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This Week's Question
How many books have you re-read? If you have re-read books, please tell us the book titles and why you re-read them.
(Submitted by Elizabeth @
My Answer
There are several books I have re-read throughout the years. Although subsequent readings cannot compare with that first reading, I have still enjoyed each book -- or not -- just as much the second time around.
Since there are quite a few books I've re-read, I will just highlight a few.
The first books that come to mind are those of The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer. As regular readers of my YA blog A Night's Dream of Books, know, I LOVE this series!! I've re-read all four novels three times each, and the first novel four times -- one of them in Spanish, since I'm fluent in that language.
I love the characters of these novels, especially Edward Cullen and Bella Swan! Although some people might dislike the books because they think the romance between Edward, a vampire, and Bella, a human, is just too 'weird' and 'out there', let me assure those of you who have not read these books that they're beautiful, romantic, and full of teen angst and great paranormal action! But there's more to them than this. They also have themes of loyalty, courage, and the determination to live a life of non-violence.
Another book I've re-read (twice, unbelievably enough) is Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. In my last Book Blogger Hop post, I expressed just how much I detest this novel, so I won't repeat myself here. Reading -- as well as re-reading it -- was not a pleasant experience by any means.
What a contrast is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte!! This novel is my all-time favorite classic!! I've read it twice, as well, and gained some new insights the second time, too. I have admired Jane for many years, and only wish I could be half the person she is. Her strong determination to live her life on her own terms, according to her inner moral compass, and not the dictates of the society of her time, is truly an example. Furthermore, her romantic relationship with Edward Rochester is tumultuous and passionate, which makes for great drama!
I've also re-read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. The first time I read it, I was a high school student, and found it just as boring as I found Jane Eyre exciting. Of course, these two writers -- Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen -- had very different personalities. I much prefer Bronte's novel because she created dynamic, passionate characters, as well as very dramatic scenarios. Austen's novel, in contrast, was of a more subtle type. This author was concerned with satirizing the accepted conventions of the society of her time, and in a slyly humorous way. There was no "sturm und drang" in this novel.
During my second reading, I was better able to appreciate Austen's sly humor, as well as her astute characterizations. However, I will always prefer Jane Eyre!
Another book I've read twice is Magister Ludi, by Hermann Hesse. This novel is also known by the title The Glass Bead Game. What's fascinating about it is the intellectual nature of this fictitious game, although Hesse never does elaborate on just how it's played. Equally fascinating is Hesse's creation of an intellectual province, known as "Castalia". I would love to be able to live in such a province!
This is not a dramatic novel at all, and the action moves quite slowly. I liked it, though, because the main character, Joseph Knecht, goes through a very compelling series of changes, all of an intellectual as well as emotional nature, throughout the novel. At the end, he has become transformed into a person who is able to appreciate both the intellectual life, and the life of the senses. This was one of Hesse's major themes, too.
I think I'd like to go back for a third reading of this novel! I'm sure there are many more things about it that I will be able to appreciate.
Another novel I've read twice is Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. I was enjoying it the second time just as much as the first, until I found out what had really happened with one of the main characters. I don't know why, but I had not remembered this detail from my first reading, years ago. Instead, I had remembered what happened in the movie version. Interestingly, it seems that my mind had surreptitiously substituted the events of the movie version, precisely because the way the plot developed in the novel had disgusted me. The whole thing involved a murder, and how this murder was covered up. In the movie version, there was no murder.
This curious incident has made me realize just how complex the workings of the mind are. Our memories are not always reliable in recording exactly what took place in our past. We remember some things as we wish they had taken place, and not as they really did. Hmmmm.....
So these are some of the books I've re-read. There are several more, but, in the interests of not making this post overly long, I will stop here. Lol.
I'm very interested to know what books other hop participants have re-read, and why!
Since there are quite a few books I've re-read, I will just highlight a few.
The first books that come to mind are those of The Twilight Saga, by Stephenie Meyer. As regular readers of my YA blog A Night's Dream of Books, know, I LOVE this series!! I've re-read all four novels three times each, and the first novel four times -- one of them in Spanish, since I'm fluent in that language.
I love the characters of these novels, especially Edward Cullen and Bella Swan! Although some people might dislike the books because they think the romance between Edward, a vampire, and Bella, a human, is just too 'weird' and 'out there', let me assure those of you who have not read these books that they're beautiful, romantic, and full of teen angst and great paranormal action! But there's more to them than this. They also have themes of loyalty, courage, and the determination to live a life of non-violence.
Another book I've re-read (twice, unbelievably enough) is Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. In my last Book Blogger Hop post, I expressed just how much I detest this novel, so I won't repeat myself here. Reading -- as well as re-reading it -- was not a pleasant experience by any means.
What a contrast is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte!! This novel is my all-time favorite classic!! I've read it twice, as well, and gained some new insights the second time, too. I have admired Jane for many years, and only wish I could be half the person she is. Her strong determination to live her life on her own terms, according to her inner moral compass, and not the dictates of the society of her time, is truly an example. Furthermore, her romantic relationship with Edward Rochester is tumultuous and passionate, which makes for great drama!
I've also re-read Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. The first time I read it, I was a high school student, and found it just as boring as I found Jane Eyre exciting. Of course, these two writers -- Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen -- had very different personalities. I much prefer Bronte's novel because she created dynamic, passionate characters, as well as very dramatic scenarios. Austen's novel, in contrast, was of a more subtle type. This author was concerned with satirizing the accepted conventions of the society of her time, and in a slyly humorous way. There was no "sturm und drang" in this novel.
During my second reading, I was better able to appreciate Austen's sly humor, as well as her astute characterizations. However, I will always prefer Jane Eyre!
Another book I've read twice is Magister Ludi, by Hermann Hesse. This novel is also known by the title The Glass Bead Game. What's fascinating about it is the intellectual nature of this fictitious game, although Hesse never does elaborate on just how it's played. Equally fascinating is Hesse's creation of an intellectual province, known as "Castalia". I would love to be able to live in such a province!
This is not a dramatic novel at all, and the action moves quite slowly. I liked it, though, because the main character, Joseph Knecht, goes through a very compelling series of changes, all of an intellectual as well as emotional nature, throughout the novel. At the end, he has become transformed into a person who is able to appreciate both the intellectual life, and the life of the senses. This was one of Hesse's major themes, too.
I think I'd like to go back for a third reading of this novel! I'm sure there are many more things about it that I will be able to appreciate.
Another novel I've read twice is Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. I was enjoying it the second time just as much as the first, until I found out what had really happened with one of the main characters. I don't know why, but I had not remembered this detail from my first reading, years ago. Instead, I had remembered what happened in the movie version. Interestingly, it seems that my mind had surreptitiously substituted the events of the movie version, precisely because the way the plot developed in the novel had disgusted me. The whole thing involved a murder, and how this murder was covered up. In the movie version, there was no murder.
This curious incident has made me realize just how complex the workings of the mind are. Our memories are not always reliable in recording exactly what took place in our past. We remember some things as we wish they had taken place, and not as they really did. Hmmmm.....
So these are some of the books I've re-read. There are several more, but, in the interests of not making this post overly long, I will stop here. Lol.
I'm very interested to know what books other hop participants have re-read, and why!
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