BOTNS Podcast #180: Revisiting Re-reading

May 15

BOTNS #180: Revisiting Re-reading

By Michael Kindness Podcasts Add comments

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The Concord Free Press and their wonderful publishing program; Re-reading, do you do it? Do you have time to do it?; Michael sheepishly admits that he still hasn’t read Waiting for Sunrise, the new novel from William Boyd, and Ann recommends Trapeze by Simon Mawer

No, Really – It’s Free!

Concord Free Press is a wonderful publisher that has just published its seventh book, Round Mountain by Castle Freeman, Jr. Here’s the catch, (don’t worry, it’s a good catch) the book is free. As in zero dollars. Concord Free Press publishes 3,000 copies of a book, then gives them all away, via their web site and independent bookstores. All they ask in return is that the reader makes a charitable donation of some sort (size and recipient is left up to the giver). The reader should also log their donation on the Press’ site, and then pass the book on so more people can read it and donate on its behalf. It’s a wonderful idea that is working very well. To date, their 7 titles have raised nearly $300,000 worldwide. So, check the list of stores that carry their books and see if one is near you. If not request a copy of Round Mountain here.

Revisiting Re-reading (7:17)

Our Goodreads Group’s “What do you want us to talk/write about?” thread comes to the rescue again. Tawny started a discussion there about re-reading, which books she has re-read and which she wants to. Surprisingly, it’s a topic we spoke about in the very first episode of BOTNS, but, frankly, both Ann and I are too afraid to listen to it to hear what we said. Suffice to say, with our reading schedules, we rarely have time to re-read, though Ann has recently read two books a second time: The Sense of an Ending and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. If we were to re-read more than we do, we’d love to re-experience To Kill a Mockingbird, The Chocolate War, The Great Gatsby and Nineteen Eighty-Four. So, what are your thoughts on re-reading? Do you have the time? Do you make the time?

Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read (15:15)

No, I still haven’t read William Boyd’s new book Waiting for Sunrise. I will get to it soon, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to tell you about this book which is the story a British actor in Vienna in 1913. He’s looking for psychological help but ends up in an affair that nearly ruins his life. Ann raves about Trapeze by Simon Mawer. It’s the story of nineteen-year-old Marian Sutro who is trained to operate covertly in occupied Europe during World War II.

kelaine

Always up for a re-read of To Kill a Mockingbird … The Princess Bride never ceases to delight me … beyond those two favorites, I’m more in favor of paying books forward!
Vera

Recently re-read To Kill a Mockingbird. This is my favorite book. My fiance and I took turns reading to each other. Reading it aloud, sharing our thoughts and impressions of what we read and what we heard added an extra level of enjoyment for me. I first read it many years ago, but it was the first time for him. I didn’t discuss it with anyone the first time through, so it made it even more meaningful to discuss the themes, characters and events with someone. We both enjoyed the experience so much we’re now reading One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to each other. This book is a re-read for him and a first-time for me.
Robin

Every summer, for the past 20 years, I re-read a Willa Cather (favorite author) novel. It is like spending a day with an old friend. Every 2 or 5 years I re-read Island of the Blue Dolphins or Wrinkle in Time for sentimental reasons. Summer and the beach are my specific re-read times. Before BOTN I would re-read more favorite books, but now I have to keep up with all your recommendations. Not complaining, very happy to have them.
By the way, I LOVE Barbara Pym! Her novels always made me want to knit and have cookies or tea. Her autobiography was also good.
JanaNav

Great podcast! and two more books to put in my to read pile! Years ago I read Mendel’s Dwarf by Simon Mawer, but I just realized I haven’t read anything else by him and I loved that book. I read a review of Waiting for Sunrise in the NYTBR and already added that to my list, but I didn’t realize it was the same author as Michael’s beloved book.

