It's time for Book Talk, a Confessions of an Avid Reader weekly feature that offers a forum in which to discuss book-related issues and topics. This week's topic: Re-Reading.I don't know about any of you, but I'm not much of a re-reader. There are just too many books out there waiting for me to read for the first time for me to spend time re-reading old favourites. There are a few exceptions to this rule, however. I've re-read the entire Harry Potter series multiple times, and have re-read Jane Austen's Persuasion, Emma and Northanger Abbey more than once (I'll be re-reading Pride & Prejudice for the first time this year). I've also re-read George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and Kristen Britain's Green Rider series, and will likely do so again prior to the release of the next books in both series. My favourite genre is historical fiction, yet the only work within the genre I've re-read is Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall. But that's it. These are the only books/series I have ever re-read. There are a few books on my shelf I would like to re-read - The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman comes immediately to mind - but I just never seem to do so.
Do you re-read books? If so, what books do you re-read and why do you re-read them? Do you have any favourites that you revisit time and again?
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I don't generally re-read books. However, I re-read one (or all) of the books in the LOTR trilogy every year (they're like a warm blanket for me), and I'll revisit books in the Aubrey/Maturin series as well (though usually via audio book, which are delightful).
ReplyDeleteI don't re-read too many books as there are so many new books that I'd like to tackle. However, Diana Gabaldon's series, Outlander, has been revisited many times, even if it's just a few chapters here and there. And I do listen to the series on audio often (if that counts as a reread). I do have some old favorites that it just feels so comforting to hold in my hands again and just flip through the pages to read favorite passages. I keep books like Gone With the Wind, Forever Amber, Jane Eyre, and Rebecca near to revisit when I'm not in the mood to read other things.
ReplyDeleteI can count on one hand the number of books I've read -- I would add to that, that with the exception of a few authors, I don't re-read authors very often either. JK Rowling, Kate Morton, Austen....but very few.
ReplyDeleteHello..thanks for stopping by my post for THE ORCHID HOUSE.
ReplyDeleteYou will love it since it is historical fiction.
Re the title: THE HOTHOUSE FLOWER is what one of the characters is called. I bet that is why they changed the name of the book.
Will be looking for your thoughts on the book.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
Sometimes I actually forget reading a book, think it looks interesting and then end up reading it again. So, I think I have only re-read two books. And, I only did that on accident. Thank goodness for Goodreads, now I can keep track there and don't have to remember. There are so many great books that I want to read, so I really don't plan to re-read any.
ReplyDeleteKathy (momwithabook.com)
Like you I think there are too many good books waiting to be read to waste time re-reading others; however, I am an avid re-reader - always have been. My favorite childhood books are falling apart I have read them so many times. I love re-visiting old characters and plot lines, and I almost always discover something new when re-reading that I missed the first time. In fact, I've unofficially dubbed this year "The Year of the Re-Read" because I have been hankering to re-visit some of my favorite books especially in light of the hit-or-miss reading history I had last year. There is something comforting about going into a book knowing it's going to be great.
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