Re-reading books

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Do you re-read books often, and how much?

The most times I've ever re-read a book over 200 pages long was four times.

I re-read certain books, ones that I really enjoy. Usually they're books in which the use of language is an entity in itself, such as Jane Austen novels.

I try not to. It seems obsessive in my mind, so I try to avoid it. Which I guess is silly, but it still happens.

Yes, I do. I think it's kind of a casual type of studying, and I think it's generally a pretty good thing.

I reread HARD LANDING: THE EPIC CONTEST FOR POWER AND PROFITS . . . [commercial aviation in the 1970s and 80s] I guess about two and a half times. Then I tried to 'lightening read' it where I just read the beginning of each paragraph, and that kind of worked for a while, too, although not the whole book, and that's fine, too. I was playing with it and trying something new.

Not usually. I can remember just about anything I read and it spoils the book for me when I already know the ending.

When I was younger I use to re-read paragraphs and pages until I was confident I could recite a paragraph word for word, but that was back in my obsessive days, and really nothing was ever yielded from doing that anyways. I use to read a lot when I was younger but now I find that I don't really have the patience for it, but I am getting better.

The way I tend to read I pretty well immerse myself in the book and every so often I'll want to re-read a book to re-atain the feelings I had when I original read it, never the same twice but it does seem to be a habbit of mine. David Eddigns has a 10 book (with 3 companion books) series that I"ve read at least three times each as a whole series, though I only read each companion book once.
I've read most of Dune twice, a few others as well, so for me I'd say it's a theme, but I don't read excessivly. That being said I am current re-reading the Anne Rices Vampire chronicals for the second time. I never finished Queen of the Damned so that'll be the first time through that whole one and there are a couple others I think, that I'd like to finally read.

Well, it really depends on the type of books you're reading. I read mostly non-fiction, although I have re-read fiction in the past. However, with non-fiction, there is no way you can recall all of the details (unless you have photographic memory, of course). So re-reading non-fiction is nice. I have re-read some fiction books, too, simply because I was obsessed with them, for no practical purpose, which can be kind of pointless. But again, such narrow obsessions in general aren't really practical, unless they can lead to some sort of a job in the future.

I re-read books a lot. I've read each Harry Potter book, except the last one at least 4-5 times, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Lord of the Rings I've read too many times to count. Some non-fiction I'll re-read but usually just the part I like, or of course if I need to look something up.

I usually read good books at least twice - some many more times. They are the kind of books that have a lot more worth that just the plot so it makes little difference that you already know "what happens". Many books have different layers that will be a lot more accessible the second time you read them and details that help you understand the big picture better. I'm lucky to read extremely fast and it would be hard to find a new book daily - I don't enjoy reading "best-sellers" - you know, the kind they sell in airports?

I will re-read my same favorites many, many times. Usually, it will take me a year or so to become interested in the text again, but if a book is written in a particular way that appeals to me, and is an interesting story, I will re-read many, many times. It's like comfort food, and I always keep a couple regularly read paperbacks in my library for trips. If I need some alone time and am out of my element, familiar books provide a safe warm place.

I am the same way.



It doesn't matter what type of book it is for me. Non-fiction or fiction, once I've read it it's in my noggin for good, thusly I've got no reason to re-read it. I'm the same way for hearing and seeing things too.

I used to do that more when I was a child, but nowadays I only read a book once. Due to my sponge, I absorb a good portion of it.

yeah, i like to re-read good books every so often if they were really good.
But i only re-read something if i haven't read it in a long while. Sorta a refresher for me on the story that way.

True, I was thinking in terms of novels rather than non-fiction works.

There are a handful of fiction books I have re-read, as well, but, as you said, they're related to obsessions, like the old Star Trek or Battlestar Galactica books I used to read over and over as a teen. Pointless, but entertaining. Most of the time, though, if it's fiction I only read it once.

I also get irritated with some authors because they'll fall into habits with descriptions and certain turns of phrase; I hate it when a book starts to sound familiar and then I remember that the author used almost exactly the same wording in another book. There was one author of a mystery series -- Peter Beresford Ellis, writing as Peter Tremayne -- who would use almost exactly the same paragraph to introduce his main character in every book.

wow! that's exactly how I feel.
I always keep my favorites with me because they provide comfort, they are my safe place in the world