I had a few minutes before sleep last night to read another essay from Reading In Bed. This one was by Hazlitt, “On Reading Old Books,” and turned out to be mostly about re-reading.
I’m not much of a re-reader. There are certain books I have re-read more than once and look forward to reading again. There are a few books I’ve read only once but know that I will read them again one day. But overall in the whole scheme of my reading, the percentage of books re-read is small and equals one, maybe two books a year out of the 52+ books I read from January through December.
But after reading Hazlitt I got an urge to start re-reading. Wouldn’t it be an interesting reading experiment, and perhaps someone has already done this, to spend an entire year reading nothing but books you’ve read before? Part of me thinks it would be great fun and another part of me thinks it would be dull not having anything uncharted to read. Darn that Hazlitt for even making me think about this!
The essay is short, only four pages. Hazlitt’s argument for re-reading is you know what to expect. When you know what to expect you can sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Unlike reading a new book you don’t have to figure out what is going on, who the characters are and what relationships they have. You know this so don’t have to puzzle it out. You are free to attend to other elements of the story.
In addition to that, when you re-read a book, you carry with you all the memories of the previous reading(s). You then have the pleasure of recalling time and place, who you were then and what you were doing as well as how you experienced the book and it all gets wrapped up into a new reading.
If I completely agree with Hazlitt, why is re-reading a difficult choice to make? Why do the unread books seem so much more exciting than the old ones already read and loved? Is adventuring into an unread book equivalent to trekking into an unexplored jungle while the already read book is more like a familiar street? Is it like an exotic vacation as opposed to staying home? Or maybe it is like The Price is Right and even though I am guaranteed a great prize I can’t help but wonder if something better might be hiding behind door number three.
Whatever the case may be, he’s got me thinking. And I am thinking I will make an effort to re-read more often. How much more often I haven’t decided yet. I suspect that it will take some time for the idea to settle in and for me to actually implement it, but when it does, who knows, maybe I will be inspired to try an entire year of re-reading.
For me I think the challenge with re-reading is rooted in the whole “so many books, so little time” thing. Re-reading is wonderful indeed, but it does cut down the ability to consume as much great literature as possible. Finding a balance between breadth and depth is always tricky.
I’ve been thinking about just this set of issues as I juggle a fifth (!) re-read of Mrs. Dalloway with my other, never-before-read books. Ultimately, I’m so glad I incorporated the re-read (and will be incorporating three more Woolf re-reads over the next few months), but I don’t know if I could handle a whole year of nothing BUT books I’d already read. There’s something so invigorating about setting out into the uncharted territory of a virgin book…but I do think Hazlitt is right, that I, at least, would benefit from re-reading more than I usually do.
I used to reread almost as much as I read new-to-me books. I mostly got out of the habit because of the “so many books so little time” thing that Juanita mentions. But I’ve found in the last couple of years that I’ve missed rereading. I’ve started keeping a previously read book at my office to read at lunchtime, and that has been working beautifully.
I agree with Hazlitt’s reasons, and I’d add that a rereading of an old favorite means getting a sure thing. Also, there are some books that almost require multiple readings to get the characters and events and ideas firmly into my mind. And every now and then there’s a book that improves on rereading. I have a mental list of books that I know I *should* have liked but that my age or my mood when I read them made them a poor match at the time, but they still seem worth revisiting.
I actually love rereading. You discover new ways to look at situations, new facets to characters you thought you knew well and sometimes you change your views about a character completely. And sometimes it’s fun to just go through that journey with those well-known characters once more. But I don’t know about a year only with rereads, that may be boring.
I associate rereading with work. When you write about something academically, it usually means reading it several times, and whilst there are undeniably pleasures associated with this process, it’s categorised in my mind as ‘effort’. I do love the experience of reading for the first time – all the things Hazlitt says about working out what’s going on are the best bits for me. As well as being caught up in that wonderful feeling of not knowing what’s going to happen next and longing to know.
I’ve often wondered about doing a year of nothing but “re-reads,” but like you, something keeps me balking, even though I know perfectly well, from having re-read books, that many re-reads are like reading a book again for the first time. I forget so much in between reads. For many years, I didn’t reread at all. But over the past five or so years, I’ve discovered I like doing so. It’s interesting to think about what made me love a book when I was fifteen or twenty two or thirty and whether or not I love it as much now and why. Still, a whole year of that might be a bit stifling.
I absolutely love rereading. but as others have said, I feel the call of so many other books I have yet to read. I love the idea, though, of a year of rereading. Maybe someday I’ll be able to resist the unread books and reread old favorites.
Loving this book of essays you’re writing about.
I actually am doing a reread challenge this year – rereading plus, I must add. I’m certainly not only rereading old books this year, but I’ve set myself a load of books I’ve been meaning to revisit for a while and not had the time due to the vast quantities of new books I had on my to-read pile. I’m also reading more books related to the rereads, so, as well as rereading Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, for example, I’ll be reading something by the other Bronte, Anne, who I’ve as yet not read.