As far as rereads, my favorite book, Corelli’s Mandolin, did stand up to the test – three times. I’m tempted to visit it again. I’ve also reread A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Poisonwood Bible. I will reread A Sense of an Ending when our book club does it this fall. Sometimes I get the audible version of books that I love and experience them again that way. But for the most part though, I agree there are just too many books to be read to find time to reread old favorites.
JanaNav

Great podcast! and two more books to put in my to read pile! Years ago I read Mendel’s Dwarf by Simon Mawer, but I just realized I haven’t read anything else by him and I loved that book. I read a review of Waiting for Sunrise in the NYTBR and already added that to my list, but I didn’t realize it was the same author as Michael’s beloved book.

As far as rereads, my favorite book, Corelli’s Mandolin, did stand up to the test – three times. I’m tempted to visit it again. I’ve also reread A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Poisonwood Bible. I will reread A Sense of an Ending when our book club does it this fall. Sometimes I get the audible version of books that I love and experience them again that way. But for the most part though, I agree there are just too many books to be read to find time to reread old favorites.
- JanaNav
  
  Oops. One too many !s in that first sentence. My apologies to those that will be annoyed by that. I know you’re out there.
- JanaNav
  
  Oops. One too many !s in that first sentence. My apologies to those that will be annoyed by that. I know you’re out there.
- JanaNav
  
  Oops. One too many !s in that first sentence. My apologies to those that will be annoyed by that. I know you’re out there.
- Lear4752
  
  I read The Glass Room by Mawer, and also read Mendel’s Dwarf. They are such different books, I was surprised that the same author wrote them. As a result, I am very curious to see how “Trapeze” compares.
JanaNav

Great podcast! and two more books to put in my to read pile! Years ago I read Mendel’s Dwarf by Simon Mawer, but I just realized I haven’t read anything else by him and I loved that book. I read a review of Waiting for Sunrise in the NYTBR and already added that to my list, but I didn’t realize it was the same author as Michael’s beloved book.

As far as rereads, my favorite book, Corelli’s Mandolin, did stand up to the test – three times. I’m tempted to visit it again. I’ve also reread A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Poisonwood Bible. I will reread A Sense of an Ending when our book club does it this fall. Sometimes I get the audible version of books that I love and experience them again that way. But for the most part though, I agree there are just too many books to be read to find time to reread old favorites.
Syorston

Good show, thanks as always Michael and Ann. As we get older (no jokes here please) it is worth it to reread a book for the new perspective you bring to it. Our Literary Group reread My Antonio last September and loved it, a second and for many of us, a third time. Like wine, it gets better with age…..
Since I lead book discussions on a regular basis, first as a teacher, now as a presenter, I often have to reread books, for the most part its a pleasure, not a chore, but the TBR does get bigger!
http://twitter.com/BookNymphoBlog Book Nympho

I’ve never re-read anything that I can recall simply because there are so many books to be read. Plus, I too am afraid it won’t be the same the second time around and would rather remember a book fondly than be disappointed with a re-reading. But I can’t help but wonder if I might be missing out on an experience that many readers seem to enjoy. So I’m trying to keep an open mind and, maybe when I’ve read most of my TBR, then I’ll work in a few re-reads each year.
Kristie

As a child, I reread Stuart Little by E.B. White. Now I reread Jane Austen, especially Pride and Prejudice.
Esf

I re-read Flannery O’Connor’s letters every so often. They are so wise, funny, inspiring, thought-provoking–especially for writers and readers. Every time I read it I’m struck by another little unforgettable tidbit that jumps off the page. And just like every really good book I re-read, I always end up hoping that it might end differently this time around.
http://www.stevehimmer.com Steve Himmer

I tend to reread books when they’re set in a place I’m pining for (real or invented). I’ve reread pretty much everything by George Mackay Brown at least once, often more, because sometimes I’m just in the mood that Orcadian landscape. Or Henry Lawson’s collected stories in the Australian bush, or Anthony Cronin’s memoir of literary Dublin DEAD AS DOORNAILS when I want to daydream about pints with Flann O’Brien & Co. I also try to reread a book whenever I teach it, but that doesn’t quite count (and I don’t always manage it, either).
Anonymous

