Monday, June 20, 2011

To read again, for the first time.


I was reading back through some of Michelle's latest posts the other day. When I came to this one about The Hunger Games, I felt a twinge of jealousy that she was still making her way through the books. I wish that I could re-read the books, but experience them like it was the first time. I feel this way about lots of books.

I'd love to discover the magical world of Harry Potter again. I'd love to sob through the ending of Bridge to Terabithia again. I would love to get caught up in the world of Henry VIII in The Other Boleyn Girl.  I wish I could re-experience the emotional roller coaster of Memoirs of a Geisha. I know there are more, lots and lots more that I can't remember right now. My favorite type of book is one that creates a world to get lost in. The only problem is that there is no way to do this twice. Entering the world for a second time never has the same effect.

Do you feel his way about any books? Which ones?

6 comments:

Perrin said...

I have been reading for a while but this is my first comment -- (I started following you on twitter via nowahome and I spend over half my time in your current town!) I feel this way about so many books. The most recent book that I have felt that way about was "The History of Love". I was so acutely sad at the end because I knew I would never get to read it again for the first time. I recommend the book to almost anyone I ever talk to about books and then I love to watch them read it for the first time. The second (or 3rd or 45th time) you read a book, you start to anticipate what comes next and it loses the magic of the first reading.

Perrin

Claire {Beaktweets} said...

Thanks for the comment! I love book recommendations, so I'll be sure to check this one out.

Michelle {lovely little things} said...

Thanks for the link up! I feel like that about soo many books. For some reason I'm often drawn to more serious books or books that don't always end in "happily ever after," maybe because they're more honest and you can feel that emotion come through.

These are some of my favorites:
Harry Potter & Hunger Games, The Namesake, Bel Canto, The Glass Castle, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Still Alice, The Fountainhead, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Happy reading!

colleen said...

thought this article was timely for your post today.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304186404576387473220389138.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5

Kristin W said...

I have the worst memory, so I actually don't have too hard of a time re-discovering books. I love getting lost in them...

I have yet to read the Hunger Games series; I'm putting it on my list!

Anonymous said...

I was trying to think of a book to recommend, and I remembered "I Capture the Castle." Such a fun, imaginative, and remarkably old read. Hopefully it's a new recommendation for you.

I haven't read the Hunger Games yet. Perfect for my Kindle reads!

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