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What books have you read twice?

(265 Posts)
whenim64 Mon 13-May-13 10:06:53

I occasionally read books that I have enjoyed, again - years later. When I go back to them, I find that I have missed lots of enjoyable passages and interesting use of language in the pursuit of frantic page-turning to see what happens next.

I'm enjoying To Kill A Mocking Bird at the moment. I remember reading the story in the 80s, and have seen the film, with Gregory Peck as Atticus. This time, the book is coming alive in a deeper, richer way than when I first read it.

Any books that you would recommend from reading twice?

merlotgran Mon 13-May-13 10:12:00

Ditto To Kill A Mockingbird. DGS1 was doing it at school at the time. I Capture The Castle is another booked I enjoyed more the second time around

LullyDully Mon 13-May-13 10:39:50

Hand Maid's Tale, Great Expectations and Jane Eyre once or twice or thrice.

It is very interesting to read a book at different stages of life as your stance and opinion has changed. When I read Wuthering Heights as a teenager I thought it was very romantic but as an older adult the book is very disturbing.

janthea Mon 13-May-13 10:46:17

The ones, apart from the classics, that spring to mind are the Mapp & Lucia series by E F Benson. I love them.

Ariadne Mon 13-May-13 10:53:39

I am a great re-reader, and I do agree that reading a book again, often at a different stage in your life, means you unpeel more layers and understand more, gain new perspectives. I couldn't begin to list the ones I've read more than once! But I am a very fast reader, and that helps.

I do order a copy of "The Women's Room" by Maryon French recently. It was a book that opened my eyes when it was first published, and it is still as strong, if slightly dated. Love it.

flowerfriend Mon 13-May-13 11:38:38

To Kill a Mockingbird, more than twice.

flowerfriend Mon 13-May-13 11:42:45

I have re-read all of Margaret Atwood's novels. The Robber Bride I have read three times. One of these days I shall probably re-read Barbara Kingsolver's books. Both of these women write many layered stories and deserve a second go.

Ella46 Mon 13-May-13 11:43:54

Frenchman 's Creek, several times just for the 'lazy summer days' feeling
of pure romantic escapism.

feetlebaum Mon 13-May-13 11:52:00

Most of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels (of which there are at least thirty!) and many of Robert Rankin's novels, in particular all five of the Brentford Trilogy (yes, five.)

Many of PG Wodehouse's books twice or more, and of course Pride & Prejudice.

Galen Mon 13-May-13 12:46:31

Elizabeth Goudge Elliott triilogy

loneranger Mon 13-May-13 13:12:58

Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy. My sister-in-law was brought up in Ireland and this book really helped me to understand her better. Will never throw it away, how sad that Maeve has now died, she was a wonderful person.

Grannyknot Mon 13-May-13 13:26:40

To Kill a Mockingbird (I practically know (knew?) the dialogue.)
Gone with the Wind.
Rebecca.

Others too that escape me now. I am also known to rush a book towards the end, skim read, and then go back and digest it later. Drives the husband mad when he thinks I've finished a book and starts reading it, and I take it back off him.

Grannyknot Mon 13-May-13 13:28:48

Also reminded me, I love this poem and I've read it a thousand times and never tire of it:

Zima Station- Yevtushenko 1956

As we get older we become more open,
and therefore we bless our lucky stars...
The changes taking place in life quite often
coincide with changes taking place in us.
And if we have a different point of view,
if we have changed the estimation scales,
if, viewing people, we discover something new,
it means we first revealed it in ourselves.
Of course, I haven’t lived too long, and yet
at twenty I reviewed my life throughout:
I should have never said
what I had said,
and what I hadn’t said
I should have spoken out.
I saw that I had often been too prudent,
had not been thoughtful, sensitive, pretentious,
that in my life, quite smooth, there wouldn’t
be real deeds, but rather good intentions.
But still there is a way of coming round
and gaining strength for new ideas, just
stepping down, once again, upon the ground
I used to tread, barefooted, raising dust.

Joan Mon 13-May-13 13:37:02

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, by Robert Tressel

God is an Englishman, by R F Delderfield.

Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens.

Dangerous Davies by Leslie Thomas (I love his humour)

Lots more, from the sublime to the ridiculous, including the set books on my university course.

GillieB Mon 13-May-13 14:12:22

I really can't be without a book on the go and lots of mine I have read many, many times:

All the Georgette Heyer books, Terry Pratchett, Jane Austin, David Eddings, Lilian Beckworth; really the list goes on and on, those are just a few which come to mind.

Since I bought my Kindle a couple of years ago I have re-read all of the classics like "Little Women".

whenim64 Mon 13-May-13 14:35:03

So many great ideas to pick up and read, or read again. When my sister died last year, she left me a few precious items, but the gift that she knew would mean everything to me, as it had to her, was her entire collection of Daphne Du Maurier's books. I've got Frenchman's Creek on my dressing table to read next, and enjoyed Rebecca a few weeks ago. I never tire of reading such lovely books. smile

numberplease Mon 13-May-13 16:16:10

I re-read Little Women, Good Wives and Little Men recently, last time I read them, several times over, I was about 11 or 12. I found them just as enjoyable this time around. Have also read Tom Sawyer a couple of times.

nightowl Mon 13-May-13 18:01:30

I agree about 'The Women's Room' Ariadne. I still have my copy and it's overdue for a re-read. Have you read 'The Bleeding Heart' by the same author? That is a book I have read many times and I get far more from it now than I did when I first read it 30 years ago. It makes me cry every time.

matson Mon 13-May-13 18:55:43

I have reread most Charles dickens novels, the hobbit and the lord of the rings also. I have lost count of how many times I have read where,s spot and dear zoo !!!!!!!!!!! x

Ariadne Mon 13-May-13 19:09:15

number me too!

nightowl no I haven't, but I will! Also "The Officers' Wives" - Sam sort of thing, and I was one, so it really resonated.

HildaW Mon 13-May-13 19:25:28

All of Jane Austen's books - except the little stories and the unfinished one, Sanditon.
Great Expectations. Dombey and Son. Christmas Carol ( I read it every year in the week before Christmas)
Jane Eyre
Most of the Morse books
All of the 'Lord Peter Wimsey' books - yes I never mind knowing who did it!
But I didn't want to re-read the Wallander ones knowing how they worked out - funny that.

storynanny Mon 13-May-13 22:20:41

The lion, the witch and the wardrobe
The magic faraway tree.

Several times for myself, several times to my children and umpteen times to children in my classes at school

gracesmum Mon 13-May-13 22:25:36

Quite a few - sometimes I even remember that I have read them before. grin

Morriarty Mon 13-May-13 23:01:11

London a Biography by Peter Ackroyd totally absorbing.
I have read "Going on a Bear Hunt" (Michael Rosen) so many times for grand daughter Amelie, I know it by heart but they are wonderful words.

Eloethan Tue 14-May-13 00:08:22

A Kind of Loving - Stan Barstow
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
Most of Anne Tyler's earlier books
Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
I Know This Much is True & She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb