAT post, and you made so many eloquently put points. I am a fan of re-reading as well – either for comfort reasons (see Harry Potter, Betsy-Tacy, Matilda), or to see what I think now versus when I read it last (see The Color Purple, The Great Gatsby). High on my re-read list is To Kill a Mockingbird and Little Women! I’m a new follower over from River City Reading!
https://bookishtendencieskatie.wordpress.com/
YAY! I’m so happy to be connected to another Betsy-Tacy fan! I’ve been reading and re-reading them my entire life as well. I tend to re-read her high school & adult years more than the childhood books, but I re-read those now and then too – they are still very lovely as an adult. The Ray’s big cozy house and Sunday Night Lunches is one of my absolute favorite places to be transported to. I’ve even named my weekly recap blog posts “Sunday Night Lunch” – which I don’t think anyone else appreciates. :D
To Kill a Mockingbird is high on my re-reading list as well – I’ve only read it once, and it’s been so long! Are you going to read her new book too? I’m a little nervous about it – I think I’ll wait and read some reviews before buying and reading.
I posted about this same subject recently! I generally prefer new reads but I wrote my post after I realized I’d re-read a book (having no idea that I’d actually read it before). :)
http://www.zandria.us/archives/main/2015/02/16/books-choosing-old-favorites-new-reads/
Just read your post – that is so funny!! I could totally see myself doing that. I recently lent my mom a copy of “The God of Small Things” – I told her that I hadn’t read it yet, but when I pulled it down from my shelves to give it to her I opened it up and saw the little post it note with the date read that I put in all my read books. I checked my old reading lists, and sure enough – I read it in 2007! Absolutely zero memory of it.
My memory is really bad for the specifics of novels, especially ones I’ve read only once. Sometimes I’ll recommend a book to a friend, and they’ll finally get around to it a year or two later and they’ll enthusiastically tell me about all their favorite parts and I’ll nod and smile and make “hmmms!” of agreement and actually have no memory of the part they are describing. :D
I completely understand! The same thing happens to me. I feel kind of bad because it makes me think I have a bad memory. But it’s pretty impossible to remember details of ALL the books we read!