The Joy of Re-Reading

Approximately how many books would you say you've read more than one time? What's your view of this practice? Is it a worthwhile or an unwise use of your time or something in between? How much does your view of the practice shift based on your reaction to the book you've re-read? 

Given the number of new authors and titles on my perpetually unmanageable list, one might guess re-reading would be a low priority for me; not so. Foremost among the reasons I re-read regularly is to learn how to be a better writer, especially when my attention on a first pass through a favorite book was mostly on the story or the voice. While re-reading, I pay more attention to the language, the architecture, the tone. I am rarely disappointed and frequently thrilled. 

Which book did you most recently re-read that captivated you as much or more than on your first pass? One of the nicest by-products of running my own book club and picking most of the titles is being able to occasionally feature a book I've yearned to re-read. That's what happened early this year when I selected The Garden of Last Days (2008) by Andre Dubus III, a novel that had knocked me out five years before. It wasn't universally loved by my club; most books aren't. But I was satisfied with the discussion, pleased several people liked it as much as me, and thrilled reading it, maybe a little more than the first time. And I'm still looking forward to seeing it adapted to film. I nominate David Fincher to direct and Jennifer Lawrence as the female lead. Why not read (or re-read) this excellent book and tell me your nominations? 

    

Reflections From The Bell Curve: Coming Soon, I Hope