Rereading books

[Nuffaluff]

Just wondered which books you have read more than once and which ones you have read several times.

Mostly I feel that life is too short to re-read and there are just too many books. Life’s not long enough to read all the ones I want to!
Having said that, I read The Handmaid’s Tale again for my book group and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also want to read some of my Ali Smith books again because I love her writing so much.
The main author I re-read is Jane Austen. I’ve read P & P four times at least and I not only don’t get bored, but I get so excited and invested every time, even though i know exactly what’s going to happen! I’ve read all her novels at least twice.
How about you?

Patricia scanlan Francesca’s Party. It’s a real feel good book.

Little Women and War and Peace.

I don’t often re-read a book. It has to really mean something to me for me to read it more than once.

That said, I can think of some that immediately spring to mind:

All of Sarah Moss’s books.
All of Tom Harper’s books.
The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May.
Blood And Sand, and Far Horizons by Frank Gardner.

These have just been in the past year or so, but from my childhood going back many years there is one book that I have never tired of and that is Jennie by Paul Gallico.

I’m sure there are more, but that’s all I can think of right now.

Jane Austen, Jane Eyre, Wind in the Willows, James Herriot.

There are some I’ve read in the last ten years I know I will read again - Middlemarch, Anna Karenina.

Brideshead Revisited I virtually know by half

I n ever used to re read in my 20's- couldn't understand it. Now I am in my 50's I do re read books I remember especially liking. It is really interesting how my reactions to to events and characters change with age. Some books turn out to be badly written or melodramatic etc but must have spoken to me at the time I first read them but my concerns have moved on (e.g. novels by Thomas Hardy, Keep the Aspidistra Flying by Orwell). Some books are "comfort" re reads when ill or in need of familiarity - Vanity Fair, 20,00 Streets Under the Sky for example.

I re-read Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series every 3 years or so and look forward to it. There is always something I missed the previous time. I have also read Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall/Bring up the Bodies a few times and am disappointed that the third book is taking so long. But that's just me being selfish.

I've re-read most of the RF Delderfield books several times. Especially the Horseman Riding By series and the Swann saga.
My feel-good re-read is Winter Solstice by Rosamund Pilcher.

My sisters keeper

Reread noughts and crosses. Read it as a teen and loved it. Still great later on. Made a second attempt at catch 22 but never quite managed it

Seeline I have re read the RF Delderfield Avenue books (The Dreaming Suburb and The Avenue goes to war). I never saw the TV series of them called People Like us and keep hoping someone posts it on Youtube.

Yes - re-read those too😀 I didn't know they had been on TV. I remember watching the Horseman Riding By

To Serve them all my Days (BBC 1980) is on Youtube

I remember watching it when I came in from my dance class. I also remember A Horseman Riding By BBC1978 (there are clips on Youtube). People like us was also shown in 1978 but was on ITV - maybe it wasn't so popular. John Duttine who was in To serve was also Archie Carver in PLU.

I was surprised recently when I looked at the published dates how recently the books were written (1960's and 70's) they feel like they were written much earlier.

I reread quite a lot, particularly when I want a particular read but am unsure if a new book will fit the bill. I have also bought and reread books I read decades ago: the Helen Forrester series and the Flowers in the Attic ones. Not my usual type at all, but had stayed with me since having read them as a 11 ish year old. Other than that, Secret History gets a regular airing, as does Katherine by Anya Seton.

I re read Helen Forrester. I was given one volume when I was about 12. I was totally amazed by it at the time. And I still feel the family is so familiar to me.

I also re read the Harriet Vane Dorothy L Sayers books quite often.

Re read Howard's End as well recently which I did at A level. Completely different to read it at my age and for pleasure.

Plus some Dickens.