For beginning readers, the prospect of conquering even one book may seem daunting (or even impossible). As you become more experienced, you’ll discover reasons to re-read, as well as the works that more enticingly call you back to their pages again-and-again!
Here are 5 top reasons to re-read brooks:
- Love: You re-read books because you love the book(s). You want to taste the words over again. Perhaps you want to memorize favorite passages, or even cherish those essential scenes. If you had the chance you wouldn’t just read the book over-and-over, you’d probably also climb into the book and take up a part of the plot, along with the other characters.
- Hate: Yes, you may also chose to delve back into a book, when you’ve read and disliked the novel before. You may have heard great reviews since your initial read, and you want to re-examine earlier perceptions. You may even discovered new appreciation for the book. Of course, you might also find that your initial (gut) first-impression still holds true. You just can’t help to feel that the book is devastatingly hateful and horribly wrong.
- Academic: High-school and college reading can inspire re-reading for a variety of reasons. In some cases, you may have read the novel in high school, and then re-read it in college. (With the benefit of more-advanced literary training, you understand more about literary devices, and you can analyze the theoretical paradigms.) Academic study also requires re-reading, as you search for quotes and examples for various research papers and essays. You’ve probably also re-read novels, and the related critical material, in preparation for exams.
- Experience: The books you once read as a young adult are wonderful fodder for recollection and re-reading. Upon each re-read, you bring new life experiences to the book. The words are the same, but they may mean something different as age, hardship and greater depths in book geekery transform your perspective. Besides, when in doubt about what to read, sometimes it’s comforting to return to a book you’re read (and loved) before. Sometimes, we all just need to know that the book will give us what we need… right now.
- Group: You may enjoy re-reading a book in a different circumstance. It could be you’ve told your friends that you love the book, so you’re getting together for an impromptu discussion (after they’ve read the book). Perhaps you’re re-reading the book to your kids. Or, it could be that you (or someone else in a group) have chosen the book for the upcoming read in your book club. Differing group situations can be a great way to bring great new perspectives to your re-reading experience.
Whatever your reason for re-reading a book, remember that you shouldn’t have to apologize for wanting to explore the book again. All of us grow and change over time, whether we like to admit it or not. Sometimes, we may not even remember the book. Yeah, sure, the many over-arching plot elements may stick with us. But, what about the moments of revelation, the moment when you knew that the journey had come to an end (or that it was just beginning)? Revisit those literary moments. Cherish them.
This is all a part of what being a book geek is all about…
