Thursday, April 28, 2011

10 Books I Want to Re-Read

Alright, so I saw this post just now by Karen over at Books and Chocolate about ten books she wants to re-read and I just knew I had to post about it over here. It was calling to me!

I feel I never have the time to re-read my faves because I’m just so busy reading all these new books (new being a relative term of course since I’m almost always reading classics). I can’t even remember my last re-read but I’m pretty sure it was a Shakespeare play.

So, if I had my way and never had to work again (let’s go lottery that I never ever play! show me the millions!) and could spend all my time reading and doing whatever I wanted, then I know I could get around to some re-reads. So then, what would be the 10 I would re-read first? Let’s see…

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: Duh, it’s my favorite book people! You knew I was going to say that one.
2. Animal Farm by George Orwell: After reading 1984 for the first time this past year, it’s really made me want to go back and read this one. I first read it when I was in the 8th grade so I don’t really remember it like at all. But I do remember liking it! And I LOVED 1984 so…

3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: This was the only book in high school that I was assigned that I actually read and LOVED. I finished it in two days as I could not put it down. I’d love to see what I’d think of it now that I’m older.

4. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson: I read it when it first came out and loved it. Now that I hear a movie is in the works I’d really like to re-visit it. Also since the first time I read it I wasn’t living in Chicago at the time I think some parts would interest me more now that I am.

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: It was one of my favorite books as a little girl but I haven’t read it since. Why?
6. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding: Now this was a book that I really really didn’t like in high school. I only remember bits and pieces but it sounds like a book that potentially I’d feel very different about now. I’d like to give it another go.

7. Anything by Charles Dickens: I was forced to read a bunch of his stuff in school and I didn’t like any of it. In fact, it felt like torture at the time. However, I’ve heard from so many people that they adore his stuff and I simply must try again. Well one day, I swear, I’ll re-read something of his. One day.

8. Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare: Okay, I’ve read this play probably about a dozen times. But who says I can’t read it at least a dozen more? It’s my favorite of his works!

9. Hiroshima by John Hersey: I remember being really moved by this the first time I read it and I’ve always wanted to pick it up again. It will happen.

10. Macbeth by William Shakespeare: I had to end the list with Shakespeare (and had to put him down twice because he’s THAT awesome). And Macbeth is probably my second favorite play of his, though I still haven’t read them all yet…

What 10 books would you re-read if you had all the time in the world and an empty TBR pile?

10 comments:

Wall-to-wall books said...

Ahhh, this is a good idea!
Maybe I'll do this next week.
I did something fun on my blog you might want to try - come check it out.

Wall-to-wall books said...

And i definitely want to re-read "Little Women"

Red said...

I always re-read books. I know there are a lot of great books out there I haven't made it to, but there are some fantastic ones I know I love that I already own (bonus).

I do say beware reading Catcher again and assuming you'll have the same love teenage you did. I did that and how wrong I was.

llevinso said...

@W2W, I’ll have to check yours out when I get home. I can’t access your blog at work :(

@Red, I do assume I won’t love it the same but I think it’d be interesting to see how my opinion of it has changed.

Laurie said...

So glad that the Bard made your list twice! But good luck with Lord of the Flies: still can't stand it, even as an adult...
And, Red, didn't you just write about Jane Eyre today yourself?
I enjoyed your post - both of you, that is!

sawcat said...

If you reread lord of the flies and have a changed opinion of it, maybe i will too. I felt the same after reading it in school.

I will have to do this when i get home. I love rereading favorite books.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't help but notice that many of the books you've chosen are books you were probably assigned for school...hmmm...contrary to popular belief among students, maybe the high school literature department knows what its doing when choosing books...

Audra said...

I could gladly live without every rereading the classics from high school -- maybe because it was all dead white guys (sadly, I hated Catcher in the Rye!) I'm a big fan of rereading -- if I'm feeling funky I can usually count on a favorite reread to pull me out of it. Daphne duMaurier's Rebecca is one; Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's; Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle; Austen's Persuasion... My list could go on and on, but I'll stop. I'm not sure I could limit myself to ten! ;)

Karen K. said...

I still haven't read Macbeth, though I've read several by Shakespeare and loved them (my favorite is Othello). I did just recently reread Jane Eyre (actually, on audio) and it was just as wonderful. I've never heard of Hiroshima but I have another John Hersey on the TBR shelf, A Bell For Adano, which is one of the books that's been owned-and-unread for the longest. I've probably owned it for 15 or 16 years, I should break down and read it soon!

Anonymous said...

I love this! So I must tell you, when I first read The Catcher in the Rye it actually didn't leave much of an impression on me. I vaguely remembered liking it, although I also remember being told this book would change my life, so when it didn't I kind of shrugged my shoulders and kept it movin' so to speak. I finally reread it this year after 11 years... I did not have the reaction most readers seem to have when they reread it as adults... but I LOVED it. And I actually teared up and cried at a couple of points. I kind of feel like, if you loved it to begin with, you might just want to leave it alone. Sometimes it's dangerous to mess with the ant hill! XD

I'll be swiping this idea for my blog next week. But I'm linking back here :)