A Thursday Thirteen

I never really think of myself as much of a rereader, but when I saw Heather's recent list I thought there might be more books that I would reread than I had thought.  Indeed there are quite a few that I have read more than once, and there are even more that I would love to read once again!  Here is my abbreviated list, though with more thought I could easily add to it! 

1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen--I have read this once twice and seen the various film adaptations about a hundred times (no kidding).  I would like to read it again and all of Austen's other books in 2007!
2. Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood--Nothing like a good dystopian tale.  I have read this one several times--yet another sort of story I find myself wanting to read.  This is very creepy, but I am drawn to it again and again!
3. Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood--I have read this at least twice and had I had time I would have read it again for the Reading Matters recent book club read.  Margaret Atwood is one of the few authors where I have not only read a lot of her work, but I have also reread it and would like to read and reread more!
4. Chocolat, Joanne Harris--I cannot get enough of this book.  This is another one I could happily read once a year!
5. Learning to Swim, Clare Chambers--I love Clare Chambers.  I have only read this one once, but I have every intention of reading it again.  I think she has a new book coming out next year, too...
6. The Awakening, Kate Chopin--I read this earlier this year for the first time and want to read it again!  It was lovely and sad, and so well done!
7. Bronze Horseman, Paullina Simons--I have read this book several times (a war/love story!), and will likely read it and the sequel again.
8. Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, Marian Keyes--Totally chicklit, but entertaining chicklit.  I think this is my favorite Marian Keyes novel.  I read a bunch of her books a few years ago, but I really haven't read anything recently. I would happily reread this again--a nice, fluffy romance-y book.
9. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins--I love-love-love Wilkie Collins and have to read this again--though I have a couple of his other books lined up to read next year as well.
10. 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff--I thoroghly enjoyed Helene Hanff's books years ago, and I have been thinking lately that I need to reread this and the others soon--especially Q's Legacy!
11. Possession, A.S. Byatt--I have been in the mood to read this again for a long time--it is just a matter of fitting it in!
12. The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton--I loved this the first time around.  I have been in the mood for a Wharton binge all year!
13. Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres--For a long time this was my very favorite book--I still love it!  I have read it several times.

I could have easily went on...I was looking though the little book where I write down what I have read and found so many (and didn't even look through all the pages) books I would love to read again.  Really I think you could have a staple library with say 100 books, and if you chose really well they would be books you loved and could read and reread again and again.  Not that that will ever happen with me as I need a little infusion of new blood every now and again.  I definitely need to fit in a few of these next year as well as all the new stuff...

Later today we are off to my sister's house for the traditional turkey dinner.  I will get to see her sweet new little kitten and just hang with my family in general.  To those readers who celebrate the day:

Happy Thanksgiving!!  ....and hope you get in a little reading as well...

Comments

[Brandon]

I'm not sure if I could pick thirteen books to re-read. Interestingly enough, I don't normally re-read literary novels. I like to re-read some of my favorite pop fiction books, especially Michael Crichton's "Rising Sun." I could also re-read all of the Harry Potter books and "The Chronicles of Narnia." Okay, so maybe there are thirteen books I could re-read. But I tend to lean towards the books that have kept me occupied for hours, rather than ones with "important messages" or "universal themes."

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Danielle]

Brandon--I didn't think I reread that much either, but when I started looking at my shelves I was surprised to find so many! I don't reread a lot of classics, but there are a few I would like to--and Jane Austen is so witty I just love reading P&P! Some of my favorite rereads are sort of fluffy books--like the Marian Keyes--just pure entertainment! I think I will eventually reread the Harry Potter books, too!!

[Victoria]

Ooh a lot of my own re-reads are on there - P&P, Possession (love, love, love it!), Handmaid's Tale and Alias Grace. And there are two books (the Clare Chambers and Helene Hanff) that I've added to my wishlist. :-) Why do you always do that to me?! As if my list needed to be longer... ;-)

[Matt]

I just received 84 Charing Cross Road in the package.

I make it a habit to re-read most of the Russian literature titles. I re-read Master and Margarita, but a different translation, this year.

I also did Crime and Punishment back in summer.

Now that I have some new favorite writers, I'll have to come up with a more systematic way to approach re-reads. Maybe one every month?

[Dorothy W.]

Great idea -- maybe I'll have to do my own list of 13 re-readable books one of these days. I've got a hankering to re-read Possession, and Wilkie Collins, and Jane Austen is always a re-reading possibility.

[Kailana]

You know that there are two sequels to The Bronze Horseman, right? You only say one. It is not available in the U.S., but you can get it in the U.K. And, maybe you know, but if you don't, it is called The Summer Garden.

