Re-reading

There are so many books unread, and so many coming off the pressses, that it seems almost a waste of precious time to re-read old ones. Still, I do it and I expect others do too.
I've not sat down to make a list, but Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm will be on it: and The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. TheThird Policeman and At Swim Two Birds by Flann O'Brien . . . . . That's enough for now.

I've only reread one book that I can think of in the past few years, and that was for an LT reading group: The Stand by Stephen King. As you said, there are so very many books I haven't read yet that I desperately want to read that at my age I can no longer justify my rereading (m)any.

However, see how I give myself wriggle room in case I am tempted. :)

Wattson, that's why I gave up sex. I had done it once. I wish I could give up eating the same way, well maybe except when it is especially to my taste.

The reason not to reread a book is that that book doesn't deserve it compared to whatever else you have to read.

Robert

Ho, ho, Mr.Durick.
I love to reread. Great books reread repay the time with deeper richness. Lesser but much-loved books are like coming home. I figure that I'll die when I die, but in the meantime, I'm going to indulge myself with what I want to read when I want to read it. So there.

I am the champion rereader of all, I think. We carried these books from move to move so that now I can reread 'em, and I do, quite happily.

My favorite goto reread book; To Kill a Mockingbird. Read it when it was just out, reread it probably at about 10 and 20 years ago, lost it or irretrievably loaned it, bought it again at recent book sale and reread it last year. An astounding book in many ways. Every time I read it, the memory of previous reads washes over me at about page 6.

I often reread books that I have liked in the past. Some of these are quick fiction reads but my favorites are The Iliad and The Odyssey. I have a number of translations of each book and may read them as often as once a year. Right now I am listening to Stanley Lombardo's translation of The Iliad. I am often amazed at how I find something new in each book when I read them. I guess that is why they are called classics.