There are some fantastic books out there.
Books we talk about.
Recommend to friends.
Books we think about long after we’re done.
But, with more and more books being published each day, time does not afford us the luxury of losing ourselves in many books twice.
So what makes a book worthy of reading twice? How about a movie? What justifies the extra time spent?
I’ve been thinking a ton about this question as I work my way through my reading list for the year (34 books so far; 50 is the goal). Of my list (which you can see here on the sidebar of my personal blog), there is only one book I could justify reading start to finish again.
In some cases, I’ll pick a book up and read a chapter or two again, looking more closely at the writing craft, but the book has to be exceptional for this to happen. Otherwise, I’ll read it, mark it off the list, think about it a bit, and move on.
So what book would I read twice?
And why?
I don’t want to give away any spoilers with this book, so I’ll phrase it as best I can. A book like Life of Pi has secrets. It has a big reveal which is really kept quiet until the end. And once a magnificent “big reveal” is delivered, a reader (like me) wants to go back and reread the entire book from start to finish to look for clues the amazing author has seeded in from page 1.
A movie which does this very same thing?
It’s masterful. Haven’t seen it? Watch it now.
So what about you guys? Can you think of any speculative books which do a great job with “the big reveal”? What books would you read twice, and why?
PJ Hoover does not see dead people.
Parker Peevyhouse
P. J. Hoover
Jo Whittemore
lindajoysingleton
Joni Sensel
kaholt
12 Comments
June 8, 2009 at 3:57 am
I felt totaly and utterly betrayed by the ending of The Life of Pi, and that the author had been manipulating me beyound the acceptable point of authorial manipulation! So I don’t believe the ending
I am still a re-reader, even after blogging has caused the number of new books in my life to multiply like crabgrass in June (I was just out weeding). Some books I re-read because the author is so brilliant that each re-reading I take more from the book (notable example–The King of Attolia, by Megan Whalen Turner, The Dispossesed, by Ursula Le Guin). Some books I re-read for the opposite reason, because they are comforting and I know that nothing bad happens. These are generally books in which a family does exciting things like weed a garden or go to the attic of the new house and find old furniture. I find this very soothing!
But I am a fast reader, so a comfort re-read only takes about 45 minutes.
The crossest I ever got with a friend was when I lent her a paperback (Grass, by Sherri Tepper–very good speculative fiction, by the way) to read on a trip, and she left it in her hotel–”I figured you didn’t want it back,” she said cheerfully. GRRRR.
June 8, 2009 at 7:38 am
I’ve heard people either LOVE of HATE Life of Pi, Charlotte. I fall into the love category as it totally worked for me.
And you ARE a fast reader! Wow!
Brilliant authors are certainly worthy of rereads. in many cases, I’ll read chapter one of a book I love over and over. Sometimes the words feel like art.
June 8, 2009 at 6:10 am
By the fourth line of this article I was mulling over what books I have read and re-read, and at the very top of the list: Life of Pi.
Brilliant.
June 8, 2009 at 7:39 am
I totally agree, Euthyphro! I was awed!
June 8, 2009 at 10:21 am
Haven’t read Pi, but I have checked it out from the library!!
I’d say Megan Whalen Turner’s The Thief. I did NOT see that coming.
Hmmm…I can’t think of others, but would love to know what everyone else thinks.
June 8, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I never read The Thief, Beth, but I’ll look into it! I do love a good surprise.
And yes, read Life of Pi!
June 9, 2009 at 4:24 am
Oh yes, do read The Thief! And then the other two books–The Thief is an exciting adventure, that’s very good, but the third book, King of Attolia, is an utter Stunner.
June 9, 2009 at 7:20 am
I’m totally sold, Charlotte! They sound great!
June 8, 2009 at 10:53 am
How interesting–I love the ending of Life of Pi and felt it was fair, but I despised the ending of The Thief because I felt it was UNfair.
In Life of Pi, I don’t think the narrator was concealing things from the reader–but it really depends on how you interpret the ending. In The Thief, our narrator conceals vital information just to later give us a big reveal–not fair!
I usually re-read books when I want to spend time with the characters. I’ve probably read the Harry Potter series a million times because I really enjoy the characters. I also love re-reading The Westing Game, both because the plot is intricate and because the characters are fun to spend time with.
June 8, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Now I really need to read The Thief, Parker!
I love re-reading parts of The Lightning Thief, and may read HP 1 to my kids this summer. It is a fun place to go back and visit!
June 8, 2009 at 7:42 pm
There are great surprises, but then there is what C.S. Lewis called a “quality of surprisingness,” which is even better than the surprise itself. Books like that, I love and re-read. A great book is better each time you read it. If it’s not interesting after you’ve found out what happened, it’s not a good book!
I couldn’t possible generate a list of books I like to re-read, though I’ve read the Potter books more times than any other. I’m trying right now to develop the practice of reading one book and listening to an audiobook. If I can, I’m listening to the audiobook of the last book I read (if it was a good one), to give me a second experience of it, while reading a book I haven’t read before.
June 9, 2009 at 7:23 am
So true, Travis. Being able to re-read a book really does show how great it is. Also movies. Some the more I see, the more I appreciate every little aspect of them.
I love audiobooks, but rarely listen to something I’ve already read. It is a totally different experience.