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Post by dulcemama on Aug 6, 2014 13:50:13 GMT
Various recent threads talk about re-reading and many people said that they don't re-read because they already know the story. There are certainly some books that I feel this way about but there are others that I read over and over again. For me, a book that is worth re-reading has a clear "voice", a personality to the narration that draws me in. I also love language and so books that use language in interesting ways, were I can enjoy the use of language as well as the story are great to re-read as well. And complexity is a factor too. A complex story and way of writing that conveys more about the story the more you read it. Also, probably most basically, a compelling story that has something to say about the human condition and/or society as a whole.
What makes a book worth re-reading to you?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2014 13:53:49 GMT
I'm not a huge re-reader, but I have gone back and re-read my Alex Cross series of books by James Patterson and picked up on small details that I either missed the first time, or forgot because it's been so long.
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grinningcat
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Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Aug 6, 2014 13:55:53 GMT
Sometimes I want to revisit a land that I once visited in a book and the only way to do that is to re-read the book/series. There are very few lands that I like to revisit... PEI in the Anne of Green Gables series... Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series... Tortall in the Song of the Lioness quartet and following series... Toronto in WWII in The Guests of War Trilogy... and so on. I just like revisiting those worlds.
I don't bother re-reading most adult fiction because (for the most part) it's boring and preachy and the authors rarely paint their worlds the way the authors above have.
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janeliz
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Post by janeliz on Aug 6, 2014 13:58:18 GMT
For me, it's an affinity for the characters in the book. When I reread a book, it's usually because I want to go back and spend time with those people again.
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Post by jmurray on Aug 6, 2014 15:34:51 GMT
I've re-read several books, and the common theme / reason seems to be they take me back to a place or time where I first read them and for some reason they give me a sense of comfort or security. I probably shouldn't delve too much into WHY that is, or I might need to seek out therapy  |
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Mystie
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Post by Mystie on Aug 6, 2014 20:25:30 GMT
I think with all the books I like to re-read, it's first the world the author creates and second, the characters in that world. Occasionally it's more about the characters for me, but usually it's the world of the book that sucked me in and I want to re-visit.
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 6, 2014 21:07:48 GMT
Interesting question, and I've been thinking about it off an on since I read it this morning. I'm not sure exactly what my answer is. lol. Some of the books I re-read are so intricately written -- like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, or maybe ones like the Leon Uris or James Michener also --or the Chaim Potok ones that Grinningcat reminded me of just a few minutes ago -- they're so full of details, or they're about something I knew nothing about before reading (like Orthodox Judaism, or WWII, or the history of South Africa). But then there are others, especially the kids' books -- like "A Little Princess" or "The Secret Garden" or "Anne of Green Gables" or "Snow Treasure". Easy reads, I can finish those in an afternoon. For them I guess it's just the world the author creates, and the "feel good" aspect of them. How can we not say to ourselves "take that you witch" to Miss Minchin after Sara gets her happy ending? or root for the Norwegians who pull such a fast one over the Nazis? (that's "Snow Treasure"). Anyway, I'm still not sure of my answer exactly. lol. But, after the thread I started the other day and reading everyone's answers I've decided I need to keep a copy of all of my favorite re-reads on my bookshelf. Some of them I just get from the library, others I've picked up at yard sales but didn't keep because they fell apart...etc. So, I just ordered myself copies of "A Little Princess", "The Secret Garden" and "Snow Treasure." lol. eta: The author of "Snow Treasure" is from Pittsburgh where I grew up, and is buried there. That's your bit of trivia for today.  |
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Post by Scrapbrat on Aug 6, 2014 21:10:35 GMT
I don't know. It's kind of like, a book tells me that I need to read it again. That's all I've got.
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 6, 2014 21:12:35 GMT
I don't know. It's kind of like, a book tells me that I need to read it again. That's all I've got. Yeah, that's it. Much better than my attempt to answer the question. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2014 21:15:02 GMT
My immediate thought was the tone of the book. In To Kill a Mockingbird, I feel like I'm in the South on a sweaty summer day. You can feel the love between the characters and the depth of each one. In The Joy Luck Club, I found the culture of WWII in China deeply fascinating. The traditions and superstitions. Something I was not familiar with made me understand why the characters behaved the way they did in later years. In Great Expectations and almost every Charles Dickens book, it's the rich language that gets me right away.
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Post by sillyrabbit on Aug 6, 2014 21:23:45 GMT
For me, it's an affinity for the characters in the book. When I reread a book, it's usually because I want to go back and spend time with those people again. This is the best description ever. It's like visiting old friends. |
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Post by monklady123 on Aug 6, 2014 21:29:22 GMT
For me, it's an affinity for the characters in the book. When I reread a book, it's usually because I want to go back and spend time with those people again. This is the best description ever. It's like visiting old friends. Yes, this too. Actually I probably shouldn't have tried to answer the question, I'll just quote what other people say.  |
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lisasahm
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Post by lisasahm on Aug 6, 2014 21:35:54 GMT
For me, it's an affinity for the characters in the book. When I reread a book, it's usually because I want to go back and spend time with those people again. This is the best description ever. It's like visiting old friends. Yes yes yes!!! I'm currently re-reading Betty MacDonald's "The Egg and I" and it's easily the 4th or 5th time. It's just as funny and fresh as the first time I read it. I always wish I had lived near her so I could know her and Bob and the Kettles and the other characters in her book. |
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linda~lou
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Post by linda~lou on Aug 6, 2014 22:06:40 GMT
I re-read The Book Thief just cause there was so much detail and beautiful descriptive writing, I wanted to go back and see if there was anything I missed. There was.
