Re-reading a book is always a gamble. Will I enjoy it as much as the first time around? Will I discover new ideas or passages that speak to me now that didn't catch my eye during my first read? Am I bored, and thus curious as to why I initially enjoyed the book? I re-read 7 books in 2024. Some failed to entertain as much as the first time around, but others were just as good as my initial reading.
Riding the White Horse Home by Teresa Jordan (3/5)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (4/5)
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (4/5)
The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama (4/5)
The Hours by Michael Cunningham (4/5)
September by Rosamunde Pilcher (4.5/5)
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron (4/5)
I was just thinking the other day that I'd like a new Gail Tsukiyama book to come out. I don't think I've read her most recent one, yet though.
ReplyDeleteHelen, my mom gave me her copy of The Color of Air, which I hope to read sometime this year. It's not her most recent work, but still fairly new. I see (on your blog) that you've read several of hers. Have you read the Samurai's Garden?
DeleteI have some that are old favorites and worth revisiting. Loved September and the Nora Ephron books. I really need to get on the Pilcher book Winter Solstice while it's actually winter. That's one I have not read.
ReplyDeleteTina, you will love Winter Solstice. It's such a wonderful story!
DeleteI've read September, I Feel Bad, and The Giver. I don't remember much about September because I was a teenager when I read it but I did like the other two. I should re-read some of Pilcher's work sometime. I need to read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. That was a big deal back home because the author got his master's degree from a local college, where my aunt and uncle also went to school. I'm glad that your gamble on these re-reads mostly paid off!
ReplyDeleteJen, September was worth reading a second time, but my favorites are Coming Home and Winter's Solstice. I re-read The Shell Seekers and it didn't live up to my memory of a great novel. Same with Edgar Sawtelle. It was very good, but not a 5-star read the second time around.
DeleteYou know, I've never read The Giver. Folks from my book club recommend it years ago but I have never gotten around to it.
ReplyDeleteTi, it's a fairly quick read. Definitely worth you time!
DeleteI'd like to read The Samurai's Garden sometime. I enjoyed another novel by the author this year. We listened to a fraction of Edgar Sawtelle on our road trip last April but Robert wanted to bail on it and I wasn't really loving it so let it go. Anyways sometimes rereads are worth it -- but I don't reread very often.
ReplyDeleteSusan, The Samurai's Garden is so well-told. It remains my favorite of Tsukiyama's. I get why Robert wanted to bail on Edgar Sawtelle. I think I got engrossed in it the first time around because we just got a new dog that turned out to be my "heart dog." She was such a sweetheart and reminded me of Almondine. But it's such a time investment.
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