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Halls of the Dark Muse

Old Temptations

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Dark Muse
, 11-02-2009 at 10:54 PM (1589 Views)
I am not usually one to re-read books I have already read, as the way I see it there are just too many things I have not read yet to read over that which I have already read. While I understand the literary value in re-reading, I am more about taking on the next new adventure, than retracing the steps of the adventure already past.

But lately I have found myself inspired to go back to some old works. It had started with my reading of The Gargoyle, a rather interesting book which I quite enjoyed, and Dante's Inferno was like a center piece for that book. It was heavily alluded to and featured, drawn from throughout the story. There is even a sequence when the character has a sort of dream where he himself descends into his own version of Dante's Hell.

So to say the least the reading of the book did put me in the mood for Dante and I was tempted to go back to it, and if that is not bad enough, I could not decide which translation I wanted to read. I have two versions, one which is rather easily accessible, and the other which has much more lyrical prose, and is more elegant to read. Well I ended up reading both simultaneously.

Then today I was watching this program on the History Channel called Clash of the Gods, which explores old myths and connects them with real life events which may have inspired the myths and so on, and I just so happened to be watching the episode on Odysseus, which needless to say than made me want to re-read The Odyssey, but I scoured my room, and it seems I no longer possess a copy of it, so I will have to keep an eye out for it when I get the chance.
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Comments

  1. Neo_Sephiroth's Avatar
    Yeah! History Channel! Clash of the Gods!!! Anyway, I re-read books all the time...Just have to find the time.
  2. Henry IX's Avatar
    Your experience is quite other than mine. The first re-reading I remember was of "The Robe" by Lloyd Douglas. I was probably twelve or thirteen years old, and I read it, finished it, turned back to page one and read it again. I probably read it three or four times - I have always been a fast reader - and enjoyed it every time. I have since read, and re-read a number of books, including Shakespeare's historical plays, Thomas Costain's four volumes on the Plantagenets from Henry II to Richard III, Bruce Catton's two trilogies on the American Civil War. One reading I didn't repeat, due to sheer volume, was Alexander Dumas' many novels on French history. So, I find myself in agreement with C. S. Lewis' comment, "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." I would suggest that you wait ten years or so, then re-read a book you remember enjoying. I have found that the experiences of those ten years enhance the pleasure of the re-reading - it is sort of like renewing the acquaintance of an old friend after many years.