What a wonderful essay. I do enjoy re-reading, for the very reason he states- I’m not trying so hard to follow the plot and can enjoy more details, see things I didn’t notice before, appreciate the characters more, etc. But nowdays I seldom re-read, because there’s so many new books I want to get to. It would be fun to challenge myself to spend an entire year just re-reading books I’ve loved, but I don’t know if I could do it!
I rarely reread; very few books provide the kind of “comfort” I want to relive. I have, however, been considering rereading some of the books I read ages (like 20 years) ago, not because I know what to expect from them but precisely the opposite: I’m a very different person now, and wiser I hope, that I think I can give books the attention and thought they deserve. (I’m dying to know what my 40-year-old self thinks of Stranger in a Strange Land, which my 14-year-old self loved. I’ve just decided: I’m going to reread it this year.)
Curiously, I find in recent years, I’m much more likely to reread a chapter or section shortly after having gone through it the first time, particularly if I’m participating in some discussion group. So there are a few books I’d say I’ve read twice, the 2nd reading almost concurrent with the first one. Can’t quite articulate how, but that’s different though.
I enjoy rereading, and reread several books a year. I can’t imagine doing nothing but rereading for an entire year though! Rereads are good for comfort. When I’m having a bad day, I like coming home to an old friend. When I’m worried about money, I can reread Joy in the Morning. When I’m feeling lonely or nostalgic, I reread A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. When I just want to escape, I reread Harry Potter. When I miss my best friend, I reread Pride and Prejudice or Emma.
I recently finished re-reading LOTR after more than 25 years. Most of the characters are well-known to me, but it was amazing to see how many details of the story I had totally forgotten or confused. It didn’t help that I have watched the new movies multiple times in English and Japanese, with all their changes to the story. Why do directors feel a need to monkey with things so?
It was a great experience. I recommend re-reading (good) books.
Also, I am reading The Whistling Season now. Doig introduces a whole host of characters in trickles and uses different nicknames for them. So, I have resorted to occasionally flipping through recently read chapters and sketching information about names and relationships. I could easily see re-reading this book.
I don’t think committing a whole year to re-reading would be good though. Maybe try a smaller step, like 5 of your 52+ books. Good luck making your decisions.
Your idea of rereading books for a whole year really intrigues me (darn you!). Here’s the thing for me. Sometimes I feel that I give some great books short shrift because I cruise through them so quickly–but I often can’t help myself!
I’m reading Francine Prose’s book about Anne Frank’s diary at the moment, and it’s all about rereading. She made a careful, close reading of Frank’s book to write this one–and clearly it was a fruitful rereading!
I’m also fascinated by reading a book at a certain stage of your life, and then rereading it at another, and seeing how different your reaction is.
I’m a devoted re-reader. Not only is there the joy of encountering old ‘friends’, but I always find there are details I didn’t notice before, relationships that I view quite differently than the last time I passed judgement on them, and characters that I like more (or perhaps less) than I did the first time around.
When I’m in need of comfort, I know I can go to certain authors and they will give me just what I need. Same when I’m feeling down, and I know that a little Wodehouse will pick me back up. But a whole year of re-reading? That’s rather daunting.
I’ve felt the pull toward rereading as well, although I don’t end up doing much more of it anyway. I reread only 3 books last year, and one of them I reread for a book group. But I still feel the pull — why privilege reading new books? The experience of rereading can be wonderful. But the TBR stacks beckon as well …
Just so wild how I read your posting tonight.
Because just TODAY at the bookstore, I saw Mordecai Richler’s book The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz at a wild, remaindered price…. and I thought, “Now there is a book I must re-read someday!”
But, as you say, with so many books unread at all……. what criteria does one suggest, to validate a RE-read of a book?
As your site is entitled — So Many Books.
So little………. TIME!
I’m not much of a re-reader of fiction, although I often read non-fiction over and over. I notice (or pay attention to) different things on each re-reading, sometimes because I’m looking for something in particular and sometimes because I’m different.
When I do re-read fiction, it is usually a comfort read, and yes, knowing what to expect and enjoying the ride is a great pleasure!
I like rereading though I don’t do it often. And some of the books I reread are such comfort reads that they are the ones I always turn to. What I find sort of scary about it, is how much I forget from the first read to the next. I’ll remember generally what the story is about but I will have completely forgotten details. I’m not sure this is a good thing or not. I sometimes think that if I had a library of say 250 books–and it would have to be carefully chosen–maybe mostly classics–that I might be able to happily read from it over and over, but in the end I am sure I would miss all the new discoveries. I always feel like I am searching for the perfect read, so I have to keep picking up those new books. Well, that’s one of my excuses anyway.
Juanita, it is somewhat of a question of breadth and depth isn’t it? Do we read a and know a few books really well or know a lot of books in passing? An eternal debate.
Emily, if any book is worth reading five times it’s Mrs. Dalloway
I don’t think I could do a whole year of re-reading but the idea is intriguing nonetheless. Perhaps just more deliberate incorporation of re-reads would do the trick.
Teresa, what a brilliant idea! And I agree, a re-read is a sure bet guaranteed to please and, as you note, maybe even turn out better than the first read.
