Do you re-read? Why?

[Liviu_5]

Originally Posted by Over

Wow, impressive record. Do you read as an hobby or you're one of the lucky ones who are paid to read? I know you write articles/reviews for fantasybookcritic.com.

I'm a little bit jealous. :P I mean, Anathem isn't even 1 month old and you've already read it 5 times? And it's not a small book! (BTW, I just bought it today )

Maybe it's a matter of time, not speed of reading, as montsnmags said.

For Anathem I bought an arc on Abe in July at a relatively steep price (~36$ total) but cheaper than on Ebay at the time - and I read it 3 times in a week then and two times since its official release.

Regarding time - I usually read 2-4 hours a day every day, sometimes more - mostly late evenings after my son goes to sleep, but in work breaks, in line at supermarket and so on - that's why I love my 770 since I carry it with me always. I also read a lot at bookstore cafes though I usually bring my own books - my son loves bookstores too so we spend our evenings quite often there especially fall/winter - we are lucky to have quite a few superb bookstores within easy driving distance - and once my local library renovation is done this fall, that's another place we'll go evenings since it's 3 minutes away from my house

I buy most of my books or get them from the library, though I get some arcs from Robert who runs the Fantasy Book Critic site, but generally unless it's a book I truly want to read in advance and it's too expensive to get an arc on eBay, I'd rather get my own copy so I do not feel bound to please the publisher/author.

I want to review whatever I enjoy not whatever someone wants. Since I read a lot and I like doing formal reviews once in a while of books I truly enjoyed - I do mini-reviews/impressions of pretty much any book I finish on Goodreads and sffworld, I agree with Robert on what I will review formally for him and the time frame.

Getting an arc of Simmons Drood or Weber's BSRA or Hamilton's Void 2 months before publication "pays" me for lots of reviews in my mind...

I know and talk with quite a few people that do blog reviews and get tons of arcs from publishers, and I guess if you are dedicated you can go that route, but it's not for me. I read to relax after a day of hard work and to enjoy myself, not as *work*...

I keep a tally at Goodreads now with mini-reviews for many of the books read:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1229019

[Lin2412]

Originally Posted by grimo1re

Sometimes I re-read because I want the comfort of that story. Also, I tend to read fast so re-reading is sometimes finding things I missed the first time. Subtleties I missed in my hurry Sometimes because it's been years and you can't quite remember it anymore but you remember you liked it.

I suppose, with all the books in the world, why would one re-read a familiar story? I think it's inherently human. Look at kids, they lurve to watch the same video or hear the same story over and over and over and over again.

That's very true. I like to re-read the same stories (especially my all-time favorite books, just in case there are more interpretations that I didn't catch on) because I want to know all the details of it. If you're passionate about something you'd want to go back to it over and over again just to see if you see something new (you haven't seen before) or you just want to experience the same feeling you've had while reading it.

[rollei]

If the book is enjoyable, a re-read should be fun.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by rollei

If the book is enjoyable, a re-read should be fun.

True. It's like re-visiting an old friend and enjoying their company all over again.

[DiapDealer]

I find, when catching up with old friends, that they're often not nearly as charming or interesting as I remembering them being. Probably my fault: I'm not the same person I was when I was hanging out with them. But as a result, I'll take a fond memory over the risk of ruining a fond memory with an awkward, lackluster reunion any day.

When it comes to books, I tend to prefer a never-ending stream of exciting one-night stands, over the on-again/off-again type of relationship.

[varlog]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I find, when catching up with old friends, that they're often not nearly as charming or interesting as I remembering them being. Probably my fault: I'm not the same person I was when I was hanging out with them. But as a result, I'll take a fond memory over the risk of ruining a fond memory with an awkward, lackluster reunion any day.

When it comes to books, I tend to prefer a never-ending stream of exciting one-night stands, over the on-again/off-again type of relationship.

