How Often Do You Re-Read A Book?

[BoSox]

A lot of contemporary books I don't read twice unless they really moved me a certain way or if I favor the author. Classics I found after a few years (Jane Eyre, Villette, Les Miserables, etc.) I needed to re-read them because I forgot entire sections of the story. As I read I remembered the end mostly but the journey through it was enjoyable. Even more so because my mind wasn't filled with the wandering thoughts about how it was going to end, what happens to the characters, will I like it, etc.

[keilj]

almost never. it can wash out your original impression of the book.

i re-read Of Mice and Men recently - having read it originally about 20 years ago as an adolescent. I didn't gain much at all from re-reading it

I re-read The Eternal Husband by Dostoevsky. it was great again the 2nd time around - but I didn't gain much from the second reading otherwise

those are the only 2 that I have read more than once

[aquarium444]

Short stories that contain a lot of details can easily be read more than once, but novels are a little bit different. I myself would be happy if I could read some of these novels even one time.

[blazeofglory]

I read some books repeatedly. I have read the Metamorphosis several times. The Prophet many times. The Brothers Karamazov a second time

[Drkshadow03]

I try to make sure I re-read at least 4 books per a year. Although, I think I failed at that last year.

[wormofthebooks]

Would you watch a good movie only once? Would you only want to see the Statue of David once? Would you be satisfied with just seeing The Last Supper one time? When you read a book, it kind of hangs around with you after reading it (at least it does me). It's worth it to re-read it every now and then. You pick up on new details that you didnt notice before and sometimes its nice to feel the emotions that you felt before all over again. It's like visiting old friends you haven't seen in a while. They are comforting. Sometimes I need to watch Dagny Taggert try to save her railroad or walk in on Fransisco D'Anconia sitting on the floor like a little boy pouring over sheets of paper spread out, watching him work passionately with his hair carelessly falling into his face. And then sometimes I need to feel the emotional destruction that Raskolikov is experiencing and feel for him, even though I know what is going to happen, I still hold my breath.

[lyni]

I love re-reading my books. I read the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett over and over again. currently I am re-reading a trilogy by Jan Siegel.
I think I have read most of my books at least twice. it just depends on how the mood strikes me.
its not something that you consciously say - 'I must re-read those books'
it just happens.

[Travis_R]

I've read Lolita five times and Slaughterhouse-5 by Vonnegut four times, in a period of about two years. The third reading was probably the best for Lolita, and the second was for Slaughterhouse-5. I just kept reading them because I thought they were brilliant.