A Hazra, yeah, the fear that it might be boring is one of the strikes against a whole year of re-reading. There is something to be said for the new too.
Litlove, you have an interesting perspective on re-reading that hadn’t even crossed my mind. I can completely understand why you associate it with work. I too love puzzling out what is going on in new books as well as all the attendant surprises.
pvreader, fading memory does tend to make even books we have read more than once seem new is some ways. Like you I also like comparing my past readings with the current re-read. I doubt I could do an entire year of re-reading it might, as you say, be stifling. But the idea of it is interesting.
Rebecca, as much as I know I love re-reading favorites it is difficult to balance it with all the unreads. I am loving this books of essays too. So many good ideas to think about!
Katie, your reading plan this year sounds fantastic. Re-reading plus sounds like a great balance! I will have to try something similar sometime.
Jeane, I know I don’t think I could do an entire year of re-reading either. I went a long stretch where I never re-read anything but the last couple of years I’ve been more inclined to revisit old friends a little.
Isabella, I loved Stranger in a Strange Land when I read it so many many years ago. My husband just re-read it last year after 20 years and still loved it though not in the same way he liked it all those years ago. I understand what you mean by concurrent re-reading. I’m more likely than I used to be to go back and re-read a page or two but not enough to claim it as a re-read. The idea fascinates me though!
Lindsey, it sounds like you have favorite re-reads based on situation and mood. I’ve not approached re-reading like that before but you make it sound like fun
Bikkuri, is LOTR a great re-read? I re-read them all right before the movies came out and what a pleasure that was. Though now they are all mixed up with the movies. I think you are right to suggest undertaking a smaller step to re-reading rather than jumping in for a whole year of it. I doubt I could do a whole year, but it would be a fascinating experiment.
Gentle Reader, sorry
I feel the same as you, that sometimes I don’t give books their due because I rush through them. I’ve heard about Prose’s Frank book. Interesting that it is about re-reading. I might have to check it out.
captivereader, your devotion to re-reading is inspiring so it is good to know even you are daunted by the idea of a whole year of it.
Dorothy, I know those darn TBR stacks. If there weren’t so many books out there that looked so good, re-reading would be a lot easier.
Cipriano, we must have some sort of pscycho, I mean psychic, connection or something.
You ask a good question, with so many unread books waiting for attention, what criteria does one use to decide to re-read an old book?
Jenclair, how interesting that when you re-read it is mostly non-fiction. I rarely re-read nonfiction but I can’t say why that is.
Danielle, it is indeed scary how much we forget between a readings of a book. I think you are onto something saying you are always searching for the perfect read. There isn’t one, but I think we hope there is so we keep looking and looking.
“Curiously enough, one cannot read a book: one can only reread it. A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader.”
Vladimir Nabokov, Lectures on Literature
I love rereading certain books… but I like to wait until they’ve mellowed in my mind and I can’t remember all of it, then it’s like rediscovering them all over again. The only exception is The Lord of the Rings, which I can never forget, and which only seems to get deeper and darker each time I read it.
Yes, LOTR was a good re-read; I love Tolkien’s use of language. One down point I noticed this time through was trying to fathom the logistics of how such a world could exist. Locations of cities, uninhabited spaces, and especially the green belt road all seemed illogical. Natural growth of civilizations tends to follow different patterns from his created world. Clearly his background is linguistics, not engineering or city planning.
When I re-read Dune, I noticed a lot of logistical catches as well. Maybe engineers shouldn’t read fiction. 
Anyhow, those issues did not stop me from enjoying that read.
I also enjoy re-reads of the Bible. Every time I re-read, something new pops up. Can I count that as 66 books?
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I’m a casual rereader. I don’t count rereading a book as another “book read” (for those keeping count) and I reread often for different reasons. Sometimes it’s an excellent book that I want to return to again and again. Other times it’s the opposite – I didn’t like the book and want to give it another chance, to see if time has improved it (this happens occasionally). Sometimes rereads disappoint, too, but this seems to happen (thankfully) fairly rarely.
Hmm, now I also want to reread The Lord of the Rings…
Hi, Emily directed me to your blog after reading my post yesterday on C. S. Lewis’ comments about re-reading. Re-reading seems to be in the air, she said, and it’s true, the comments for the Woolf in Winter challenge included a lot of discussion of re-reading.
Your quote of the day, about having the attitude, when you pick up something to read, that there is plenty of time, seems perfect. I’ve been looking over my list of 34 novels that I read in 2009 to see which ones jump out at me as my favorites. When I talked to my husband about this I realized that the really good ones–for me–were ones that continued somehow to live in me. Not sure I’m going to re-read any of them soon–well, I take that back; I may just pick up Don Quixote again in a couple of months–because at the moment I’m so focused on reading novels I’ve never read before.
Danielle’s suggestion of “a library of 250 books” reminds me of Italo Calvino’s The Uses of Literature, where he talks about deciding on what is one’s own personal canon. What books have always had meaning for you, have maybe even contributed to who you are? (For him, the Odyssey is high on the list.) That sounds like a good guide for re-reading.
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