What books do you re-read regularly?

What an amazing thread idea. I’m so grateful for so many interesting ideas. I’m a secondary school English teacher who loves reading (obviously… you hope) but I admit to having a real block in my brain for re-reading books. I want new always….
Not helped, on the surface, by teaching Romeo and Juliet, an inspector calls and a Christmas carol every year for the last ten years… but I (and I cab literally [and I mean that word literally so don’t tear me apart] can honestly say that each of those texts evokes such a different reaction (don’t get me started on reading of mice and men in a south London SEN school!!) from every year group.
anyway very long story short to say you have made this 15 year English teacher re think her entire perspective on re-reading books.

I regularly re-read my Barbara Pym collection (apart from one which I hate(.

They're my go to comfort reads, usually when I've tried, and failed, with some new author.

Loved Luard's Family Life (and her cookbooks)

Absolutely love Starbridge and St Benet!

I love reading. This certainly isn't on my top 5 list however, I always go back to it, particularly when I need to return to myself. It's strange as it's very rare for me to read the same book twice.
Anyway, it's called The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele.
Its roots are in yoga but the practice is hardly mentioned. It's sort of the spirituality, morality and ethics around it.

Do you "pass on" the second-hand books because you don't want to own anything used?

The way the book biz works, it becomes harder to find past new hardcovers.

Austen!

I expect I'll re-read Austen as long as I live.

Every summer I read Simon Clark’s Judas Tree. It is so dreamy and evocative of Greek islands but also with a ting of mystery. I’m not sure it’s even published now but I love it.

RF Delderfield is fantastic. I have the wonderful TV adaptation of To Serve Them All My Days on dvd. I'm still recovering from the fact that John Duttine isn't Welsh.

@Therewerelionsonce I've read a bit of Pratchett, Love Monstrous Regiment and anything with Sam Vimes. My DD has every single book and I can borrow off her at any time. So much to read at the moment though

Oh yes Bill Bryson! I have re-read some of his.

Children's books I re-read:

• Ballet Shoes
• The Children Who Lived in a Barn ( would love to get the Persephone Books edition)
• The Little Grey Men

My adult book re-read list contains many just for comfort. I can't think of all of them but includes:

• Family Life by Elisabeth Luard. This still makes me cry at the end but I know it so well now I sometimes just dip in for my favourite chapters
• Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley. I read it every year but I have a rule that I can't read it before November 18th.
• Good Husband Material also by Trisha Ashley. I just enjoy it and find it amusing.
• Old Baggage, Crooked Heart, V for Victory by Lissa Evans.
• To Serve Them All My Days by Delderfied
• The Horseman Riding By trilogy also by Delderfied
• Penmarric by Susan Howatch
• And talking of Susan Howatch all six of her Starbridge novels and the St Benet trilogy.

I have all of Mary Wesley's books and have re-read some of them, but I don't feel they age well. Maybe that's just me.

Oh I couldn't agree more. As a child I had only read the first three in the Little House series. I didn't find the rest, including The Long Winter, until I was an adult and introducing DD to the series. And I love Prairie Fires. DH bought it for me one Christmas just after it came out and both DD and I read it avidly.

Of other books that seem different as you age I must mention Rebecca. As a teenager and young woman this was one of my favourite books and I read it many times. It then sat on my shelf gathering dust until I picked it up again one day as a middle-aged woman for a nostalgic re-read. Gosh, I wanted to slap Maxim de Winter and step into that novel as a supportive older woman for the heroine to confide in!

@Purplebunnie Guy Gavriel Kay is one of my favourite authors and the books you mention are some of my favourites along with The Fionavar Trilogy. Read them so many times.

Other books I like to read over are Terry Brooks, The Word And The Void, The Genesis Of Shannara.
Lots of Terry Pratchett and Dean Koontz.

I rarely reread any books. I'm always worried a 2nd read may taint my original opinion of a fantastic book.

However this week I fancied a real saga of a story to throw myself into whilst it's too hot to do anything else. I've picked up my old copy of East of Eden that I read when I was 17. I thought it was brilliant then, and 30 years later I'm absolutely engrossed second time round. An amazing book.

Wind in the Willows
Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, Lions of Al Rassan, Sailing to Sarantium - Guy Gavriel Kay
Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series, Srange the Dreamer and the Muse of Nightmares
Lord of the Rings

Everyone will have different books they reread, for me,as others have mentioned, it’s Terry Pritchett, but several nonfiction books I’ve reread a few times, notably Bill Bryson travel books

I've recently had from the library some cosy crime e-books. My library record tells me I previously had them in 2020, but I didn't remember a thing about them.

Agree it is a comfort thing. I re-read all of my books during lockdown.
I am not working atm and have found myself re-watching lots of things on Netflix even though I have lots of stuff on my list I haven't watched yet. Something about certainty in an uncertain time.

This was my view until very recently. I would never rewatch a film or TV series for the same reason. However I started watching a favourite TV series again when I was ill and realised there's something to be said for comfortable familiarity. I've also got into the habit of rewatching series one when series two is released.
So on that basis I'm now re-reading a few old favourite books especially if I'm unwell or having a run of DNF.
Just started Fall of Giants by Ken Follet. It's such a doorstep and I can't remember any details of it. I last read it when it was first published about 15 years ago.

Rebecca
A Little Life
Donna Tartt
The early Maggie O'Farrells
The Cazalet Chronicles
American Wife
Alexander MS's Scotland St series and Sunday Philosophy Club series (although I don't have up to date sets)

Me too @HelenaWilson. The trouble is that my TBR list is so long now! Thanks @Dappy777 for the reminder about Patrick Leigh Fermor.

I am currently re-reading Patrick Fermor’s A Time of Gifts.

I keep meaning to read this, I see it recommended so often. Must try to do it when I've finished my current books.

Rebecca
The Paying Guests
The Silver Chair
The ABC Murders
A Christmas Carol
Mrs Weber’s Diary by Posy Simmonds