Haven't read the whole thread - I think somebody must have already mentioned it, nevertheless.
Some books are deep enough to show more by n-th reading. Especially if one has grown up in the meantime.
Then there is that thing about memory: it tends to get worse, not better.
This gets personal : a good marriage is a way better than any, exciting as it can be, a one-night stand.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by varlog

Haven't read the whole thread - I think somebody must have already mentioned it, nevertheless.
Some books are deep enough to show more by n-th reading. Especially if one has grown up in the meantime.
Then there is that thing about memory: it tends to get worse, not better.
This gets personal : a good marriage is a way better than any, exciting as it can be, a one-night stand.

Whatever works for you man.
I'm not saying my philosophy is better, or should be adopted by others, just simply answering the questions:

Do you re-read? (Rarely)
Why? (See above)

Re-reading doesn't really need defending. And neither does NOT re-reading.

[varlog]

I stand corrected .
Do you reread?: I reread series I like prior to new installment (happens rarely).
Why?: To get into the mood. My memory allows me not to be bored.
Then there are some books I reread because I like them (happens rarely).

[Luffy]

I'll almost never re read. Life is too short.

[HarryT]

It strikes me as seriously strange not to re-read.

"I really enjoyed that meal" - but I'm never going to eat that food again.
"That was a delightful piece of music" - but I'm never going to listen to it again.
"I had a great night out with that girl" - but I'm never going to see her again.

Why on Earth would you not want to repeat an enjoyable experience? To reason that "the world is full of other books" doesn't make any sense to me. The world is also full of girls (or boys), music, and food, and yet many people get pleasure from repeated encounters with the same one.

[Ghitulescu]

I rarely re-read policiers and easy literature. Although some a good.

I re-read informative literature. Some books contain info that can be seen in a different light if one evolves spiritually or enlarge his knowledge in a particular field.

[Apache]

Some people like to watch movies over again, I prefer to read well written books many times over the years.
Apache

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It strikes me as seriously strange not to re-read.

"I really enjoyed that meal" - but I'm never going to eat that food again.
"That was a delightful piece of music" - but I'm never going to listen to it again.
"I had a great night out with that girl" - but I'm never going to see her again.

Why on Earth would you not want to repeat an enjoyable experience? To reason that "the world is full of other books" doesn't make any sense to me. The world is also full of girls (or boys), music, and food, and yet many people get pleasure from repeated encounters with the same one.

It's simple Harry. It's the time investment to enjoyment ratio. A song is minutes, a meal is less than hour, a movie--a little longer, and a date is an evening. The time investment is minimal. Not so with a book.

I loved my high-school years: great experiences, fondest memories. But I would not choose to do those years over again even if I could. Even yesterday was pretty cool, but I've no urge to repeat it today.

I don't find either position (re-read/not re-read) to be strange. Just different people with different priorities. Why the need to see one as "default" and the other as aberrant?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It's simple Harry. It's the time investment to enjoyment ratio. A song is minutes, a meal is less than hour, a movie--a little longer, and a date is an evening. The time investment is minimal. Not so with a book.

True, but why is a couple of evening's enjoyment to be desired less than an hour's enjoyment?

Obviously it's the individual's choice: all I'm saying is to me personally not re-reading a book that you really enjoyed is no more understandable than not re-listening to a piece of music that you enjoyed. If your preference is for new experiences rather than repeats of existing ones, then that's great - it's your choice!

[kacir]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It strikes me as seriously strange not to re-read.

"I really enjoyed that meal" - but I'm never going to eat that food again.
"That was a delightful piece of music" - but I'm never going to listen to it again.
"I had a great night out with that girl" - but I'm never going to see her again.

"That joke was a hooter" - it is a pity that when I hear it next time I will just smile instead of laugh.

For many books much of the enjoyment is the process of discovery. Once you know that gardener is the murderer ... ;-)

Even quotes from Terry Pratchett sound much better when you read them for the first time.

I am obviously reading different books.

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why on Earth would you not want to repeat an enjoyable experience?

Originally Posted by Heraclitus of Ephesus As quoted in Plato, Cratylus, 402a

δὶς ἐς τὸν αὐτὸν ποταμὸν οὐκ ἂν ἐμβαίης.
You could not step twice into the same river.