Repeat readers- what's the book you have been reading for longest, and do you still have the original?

[SwedeDreams]

Prompted by opening up again my copy of 'A wizard of earthsea', in hardback which I stole from the school library in 1985, aged 13. Sorry school. I loved (and still do love) this book.

It's battered and torn but the cover is splendid. Anyone else have a book they have had for ages?

The Jill pony series. I started reading them over 25 years ago and still occasionally re-read. Probably once every couple of years.

I don't know that series, but I was never very into ponies. I blame black beauty -that made me cry, think that put me off a bit!

Enid Blyton's, 'Secret Island' which I've had since I was seven, in 1977. I still re-read it (same copy) once a year because it is so charming, and always cheers me up!

I still regret that I threw away all my Enid Blytons in a fit of grownupness at about 15. Think I regretted it almost instantly. Still makes me feel sad!!

DSs will be hoarded in the attic for this very reason

:)

I did the same with Stephen King books about ten years ago, & then had to replace them all!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I first read in 1977 when I was 14. I stlll have the original but it is in bits. DH bought me a new copy about 15 years ago.

I read it every year. It was one of a pile of books I inherited so it was already quite old.

I have a box set of Beatrix Potter books bought for me by my grandad when I was little. I re-read them constantly as a child less so now.

I still have my copy of Pride and Prejudice from the school library too .

My next oldest book is Anne Franks diary that I first read 18 years ago and occasionally re-read. I recently had a panic that it might have ended up being donated to the charity shop thankful not.

And yes Anne was another stolen library book.

Very oldest: My Beatrix Potters, which my DC have. I don't read them any more as they no longer need to be read to. Some of them must be 45 years old. The Tale of Mr Tod and The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck used to set my hair on end.

I have some others from my teens - Anne Frank, Jock of the Bushveld, and a couple of Rosemary Sutcliffes. They have all either been reread by me or read by my DC within the last 5 years or so.

The Magic Faraway Tree books! I lost my first ones from childhood so re-bought them from ebay as an adult and have read them again and again!

The catcher in the rye; I did not steal it from the library

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones. It fell apart last year, after 26 years and multiple reads. I managed to get a second hand copy with the same cover art

Read it - it's fab.

Also, Riders, Rivals and Polo

I have Riders, Rivals and Polo too Primal, all falling apart plus a few earlier JCs. Imogen ( bought in the 70s) and Jilly's greatest book (IMO) The Common Years.

I threw all my Judith Krantz books out too and I loved those. I read one of them again this week (charity shop find) and it was great (in an awful way).

I have some of my mum's copies of Chalet School books! And loads of books from my childhood, they're in the loft waiting for DD .

What Katy Did and Little Women. I got both for Christmas from my auntie and she always wrote a little message inside. These two were dated 1974...love both of them still.

Wuthering Heights that I chose to do for my Alevel English Lit coursework. Bout 19 years old then. Still have the now falling apart original with included highlighted bits and notes scribbled in the side. Read it about once per year and my perception of the story and characters have changed drastically from first reading as a teen.

Wish I'd kept all my Enid Blyton books.

Malory Towers possibly, though I don't have the originals.

Almost as often probably The Children Who Lived In A Barn

Another book liberator from the school library...

Katherine by Anya Seton. I just love it. It literally fell to pieces, so had to be replaced. I first borrowed it around 1987 and the date stamp in it before that was 1979! Borrowed it again in 1989 (not taken out at all in between) and neglected to return it.

Probably the Little House series - Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have the originals of Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, the Long Winter, These Happy Golden Years and Farmer Boy. Got newer copies of all the rest.

Still read them.

And yes, I've still got one or two from the Jill pony series - re-read them many times but don't think I would now.

I also have an old copy of Jane Eyre that I've read many times.

I did keep ALL my Enid Blytons - my favourites were the Five Find-Outer series and St Clare books. I recently tried to read a St Clare's book and I couldn't finish it - the writing was TERRIBLE!

I still enjoy Enid Blyton. And the early Rutshire Chronicles by Jilly Cooper, but I only discovered them about 6 years ago so have lots of re-reading catching up to do.

To Kill a Mockingbird, complete with exam notes in the margins. And Pride and Prejudice, similarly annotated. But most read over the years may well be Lord of the Rings. It has a special place in my heart.

Stephen King's The Stand. Bought it in France as an au pair 22y ago! Actually had to make it a new cover at one pt. It had illustrations which I tore out because I thought they made the book seem childish!

Great book.

I also have an extremely battered school poetry book. I suppose that is older actually cause it was second hand when I got it.

Daughter of Time, Josephine Tey, Penguin - 1971 edition

I was working in their warehouse at the time & suspect I might have nicked it

(it was only 25 p though )