What books have you read twice?

I enjoy re-reading Joanna Trollop's books.
I usually learn something very profound and personal from her books.
Stops me in my tracks ! Almost like speaking to me about something
personal to me.
Does anyone else ever experience this from books ?

Apart from The Bible she's the only author that reaches me in this way.
I find it quite fascinating and am grateful for the truths I've learned from her.

Annodomini. which book have you NOT read and feel guilty about the omission??

Anything by Jane Austen or E. Nesbit. Cranford by Mrs Gaskell. A Spanish Lover by Joanna Trollope (just love the Christmas preparations bit at the beginning) also anything by Fannie Flagg. An eclectic mix like most here. Interesting how it is the "good" children's fiction we reread with pleasure. Does anyone else remember Regents Classics? Sold I think by Woolworths in the 50s. My mother used to buy me the books she loved as a child in the 20s and 30s in that series for Christmas and I loved them too. Recently reread Heidi in the unabridged edition and was amazed to find how much longer it was and how full of pious rhetoric.

Having studied and taught Eng Lit, I don't think I could count the books I have re-read and re-read again! And there are so many I haven't read yet...

This is a great thread! I reread many books and particularly Mary Stewart, Michael Gilbert, Terry Pratchett and Dick Francis, more so when I need "comfort reading". I have just finished "Sense and Sensibility", which I read many years ago but didn't enjoy nearly as much as "Pride and Prejudice". This time I loved it - the story maybe isn't as good as P&P but it is so funny, in an understated and polite way! Is it aging maturity that changes one's view of books? In any case, I think perhaps I shall now try some others which I haven't enjoyed in the past.

Wow. all my favourites, Cold Comfort Farm and Constant Nymph, Just William. Also usual classics plus Vanity Fair. Tolstoy W&P and Short stories. Wodehouse,Waugh,Mitfords.Rosamund Lehmann.Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Pym.Buchan. Cant read Hardy now.Good Behaviour and all her novels,Agatha Christie..very undervalued as fiction. Dick Francis, Andy McNab,Wallender, John Le Carre.Kite Runner. All read many times, I never need to buy a book again as I love the old ones best.I took Wild Swans to Western China with me and devoured it. I left it with our guide. I did not realise at the time that I could have been imprisoned for having it. Some of you may know that I am reading The Cazalets for the second time.

Maya Angelou and I've just started on Patricia Cornwell from the very beginning for the second time.

All the Harry Potter books & Jane Eyre.

I loved the Poldarks, sara4, and they were probably what nudged me towards the name Ross for my DS! I've never even seen the TV serial - I was living abroad when it was on. Not even the old VHS recorders were available then!

Mine are, all the Poldarks Winston Graham, Bernard Cornwell's Alfred the Great novels, Katherine A Seaton, just reread some Dick Francis too. John Grisham writes thrilling books on American legal system ( glad I don't live there) and Stella Rimmington's 'spy' books. Always finding something I've missed or forgotten. Oh and 'the Just so stories.' Couldn't joint a book club unless they let me choose all the books, which would be rather selfish. Forgot Terry Pratchett! I don't like TV adaptations of novels, they put bits in or leave them out and the characters don't look like I imagine they do.

Cold Comfort Farm is brilliant isn't it?
Does anyone (except me) read detective novels several times and not remember who done it or suddenly remember in the middle?

Sorry, said before, forgot!

Cold Comfort Farm, National Velvet, The Constant Nymph, the Mapp and Lucia books, Just William, Jeeves and Wooster.

It's called 'Speeches that Shook the World' by Simon Armitage. It's a documentary so there may be a link to it somewhere.

Oh darn it; I'll let you know how good it was!! Or, if I was any good at recording things I could record it for you [except I'm a complete technophobe ]. Mind you, it's on so late
I'm likely to nod off part way through. We once went to see a man that was supposed to be a great orator; took some friends with us. Were horrified when this extremely old man was wheeled into the room. But, when he started speaking a hush descended over the room and we were mesmerised.

I'd love to see it and will try to pick it up on my computer. Unfortunately I live in Canada (near Toronto) and found gransnet.com while house sitting two cats in Lochcarron last month. My wife and I do that occasionally as a cheap way of seeing the world.

Thanks for the information though and enjoy the show, even if I can't

Travelingman; If you've read Winston Churchills books, you might be interested in a programme on BBC4 tonight at 23.25 about Great Speeches. It's made by Simon Armitage who is one of my favourite tv presenters. It'll probably be on iplayer later.

This is a great thread and I've just sat and read every entry. I'm new at this and I now have a list of books I should read. Thank you all for that.

My all time favorite with at least three readings is Shogun, by James Clavell. I'm always in awe of the amount of reasearch that went into that story.

I've also read almost everything by Winston Churchill twice and a couple more than that.

Oh rosesarered that sent me hurtling back - a lovely book. I agreed to the purchase of our previous home because it had a gate which reminded me of the Secret Garden. Heidi was another one I read more than once.

have read The Secret Garden [I know, it's for children, but it's lovely!]lots of times.Also The Queen and I by Sue Townsend and Queen Camilla by same author. Funny, touching and a wonderful read.Anything by Alan Coren [read them literally hundreds of times.]
Almost all Dickens novels.Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt.

Wild Swans, am transported to China.

Only poetry and a couple of novels, most popular Lit bores me!

Little Women, Lark Rise to Candleford and The Diary of a Country Parson.
The novels and short stories by Elizabeth Taylor.
And the complete works of Topsy and Tim, read many times to daughter and now grandchildren.

The Dove Keeper - Alice Hoffman.
The Moon in the Mango Tree - Pamela Binnings Ewen.
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
The Stand - Stephen King.

Missed out a word in the Shaffer book, should be 'The Guernsey Literary and potato peel pie Society!'