Read, Repeat

[therealsnape]

Hello, everyone at the coffee corner,

Today it's my turn to post an item. And as usual, it's a bookish one.

Are you a re-reader of books? If not, why not? And if so, which books in particular? And which is the book you've re-read most often, and why?

I am a great re-reader myself. My father, who was also a compulsively-buying book addict dedicated collectionneur, even had it as a criterium for his purchases: if it's a book you want to read more than once, buy it. If not, get it from the library.

Wise words, and he lived by them. Therefore his collection, after some thinning, fitted into three large Billys. In my case it was more difficult. Not because I lack self-control (which I do) but because I like to read lots of English books, and live in the Netherlands. While the English section of our library is largish and fairly well-stocked, it has its limitations.

Things are better now that I have a kindle. That allows me to read all the lovely bookses without actually buying them in paper. I only do that when I want to re-read.

The book I've read most often is Dickens's Christmas Carol. Every year, when the tree is decorated and the final lesson given, out comes my lovely copy, with Rackham's illustrations, and at that moment Christmas has truly started. The reading count is well over 30 times.

An other book I've re-read often is Terry Pratchett's Night Watch.

And how about you?

Comments

[tielan]

I don't know how many times I've re-read my collection of books. Most recently I've been re-reading:

Meljean Brooks Guardian series.
Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart series.
Courtney Milan's Brothers Sinister series.
The second half of Anne Bishop's Black Jewels series (pretty much from The Shadow Queen onwards).

It takes me ages to find a new author, and when I do I tend to buy them, put them on the shelf, and binge-read the heck out of them at later points.

But Terry Pratchett's Night Watch is, I think, the peak of his writing for Discworld, and I could re-read that book so many times.

[magnetic_pole]

This is 119th heart-felt recommendation I've seen for Night Watch--or something like that :)--and I'm finally convinced. As soon as the library reopens! M.

[tielan]

Ooh, yay!

Uh, however, I feel like it should come with a disclaimer.

Night Watch is pretty much the peak of Terry Pratchett's Discworld sub-series about 'the Ankh-Morpork City Watch'. If you read your way through the Watch series, then you get to see not only the development of the characters, but they development of Pratchett's style. And there are quite a few books from the start of his series about the Watch through to Night Watch, and a couple after. And I feel that it helps you with the in-jokes to have the backstory.

The full run of the AM Watch series is:
Guards! Guards!
Men at Arms
Feet of Clay
Jingo
The Fifth Elephant
Night Watch
Thud
Snuff

You can certainly appreciate Night Watch on its own, but...having the others under your belt (at least Guards! Guards, Men at Arms, and Feet of Clay) helps.

[light_of_summer]

I second this recommendation re Night Watch and what to read before it!

[magnetic_pole]

I will give them a try! Thanks. M.

[therealsnape]

If I could keep only one Pratchett from my collection, it would be Night Watch. The peak of his writing, indeed. Although I would miss Moist von Lipwig in Going Postal most dreadfully.

[tielan]

I love Going Postal so much.

Night Watch, Going Postal, Thief of Time, and The Wee Free Men are my favourites of that period of Pterry.

The ones after are still pretty good, but within a half-dozen books it seemed clear that the Alzheimers was taking effect, and his writing didn't have the same punch for me.