I have re-read many book I love. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD,THE HARRY POTTER SERIES,TWILIGHT SERIES, HUNGER GAMES SERIES, every JANE AUSTEN novel written. I always have. I still have my childhood copy of THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND. It’s cover is in tatters because I re-read it so many times. Lately because of being pressed for time I have purchased some books I love on audiobook so I can enjoy them in the car. People watch their favorite movies over and over again, why should a book be any different.
Anne Gibes

At last, a mention of Barbara Pym! I expected her name to come up in your show on underrated female authors. I reread all of her books from time to time. Pym has a way of illuminating the ridiculousness of the small things in life. She is often compared to Austen. This is English social satire at its best, liberally sprinkled with curates, anthropologists and spinsters.
Susan

Re-reads: Pride and Prejudice, every couple of years, with all the other Austens interspersed in alternate years, because Jane Austen is the literary equivalent of comfort food. The last book I finished and immediately re-started was The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, because of the language is so beautiful. Other recent re-reads: Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer and Brideshead Revisited, both of which were richer reads in my 60′s than they were when I first read them.

Then there are the nonfiction re-reads, too many to list, but including the Bible (of course!), C.S. Lewis, Bonhoeffer, Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God.

Poetry! Poetry, poetry, poetry! Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Aurora Leigh…….
Linda

When I was teaching, I would re-read “Of Mice and Men” every year that I was involved with sophomore English (by the same token I read some books for the first time because of teach, “The Chocolate War” comes to mind.) I also would reread “Romeo and Juliet” or “Hamlet” or whichever Shakespeare play was required.

Then there is my reading group which often decides to read a book that I have already read. I usually choose a different medium (audio vs pages) for the subsequent reading.

There are a few books, “To Kill a Mockingbird” that Son’s teacher didn’t get to, so on long trips we listen (how could they run out of time for the best novel ever written?)

Then there are a few, “Little Women” and “Tuesdays with Morrie” that call to me again and again. Not very many (“Pride and Prejudice”, too). It was remarkable to read “little Women in my mid-50s compared to my teens.

Sometimes I will re-read something or skim it after seeing the movie if my memory is rusty – Chris Bohjalian’s “Secrets of Eden” is on the list now.
Lear4752

Generally, I don’t re-read books because … as so many others have said … there are so many other books out there to be read. I just wanted to recommend an interesting little book by Anne Fadiman called “Re-Reading”. In it, she has collected 17 essays by various authors on their experience in re-reading something that had meaning to them earlier in life. It is very interesting … and while I’m on the topic, I highly recommend Anne Fadiman’s “Ex-Libris”, fabulously literary short essays on being a book reader and lover in general.

I think I read about books and about reading as much as I actually read books … is anyone else out there like that??
Asa Wilen

Since I work as a childrens librarian, I have to read a lot, and also re-read a lot when Im going to talk about a book to a school class. Fortunately I’m a really fast reader, but unfortunately I don’t remember much of what I’ve read.
But even when I read for pleasure, I like to go back to books I’ve read and enjoyed, for different reasons. To re-live a feeling that the book gave me, to re-visit a different world (like Earth Sea by Leguin), or to meet friends again that I miss.
Since I’m Swedish, I often read translations first, and then try to get the original language for my re-read. That I did with Lord of the Rings and Hunger Games. Finally, if I’m tipped of that theres a really good audio version made of the book, like The Graveyard book (and the two mentioned above) I listen to it as well. That gives me three different experiances of the same book that I wouldn’t want to be without.
http://twitter.com/justinsteiner justinsteiner

I’m a bit behind on listening to the podcast, so forgive my tardiness on this subject. I was curious if Michael rereads comics at all – the format seems to lend itself to rereading since it’s so less time intensive.

As for my own rereading, I don’t do much of it these days – too many new books to read. I do want to get around to reading The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay again. I claim it as my favorite book and it’s also responsible for my renewed dedication to reading lots of books back in 2001.