I can see me re-reading All the Light We Cannot See at some point. There was so much to that story but I read it too fast cause I couldn't put it down. Now I want to go back and savor.
PeaS I'm throbbing again! Oh it feels so good but alas so fleeting.
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Post by ntsf on Aug 6, 2014 22:16:16 GMT
we are a big fan of Betty McDonald here...we have all reread the Egg and I, the Plague and I, and Onions in the Stew many times...how could you not like someone who wrote the title of a chapter.."in which I learn to hate baby chicks".
I like rereading fiction books for the characters and writing...I reread nonfiction books, after I have read something else related to it. like now that I read the Peabody sister, will reread, the Appletons of Boston
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mimima
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Post by mimima on Aug 6, 2014 22:16:26 GMT
I've never really analyzed what makes me want to re-read - I know I do it with a lot of childhood favorites, but there are adult books I choose as well.
I think it's because I get a strong desire to revisit their story.
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Post by donna on Aug 7, 2014 0:20:06 GMT
Many of the books that I have reread are parts of series. Because they are a series the world of the book is more developed and I want to revisit that world and the characters in it.
Sometimes I will reread something because I suddenly started thinking of the book again. I always think of books as old friends.
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Post by dulcemama on Aug 7, 2014 0:39:22 GMT
Oh, I know! This is the one (and Dickens in general) that I was thinking when I was talking about enjoying the use of language.
Thanks for all your answers. Such a complex thing, a good book, isn't it.
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lisasahm
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Post by lisasahm on Aug 7, 2014 0:46:22 GMT
I re-read The Book Thief just cause there was so much detail and beautiful descriptive writing, I wanted to go back and see if there was anything I missed. There was. I can see me re-reading All the Light We Cannot See at some point. There was so much to that story but I read it too fast cause I couldn't put it down. Now I want to go back and savor.PeaS I'm throbbing again! Oh it feels so good but alas so fleeting. All the Light We Cannot See is on my (growing) list of must reads. <---- I'm throbbing for the first time. |
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Post by pierkiss on Aug 7, 2014 1:11:11 GMT
The books that I re-read are the ones that completely suck me in. The stories touch a part of me, and I become completely enmeshed in them. I read those words, and I am transported into their world, peering in the windows from the outside. I can see every detail vividly, and I cannot get enough of what the characters are doing. It's magical.
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Post by withapea on Aug 7, 2014 1:16:51 GMT
I'm not a big re-reader but I have a few books on my list that I'll revisit every so often. Of course the stories and characters are important but I'm really drawn to the language. Sometimes a sentence just gets to me and I want to bottle it up. If a book has a lot of those, passages that just WOW me, I'm much more likely to visit periodically.
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 7, 2014 5:35:19 GMT
I reread very few, but the Green Gables series is a favorite. I can remember a feeling the book gave me. If it was one of excitement, I will go back and reread. I think it isn't about the plot/events as much as the way the words are used to give me a movie in my head.
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Post by anniefb on Aug 7, 2014 5:38:32 GMT
When I find characters I love or when I've forgotten what happens -LOL!
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Post by TracieClaiborne on Aug 7, 2014 8:43:28 GMT
I read the same books over and over again and always have. I have a whole bookshelf and I just pick one and read! It's because the stories are so well written that the characters are either like my friends or someone I miss because I love them so! I literally feel love in my heart for some of my favorite book characters. I love to read more than anything. |
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tuesdaysgone
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Aug 7, 2014 10:00:47 GMT
As others have mentioned...it's going back to re live a special time and place with very interesting characters.
I also find it's like comfort food. A few years back my husband was in a medically induced coma in ICU. I sat in his room most of the day and re read the entire Chronicle of Narnia series. I can't even begin to explain how much peace and comfort that gave me. It really helped me cope during a very difficult time.
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Post by jameynz on Aug 7, 2014 10:28:15 GMT
Lots of times I re-read books cos I'm bored and want to read something, anything.....so I just grab a book and read it.
If a new bookin a series comes out, I will go back and re-read the previous 1-2 books to refresh my memory and pick up the characters again, even if they are stand alone books (JD Robb)
I always find something I have forgotten or some detail in a re-read which will explain things a bit better for me...
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Aug 7, 2014 14:53:35 GMT
For me, it's all about the characters.
I miss them. I want to "visit" them again.
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Post by grammyj64 on Aug 7, 2014 17:47:30 GMT
For me, it's an affinity for the characters in the book. When I reread a book, it's usually because I want to go back and spend time with those people again. This is why I re-read and also why I like series fiction. I forget plots very quickly, but the characters become my friends and I want to spend time with them. |
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