This Tuesday The Broke and the Bookish are discussing books they would like to reread. There are certain books, such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, that I like to read over and over again because I enjoy the familiarity of the storyline, setting and characters. It’s also interesting to experience books at a different age and stage in your life. My younger self had very different feelings towards Pride and Prejudice compared to myself as a twenty-something.

Here are some books that I have only read once and would like to pick up again sometime…

I Capture the Castle – Dodie Smith

“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink” is the memorable first line that delighted me so much as a young teenager, I wonder whether it would capture my imagination in the same way now.

The Mosquito Coast – Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux’s gripping novel is fascinating and dark. As a teenager I was mesmerized with the exotic setting, the adventure and the mounting sense of horror. The Mosquito Coast made a lasting impression on me and I’d be interested to see how I feel about it now.

The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins

I recently reread The Moonstone and feel it’s about time to pick up Collins’ other mystery novel again. It’s just the sort of book I feel in the mood for when the days are dark and short.

A Room with a View – E. M. Forster

I thoroughly enjoyed A Room with a View when I first read it as a new au-pair in Italy. I have since travelled around much of Italy and am always looking for ways to get back there (whether physically or through reading). I’d like to reread this, but perhaps first I should read some of E. M. Forster’s other books…

The Secret History – Donna Tartt

I first discovered Donna Tartt with The Little Friend, which I fell in love with immediately. I found The Secret History harder to get to the bottom of but think I would appreciate the novel more now. I’m even more eager to reread it after finishing The Goldfinch – which I also fell in love with!

Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell

I only read Gone with the Wind five years ago, but was so captivated by Scarlett O’Hara’s character that I’d be happy to read it all over again. It’s such a large book – perfect for a long weekend reading session.

Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thakery

I would like to reread Vanity Fair mostly for the same reasons as Gone with the Wind – I found Becky Sharp a fascinating character and would like to see how I feel about her on a second reading 10 years later.

Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides

Another sizeable book that I’d like to get into again. Middlesex came as a pleasant surprise for me when I was younger. It’s such a thorough book with so many themes to consider; gender identity, incest, racism, ethnic identity… There’s a lot to take in and a lot to think about, it definitely deserves a reread!

Junk – Melvin Burgess

Junk is an important book for me because it’s the first I read that addressed real-life issues. It wasn’t patronising in the way that teachers could be when speaking about drugs. It was a turning point in my reading life. I’d quite like to read it again, just for the sake of nostalgia.

Down and Out in Paris and London – George Orwell

I thought this was such a cool book when I read it – a rich man roughing it for a year in Paris. It seemed kind of romantic. Of course the reality wasn’t anything of the sort. I’ve forgotten many of the details of Orwell’s time in Paris and London and would like to jog my memory.

Do you think life is too short to reread a book? Or do you have old favourites that you return to from time to time? What’s next on your reread list?

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