What novels have you reread?

dawinsor · Nov 3, 2009

It seems to me that the stronger a novel is, the better it stands up to rereading. But perhaps certain kinds of strengths are more rereadable than others. For instance, maybe strong characters give more pleasure the second time than strong plots do because you already know how things turn out.

What books have you reread with pleasure? What made them good the second time?

Adam · Nov 3, 2009

I've read Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels a bunch of times. The world, the characters and the humour bring me back again and again.

dawinsor · Nov 3, 2009

Humor! Yeah. That's a big draw for me.

Also, I was thinking about this, and I think that trying to write has me appreciate some craft elements more. I write YA fantasy, and I recently reread Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief, and there's a big reveal at the end of that book. The second time through I, of course, wasn't surprised by the reveal, but I was astonished at how many clues she'd left lying around that I read right over the first time. It was fascinating to see how she played fair and revealed without revealing.

Also the voice of the MC is amusing and interesting.

TrickyFiction · Nov 3, 2009

I reread Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Howl's Moving Castle and Peter Pan. My husband has been through The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy too many times to count and even recites Vogon poetry when he's had one too many.

Characters are the most important things to me, although Peter Pan was all about the language. H2G2, for my husband, was all about the narrative; the voice of the author was the character he loved best.

I'm in the middle of the Artemis Fowl series right now, and I know I'll reread it, especially when I have children. I love all the MCs, and the narrative is light and delicious.

dawinsor · Nov 3, 2009

OMG, Artemis Fowl. The books that taught me I could enjoy a good fart joke.

Jamesaritchie · Nov 3, 2009

I couldn't begin to list them. I read every novel I enjoy at least twice. Some I've read a dozen or more times, and I've read four or five at least twenty times.

Perks · Nov 3, 2009

I have to say that reread novels almost always hold up better than rewatched films. I like that.

That said, there aren't too many that I've reread just because how leisurely I read. If I reread my favorites, I'd never have time to read anything new. I've been known to do it, just not all that often.

scarletpeaches · Nov 3, 2009

Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
Forever Amber - Kathleen Winsor

Many, many others, but those are the ones I've read the most times.

sheadakota · Nov 3, 2009

TLOTR- too many times to count- i get something new everytime I read it.

Lady of the Forest- Jennifer Roberson- LURVS that book!

There are others but these are the two that stand out.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 3, 2009

I'm generally a slow reader, plus I have attention issues. Trying to reread something I already read, knowing how it ends, is a struggle for me to focus. And if I'm rereading something, because I do read slow, I feel like I'm losing time that I could spend on something new.

That said, I have reread "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller. I've reread all the Robert E. Howard "Conan" stories, and will probably read them again. The first book in the pulp "The Shadow" series, and I'm starting to reread the first book in the "Doc Savage" series. And every December I reread Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of them now.

willietheshakes · Nov 3, 2009

Little, Big - John Crowley
The World According to Garp - John Irving

Sage · Nov 3, 2009

When I was a teen, I reread pretty much everything in between new books.

Nowadays, I don't reread as much unless I'm trying to recapture some of the magic of those teen books (like finding one for the first time in years and wanting to see what I loved about it again)

Fredster · Nov 4, 2009

I like to return to my favorites every few years. I'm right in the middle of a re-reading kick right now. Just finished Silence of the Lambs, Darkfall, Boy's Life, and Watchers. Currently slogging through Firestarter, with The Dead Zone and To Kill a Mockingbird on the horizon.

I've read The Stand and It three times each. Love those books. This was also my fourth time to read Watchers.

half.jaded · Nov 4, 2009

The Lies of Locke Lamora, definitely read that at least thrice. Or maybe four times, actually.

Maximum Ride - sort of.

Artemis Fowl - the first book. Read it twice or thrice.

KTC · Nov 4, 2009

i couldn't possibly list them here. dozens and dozens. some i re-read every year are: Great Expectations, The Feast of All Saints, The Great Gatsby, A Confederacy of Dunces, Too Loud a Solitude, Franny & Zooey and A Separate Peace. I am ALWAYS re-reading books.

Phaeal · Nov 4, 2009

Watchers is my favorite Koontz. God, it's scary, but with sweet ending that stops short of too-sweet.

I reread every book I love. Some at least once a year. Right now I'm rereading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. And Olivia Goldsmith's The Bestseller: Total writer's fairy tale.

I like to read new books along with the old books. Just finished Something Missing. Starting Keyes's This Charming Man. It all intermeshes somehow.

Ken · Nov 4, 2009

... am always rereading books, because I can't afford to buy new ones.

Jamesaritchie · Nov 4, 2009

KTC said:
i couldn't possibly list them here. dozens and dozens. some i re-read every year are: Great Expectations, The Feast of All Saints, The Great Gatsby, A Confederacy of Dunces, Too Loud a Solitude, Franny & Zooey and A Separate Peace. I am ALWAYS re-reading books.

A Separate Peace is one of those novels that I think you have to read more than once, or you haven't really read it at all, if you know what I mean. For me, there's something new with each reading.

JimmyB27 · Nov 4, 2009

Jamesaritchie said:
I couldn't begin to list them. I read every novel I enjoy at least twice. Some I've read a dozen or more times, and I've read four or five at least twenty times.

Me too. Among the most re-read though are the aforementioned Pratchetts, Dune, Iain Banks's Culture novels (especially Excession, brilliant book).

James81 · Nov 4, 2009

A Separate Peace by John Knowles
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'engle (although it's been a LOOOONG time :tongue

)
Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Those are all I can think of at the moment. My list is short cause there's too much new stuff out there for me to read to spend much time re-reading books.

Stuff I WANT to re-read:

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Cider House Rules by John Irving
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

brainstorm77 · Nov 4, 2009

The Shining, Salem's Lot, Misery...

Claudia Gray · Nov 4, 2009

I couldn't even start counting. Basically, if I've really enjoyed a book, I'm almost certain to read it more than once.

Richard White · Nov 4, 2009

If a book is in my library at home, then I've re-read it multiple times.

Otherwise, it's a credit down at the local used book store. *grin*

I think I've got a couple hundred books in my library. I don't re-read them "every year", but every so often I'll grab one (or a series) off the shelf to go through again, especially when I'm hitting a slow spot in my own writing to see how an author handled a situation I'm having issues handling.

Wayne K · Nov 4, 2009

1 or 2

MIllion.

Wicked · Nov 4, 2009

"The Crystal Shard" - R. A. Salvatore

"Waylander" - David Gemmel

"Stormblade" - Nancy varian Beberick

Non fiction- "The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag" by Jim Corbett (actually, all of his man-eater books)

If comics count- The Elfquest series
Over, and over, and . . .

Children's books -

"Sir Toby Jingles Beastly Journey" by Wallace Tripp
&
"How Many Dragons Are Behind the Door" by Virginia Kahl
I had them when I was a kid, and read them to my kids.

What novels have you reread?

Dorothy A. Winsor

Not dead.

Dorothy A. Winsor

Who?

Dorothy A. Winsor

delicate #!&@*#! flower

part of the human equation

Court Jester

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Village idiot

Gone insane. Be right back.

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Whatever I did, I didn't do it.

Hoopy frood

Great Scott Member

practical experience, FTW

Stealthy Plot Bunny Peddler

Outcast Rogue