Sadly, I am not a re-reader even though I know rereading is a good thing to do. Rereading is not limited to people who do not understand the text the first time, but that is a perfect time to reread. Books that are written in old English are difficult to read, and those are the only times that I usually reread. Even though I reread passages of difficult books, I still do not deserve the label of a re-reader. This is not speaking from experience, but sometimes a person loves a book so much that they want to read that book again. Reading is like watching a movies for some people. Most people have seen a movie twice, but the field of people that have read the same book twice is much smaller. I can speak to the importance of rereading from the point of view of a re-watcher. I re-watch movies to live in that moment again. When I watch a movie I feel like I am a part of it, and when people read books they probably feel the same way. I have seen some movies dozens of times and catch new easter eggs every time, and teachers often read the same book every year and learn new views every year. There are so many lessons to take from literature, and one cannot learn all of them from one read. Books are references and learning tools, and while I do not do it often enough, rereading is the way to mine into those learning resources.
Thad,
ReplyDeleteI have always been a big believer in rereading. I am one of those people you mentioned who loves a book so much that I feel an overwhelming urge to read it again and again. I can understand why others may dislike this practice-- they dislike reading in the first place, they want to move on to other books rather than focusing on the same one again, etc.-- but I think that the practice can be incredibly beneficial. I have lost count of how many times I have reread the Harry Potter books, and every single time I read them again, I find some new easter egg, as you called them. Even the briefest mention in one book can become a major plot point later in the series, and I love being able to go back and find those as I reread.
Thad,
ReplyDeleteI have never been much of a re-reader myself. It seemed more like a time waste of time rather than a helpful tool.Recently, I have been able to break this bad habit of not re-reading by reading tougher books. It forces me to concentrate on the language and it helps my reading skill. I agree with your statement about re-watching movies. It is easier to re-watch movies because the "easter eggs" are more noticeable and it is less of a time commitment. Re-watching a movie is like riding a roller-coaster, the thrill is quick and short. While, re-reading is like going on an quest. It takes longer to get satisfaction but, it is more of an incredible experience.
Thad - My hope for you is that you will find a book that you love enough to read again, and again.
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