What books have you read twice?

A book has to be really good for me to reread it as there are so many other interesting books around just waiting for a viewing. My tastes lean towards historical in all it's intriguing disguises, any time period will do as long as it's well written and believable, even futuristic.
I have reread Jane Austin's 'Pride and Prejudice' just love the 'manners' and the language and of course Tolkeins 'Lord of the Rings' series is fascinating. No doubt most people have read one or other of these.

A more recent and less well known read has been 'The Belle Fields' by Lora Adams as mentioned above by Beady. I also found the historical content to be very realistic and appealing.

One of my all time favorites is the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel, also less well known but absolutely riveting. It's portrayal of prehistoric times is wonderful and so believable. I will read this again and again.Sometimes the descriptive passages can be a bit of a slog but well worth persevering.

I've read all these at least three times each. Can highly recommend all of them.

I've read many books twice or more to enjoy them - surprising what you can miss the first time round! I've even read some up to 5 times over the years just to get a sense of nostalgia I suppose? Certain chapters are so well written it's worth another visit.
Examples would include the chapter where Fred Kitchen in Brother to the Ox travels by carriers cart to the Doncaster Stautes Fair. Another in The Belle Fields by Lora Adams where the whole book, through many twists and turns follows the life of a young kitchen maid in the Big House and has 3 seperate suitors from different classes of society. What a turmoil her life became. It's sad in parts, uplifting in others and has a very unexpected conclusion - I understand a sequel is coming shortly - can't wait for that! Also try Albert Pierrpoint's biography on his career as public executioner. Very sad for some of the folks he had to deal with but written in a very 'matter of fact' way. How things have changed in the past 50 years or so? Good reading.

I read books many times, have read all of Caro Frazers 'caper court' series. (about 5 times) and all other books by her. I email her regularly to see if she has written any more.
I read the Miss Read books, prefer the Fairacre books to the others but have read them all many times.
I have re read and re read again anything by Rosamund Pilcher, especially Winter Solstice and The Shell Seekers.
I have just re read 'Footprints in the Sand and the Lonely Desert by Sarah Challis, Ive not read any others by her so will seek them out at library.
I must confess that I read Enid Blython books too, I love the Famous 5 and the adventure series or any by Enid, must be going back to my second childhood.

Read Susan Hills Howard's End Is On The Landing for her views on re reading it's lovely!

also have read and re-read the 3 books by Jeanine Mcmullen telling the story of her life on a remote welsh smallholding - one was called 'my small country living' and one 'the wind in the ash tree' and she eloquently describes life with her animals (particularly her dogs - lurchers and whippets for those who like these dogs.)
I find only semi-autobiographical books lend themselves to re-reading

love books, too many reread to list

thank you gillt57 you reminded me tyhat I read the Vera Brittain books many years ago and seem to have lost my copies in the last move so have ordered them second hand so I can read them again.
she was the mother of Shirley Williams (I think)

I never part with a book I have loved on the basis that I will read it again, but as I usually several books on the go, always a novel and often factual history books and biographies too that I dip into, I rarely have time. When I was child I read most of my books over and over because I was always waiting for the next one, usually on order from the library, or as presents for birthdays and Christmas.

Rebecca
The Secret Garden
A Confederacy of Dunces ( many times, and everytime I read it I find something else to laugh at)

Just re-ordered Testament of Youth by Vera Britten as heard it being diuscussed on Radio 4 as part of the WW1 discussions

Wild Swans

I can't believe so many people only read a book once - most of mine are read until they fall apart

Hi everyone

Ihave read the Boudica series by Manda Scott 4 times so far and
everytime I do I find something new. Fabulous books cant recomend
highly enough. Would be interested to know whgat others think

I never seem to re-read the kind of books you get on Eng. Lit. courses. I used to love Jude the Obscure but when I tried to re-read it I thought he was an idiot. Maybe I'm losing my marbles, or just getting cynical.
It's fun rediscovering all the children's books mine loved and re-reading them with the grandson.

That's how I define a classic, jings - it stands the test of time.

Loved Miss Reid books when I was much younger. Can't stand them now.

I think only classics and near classics stand up to whole life loving.

I always re-read book in bed at night. If I read something new I get carried away and forget to go to sleep.
I re-read Miss Read too and loved Georgette Heyer as a teenager. Amazingly they are still good to re-read now. Most things I read then seem terrible now.
Cold Comfort Farm is brilliant isn't it. The tv version was excellent too. I watched that at a slightly difficult time (with parents in their last years) and couldn't stop laughing. Hysterics nearly but I remember it fondly.

When I've been especially stressed, I've always gone back to Jane Austen, especially Persuasion, my favourite.

When I've been stressed, usually when working, I've always gone back to 'Cold Comfort Farm' and read how Flora Post calmly sorts out the chaotic Starkadder family. Bliss. Many years ago in the years of black and white, the BBC did a brilliant serial on it, knocking all spots of the more recent damp squib of a serial.
Other all time favourite re-read is 'Hotel Du Lac' by Anita Brookner. I think I must go for books that untangle problems in a satisfactory way.
At storytime, when I was teaching, we always had requests to read stories from 'A Necklace of Raindrops' by Joan Aiken. I have met children now grown up, who still remember it with great fondness.

I can always re-read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, I would love to visit Bronte country one day, and Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee is another favourite.

Glad to see this thread revived and be reminded of the books other people reread. I really MUST revisit the Georgette Heyer books. Loved them in my teens.

Middlemarch always bears rereading. There is so much in it to think about.

I'm getting a little bit tired of Cat in the Hat!

I have read all the Miss Read Fairacre series and many others by her.
All of Caro frazers books including all the caper court series and many classics such as Rebecca, The Bell by Iris Murdoch. I like to read books a second time or third as I know I will like them

J M Bauer - As far as my feet will carry me.
20 years apart the second time after I saw the film thinking the book couldn't have been as bad as the film..Result poor film.

I like to have about three books on the go at the same time. At the moment I'm reading 'Speaking for themselves' - the letters of Winston and Clementine Churchill to each other, fascinating and theirs was a life long love story.
Can always re-read Daphne du Maurier and my favourite is still 'Frenchmans Creek,' love all John Buchans books and some of the lovely old Victorian fiction, dated perhaps but still so readable, especially 'The Channings.'
Best latest reads? ''Black Roses'' by Jane Thynne and ''The Perfume Garden'' by Kate Lord Brown. Loved them both.

I'm not much of a re-reader but one author who has made me go back is Anne Rice. The three books were.

The Witching Hour
Memnoch the Devil
A Cry to Heaven

Three stunning books that once read will never be forgotten.

Sorry,*lamb*, I missed your question in November. I feel slightly guilty about not reading Ulysses which I downloaded to my Kindle when I first had it 18 months ago.