I didn’t used to re-read books much because there are so many books I want to read and haven’t yet, so it seemed like a waste to re-read a book I’d already read. However in recent years I’ve had a re-think and realised that sometimes re-reading a beloved book can be a wonderful way to break out of a reading slump, keep reading when times are hard, or just generally read something you know you’ll enjoy. I also learned recently that repetition can be very soothing to brains like mine, so listening to the same song over and over, watching the same show or movie again and again or, in fact, re-reading familiar books, can actually help with regulation and be a calming experience. So I’m relaxing my rule and giving it a go.
Books I’ve re-read (some many times)
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Between the Stops by Sandi Toksvig
Books I plan to re-read
A Life in Stitches by Rachael Herron
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
Friends of Dorothy by Sandi Toksvig
Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
The Electricity of Every Living Thing by Katherine May
These are some books I have either already re-read, or that I plan to re-read. They’re all books that either calmed me, made me feel less alone or made me feel warm and fuzzy in some way. These tend to be the types of books I’ll want to come back to.
What about you guys? Where do you stand on the great re-reading debate? Which books do you want to re-read if you do like to do so?
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Some books are just fun to revisit and “I Capture the Castle” is one of those.
Absolutely! I don’t even know how many times I’ve re-read that over the years.
I sure liked Raising Hare.
Me too! I’ve been looking for other books similar to it (unsuccessfully) ever since I finished it. I think I’ll just have to go back and re-read it several times!
All of these seem like great books. Matilda is an absolute classic both the book and the movie. The House in the Cerulean Sea is on my TBR list and I keep seeing it on people’s list so maybe it needs to be my next read.
Oh, love Matilda! I do hope you give Cerulean a try, it’s a lovely book that made me feel fuzzy. Sequel isn’t bad either!
I like what you said about repetition. I Think you’re right. Also, Matilda is such a wonderfully magical book. I’ve read it a few times and it never gets old.
Thanks! Repetition is a big thing for me, as I’ve only recently consciously realised, so I’m working on making more use of that knowledge! (She writes while watching Hannah Gadsby for the umpteenth time…) Matilda is one of those books that felt like a light being turned on in my brain that’s never gone out! She’s such a wonderful character, which still amazes me now that I’m a grown up and know more about what Roald Dahl was like as a human…. yikes! Still grateful for Matilda, though, she’s wonderful.