Read little, re-read often.

[thecreature]

Something Borges said.

Does anybody here follow this philosophy? Do you find it particularly beneficial?

[L.M. The Third]

I would say that if a book is worth reading, than it is worth rereading. I seldom know and appreciate a book well enough until I have reread it.
But that it no way means that one should not read widely. Reading is like taking in nourishment. A reading diet of only a few books could easily leave one undernourished.

[stlukesguild]

If Borges' did indeed say as much (which certainly would not be unlike Borges) his "little" is still rather more than what most readers would imagine as "little"... relatively speaking.

Having said this... reading a work repeatedly that you find particularly powerful or influential surely has its value. You may find yourself recognizing much that you missed in an earlier reading... recognizing formal structures... formal abstract compositional elements... and other elements that you may not have focused so strongly on in an earlier/first reading. Borges might also be pleased in that he is one of those whom I have chosen to read again and again.
There is also the reality, noted by Borges, that every book rewards repeated readings for the simple reason that we change. What we glean from Hamlet or Dante's Comedia or Blakes' Songs of Innocence and Experience at age 20 is not the same as what we find at 40... or 75.

Seriously, I see nothing different about returning to a favorite book or poem just as I return again and again to a favorite song, symphony, or painting.

[Silas Thorne]

There's a saying in Chinese: 'shu du bai bian, qi yi zi jian' (reading a book numerous times, its significance/worth will naturally become apparent). Yes, I think it's really worthwhile to keep coming back to things that you feel are significant to you, that you can still enjoy with each new reading/listening/viewing etc, and that you still feel you can learn something from.
Yes, I agree fully with what I feel is the intent of this statement. I feel skim-reading a thousand books is not worth reading a few 'good books' well. I agree with stlukesguild,yes, it needn't only be written media.

[L.M. The Third]

I really like the comparison of books to music. One might be struck by the beauty or complexity of a certain piece on first hearing it, but when can one ever say of Bach, for example, "I've heard the Brandenburg Concertos once, and now know them perfectly and can move on"?

[thecreature]

If Borges' did indeed say as much (which certainly would not be unlike Borges) his "little" is still rather more than what most readers would imagine as "little"... relatively speaking.

Certainly. He was an encyclopedia of various literature, philosophy, and religion. Very well-read man. I found this quote in a book called Borges At Eighty: Conversations, which comes highly recommended if you're a fan. He was asked what books were currently his favorites and he answered that in his old age his favorites then were still his favorites from youth: The Bible, Stevenson, Cervantes, The Arabian Nights. He then went on to say that he read little and re-read often.

It seemed like it had been more beneficial for him to create a manageable little pool to choose from and perhaps experience more wholly than constantly searching for new material. He also noted that as he got older and his blindness got worse that he stayed away from most contemporary literature. That might have contributed to why he felt he wasn't reading as much as he could.


Seriously, I see nothing different about returning to a favorite book or poem just as I return again and again to a favorite song, symphony, or painting.

I agree. As a film fan in particular, revisiting art is just a part of the way I experience it. Most things, in order to be fully appreciated, require multiple observations. The mind is too faulty and forgets too often for this not to be the case.

[Ghuyuran]

Although this is not exactly what Borges said, I keep coming back on this idea of passionate reading. I have a few good friends who live together, play music and who reading is an exception. When they do read however, they are utterly amazed by what is on the page and will think about the book for days. They will come up with a brand-new perspective, one that is intertwined with their life's experience.

I find this truly amazing and it is something some people lose by reading too much and going from book to book without considering what they read.

[thecreature]

I find this truly amazing and it is something some people lose by reading too much and going from book to book without considering what they read.

That is inspiring. I'm actually in a similar situation where I live with artists and musicians who don't read all that often, but do aspire to change that (I think some people are confused about literature in general due to the distorted and materialistic aims of most high school English classes...they don't understand why they should read something and they havent really developed their own taste or preference). I prefer to discuss the things I've read with people so as to get a better understanding myself. Usually other people can offer their insight and you end up learning even more. I'll show people passages that I think are stunning or funny or profound. Some people are very unsure of their reading, I think, and so they put up a wall whereas reading can actually be fairly interactive between more than one person. I think literature is something to be absorbed, discussed, and reflected on. Though there are many people who prefer to read for the moment and don't care to glean any insight. I believe there was a thread about this at some point when I was a lurker.