[Danielle]

Victoria--I am always happy to enable another reader! Helene Hanff's books are really wonderful--you have to look for them! She kept up a correspondence with a British fellow who worked in a bookstore (you guessed it--84 Charing Cross) during WWII.
Matt--Enjoy the Hanff--talking about her makes me want to pull out her books again and reread them now! I really haven't done any rereading this year (too many diversions--books found on other blogs!), but I hope to reread several next year!
Dorothy--I have been wanting to read Possession again for a while, but I haven't made any time. I'd love to see your list.
Kailana--Have you read the third book? I knew that there was one out, but I want to wait until it comes out in paper. I really loved the first book, liked the second--now I am afraid to read the third almost. Will it be as good as the first two? I have a feeling that the third is more about their son?

[adrienne]

See... I would do this, too, but I am thinking of doing a rereading resolution for the new year. I think I'll wait and post a list later. Good list, though.

[Krakovianka/Karen]

I love to reread. I can't imagine not reading favorites over again. In fact, if you don't reread them, what is the point of owning books at all? Why keep shelves full of books you've read if you aren't going to read them again? That's a serious question--I'd like to understand.

I do live in a foreign country, so I don't have access to an endless supply of new books, but I've always been a rereader. Good thing for me!

[Kailana]

Danielle - I haven't read, but Marg from Reading Adventures did. She said that it was almost as good as the first two, but there was something minor that prevented it getting a 4.5. I own a copy, though, and my copy is in paperback. Are you sure it isn't out in paperback yet? All I know is that I still can't buy it in Canada, my copy came from Australia. Here's Marg's Review: http://readingadventures.blogspot.com/2006/01/summer-garden-by-paullina-simons.html

[Carl V.]

One of the reasons I honestly don't get more "reading" done is that I frequently reread books. Bram Stoker, Harry Harrison, Neil Gaiman...between the three of them much of my reading time is taken up with time enjoying their works again and again. Having almost finished Tolkien I am thinking that his books may be frequent rereads as well.

[Danielle]

Adrienne--I have several I am hoping to reread next year! The problem is always all the new books demanding attention!
Karen--I try to go through my books occasionally and "weed" out the books that I am not likely to read again. It is nice having a core set of books that you can always go back to!
Kailana--thanks for the review link. I will have to look again at Amazon. Is yours the paperback that is sort of oversized (that's how my two copies of her esrlier books are)? I'm glad to hear it was nearly as good as the first two!
Carl--I think I used to do much more rereading than lately. I have been tempted by so many new books this year, I haven't had much time to squeeze them in. It is always good to have a few books, though, that you could read and read over and over again!

[Kailana]

Yep, I have the copy that is very large. :)

[Litlove]

Just such a wonderful list of books! I'd happily reread all of them again myself (although The Handmaid's Tale is high in my TBR pile).

[Marg]

Danielle, The Summer Garden is in Trade Paperback here, but has been recently released in the UK. Not sure if it is in paperback or not there.

It is about to be released in Australia in paperback.

http://www.angusrobertson.com.au/products/detailed.asp?bookid=0007162499&db=au

[cipriano]

You mentioned Margaret Atwood.
I so love her work. I loved Handmaid's Tale, but Alias Grace, even moreso. It remains, my favorite, of her work.
Next Thursday [Nov.30th] she will be at a bookstore here in my city [Ottawa].... her hometown, and I am thinking of skipping work that day, to go see her, again! I've met her [twice] at other events, and she is so gracious and wise, eloquent and lovely.
Such a great author.
A Canadian treasure.
Always nice to read you, Amelia.
-- Cip

[cipriano]

Danielle.
I'm sorry. I had called you Amelia, in my comment.
I was born in December, honest to God, but IN a snowbank.
And when removed from there, I was promptly DROPPED!
And when born, the doctor slapped me and said, "Don't you ever go in there, again!'
I'm still getting over the trauma of that.
I am sorry, DANIELLE!
I dangled my modifier! I misplaced my moniker. Please write to my own blog, and in the spirit of Herman Melville, "Call me Ishmael."
-- Cip

[Marg]

Cip may have had too much coffee, or maybe it isn't enough! One way or the other! LOL!!

[Danielle]

Kailana and Marg--I need to buy her third book if it is the trade size--thanks for the heads up!!
Litlove--I think the Handmaid's Tale was the first book I read by her and I have read it a number of times since.
Cip--You definitely need to go see her again--I will live the experience vicariously through you! :) She is an excellent author and I need to read some of her new stuff (just acquired The Penelopiad and her short stories are on my wishlist!). And no problem about the name. More than once I have left a comment on someone's blog without rereading what I wrote and posting it, only to discover that I completely misspelled something or the post didn't make sense. I wish you could go back and fix these things. No worries!