Ruth found a series of 10 Books… topics somewhere, and today’s is easy (and will allow me to ignore the baby knitting that won’t meet its deadline, the unblocked shawl that might dry rot before I get it blocked or blogged…).
10 Books I Read Over and Over
- The Bible
- Lord of the Rings (series, plus The Hobbitt) by JRR Tolkein
- Harry Potter (series) by JK Rowling
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
- Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
- The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by CS Lewis
- Five Sisters by James Fox
- Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
- Screwtape Letters by CS Lewis
Now… these are NOT necessarily the most influencial books, or even my favorite books. They’re just the ones I read over and over, and the ones that popped into my head this morning. In general, I don’t re-read unless there’s a book club or I want to re-visit a certain part of a certain book for some reason.
Do you re-read? Why?
Chan Knits 
I constantly re-read… I get something different out of everything each time I read it/see it/etc.
Having taught literature for 33 years, I can’t even begin to count the times I’ve read To Kill a Mockingbird, Call of the Wild, and many other classics. Would you believe that each time I discovered something that I hadn’t seen before?
I used to reread, but not so much anymore. I have so many new things I want to read and I’ll never catch up on my list. But I try!
Okay, this is going to mark me as a real nerd (not so), but I have re-read Black Holes and Warp Spacetime by William J. Kaufmann several times. It explains so much about what goes on in the heavens around us and our place in all of it. It is astronomy 101. I have also read Screwtape Letters several times and recently listened to To Kill A Mockingbird on audiobook. The Bible goes with me for constant re-reading. Great list Chan!!
A few. And then there are the references: Sibley’s Guide to Birds, and the priceless Outwitting Squirrels, for which the author is working on a new edition and I contributed an essay he liked (we’ll see if he uses it).
I save books to reread but rarely do it!
I reread poetry! I reread self help books: Like THE HIGHLY SENSITIVE PERSON and
Healing THE Shame that Binds you.
I always reread, because i wanted to revisit the families that ingratiated themselves into my heart the first time, especially series books and most especially Historical Romance author Bertrice Small, I would reread the series by Sally Goldenbaum in a heartbeat too! I truly read for mindless enjoyment and don’t read, self help or literature at all. My loss I am sure, but even enjoyment reading is way down, I usually only read now at breakfast when I am alone, because I haven’t figured out a way to knit and eat at the same time!
So glad you joined me on this topic. I didn’t mention that these aren’t ALL the books I’ve read numerous times…I wonder how long THAT list would be?
Oh I love this post. I have four that I love and reread.
The Once and Future King by TH White
And Ladies Of The Club by Helen Hooven Santmyer
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Notice they’re all big thick books and I always hate to see them coming to an end. I’m so happy that Vikram Seth is working on a sequel and it should be out next year.
I definitely reread. Some books I read as a teenager are like old friends. It’s a comfort thing, I think. : )
I don’t re-read but rarely. Although the Great Gatsby is sitting here begging to be opened…again 😉