Inability to re-read Good Books or What is wrong with Me?

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
I usually reread him with some objective in mind. Say, to learn writing technique. Andy Griffith, who?
OK dude, I like a good laugh as much as anyone, but really?

The man was an icon. Even quit smoking on the show before it was PC to do so. If you have any more remarks as Andy would say "I'm rightchere".

Seriously though have tried different approaches but I read Mr King with the only objective of being entertained. If I had to look for a reason then that would not be fun for me.

Andy Griffith who indeed.
 

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
Howdy! I love to re-read his books. You should try state-dependent reading. Read normally the first time. After time passes, read it while drunk, more time passes then read it while high on the weed, more time passes then back to normal again. Rinse and repeat. ;;D Welcome, mal.
Well I no longer am in any of the states you described. Ever. Birth of my first child did away with all those things. Even the normal part. So...that is not an option. Yeah I know boring life. But on the bright side I remember everything the next day.

Thanks for the welcome and appreciate the effort.
 

doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
6,946
25,119
65
dublin ireland
Welcome. I am a great fan of re reads. Especially of something I really enjoyed. Yeah, nothing is like your first time, but as others have said each time I get a different perspective or pick up nuances I missed before. I read Tommyknockers after a loooong absence and while it's still not one of my favorites I did enjoy the story a lot more than I did the first time.
 

muskrat

Dis-Member
Nov 8, 2010
4,518
19,564
Under your bed
I re-read allatime. King especially. To me it's like listening to yer favorite songs again and again. No one ever asks, Gee, haven't you already heard that Stones album once? But tell em you've read the same book twice and most of em scratch their heads. Whatever, I'll let you get back to yer CSINCIS:SVU reruns.

Tell ya, Mayberry weren't never the same once Barney left.
 

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
I re-read allatime. King especially. To me it's like listening to yer favorite songs again and again. No one ever asks, Gee, haven't you already heard that Stones album once? But tell em you've read the same book twice and most of em scratch their heads. Whatever, I'll let you get back to yer CSINCIS:SVU reruns.

Tell ya, Mayberry weren't never the same once Barney left.
I really think it has to do with the way the content is uploaded into my brain. If it is through the written word the voice or voices are provided by me in a world I imagine with the help of the author (mostly that notorious non-fiction stalwart Mr King-see first post).

From the time I learned to read I could almost always tell you where a certain phrase or idea was located within the book, both approximate page number and actual location on that page. Still can do this to a certain extent. Don't think that is a true photographic memory but it is on the fringe I guess. Whenever I pick up a book I have read before I find myself skipping over things because I "remember" them. It's like I reduce the novel to a CliffsNotes version and like I said not as much fun.

Now as for the Stones albums, I have worn out the grooves in several myself (and I am old not retro-still have an early 80s turntable) but they provide the voices for me. No imagination needed. Just sit back and enjoy.

Don Knotts leaving for Mount Pilot did hurt the show, but Technicolor killed a lot of 1960s TV.

Of course we didn't know it until around 1970 when we got our first color TV. That was around the time my daddy changed my name to "Remote". :laugh:
 

prufrock21

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
2,956
12,657
The Caribbean
OK dude, I like a good laugh as much as anyone, but really?

The man was an icon. Even quit smoking on the show before it was PC to do so. If you have any more remarks as Andy would say "I'm rightchere".

Seriously though have tried different approaches but I read Mr King with the only objective of being entertained. If I had to look for a reason then that would not be fun for me.

Andy Griffith who indeed.
I remember Andy Griffith very well thank you. I also remember his sidekick, Don Nuts. And his aunt, Ain't Buttercup, or something.
 

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
I remember Andy Griffith very well thank you. I also remember his sidekick, Don Nuts. And his aunt, Ain't Buttercup, or something.
Good now we have something in common, other than what seems to be mutual sarcasm.

Just used the show as an example of something I can do again and get similar enjoyment from. The re-read thing does bother me because I really get my "highs" from the ride a new King book takes me on. As stated above it is the only way I have my mind altered now. The 3 or 4 days, depending on work schedule, of reading the new editions go by quickly. Then have to wait until the new one comes out to get same feeling while volumes from 30 years ago gather light dust in bookcase.

Yeah first world problem I know. Ain't hungry, ain't sick, ain't poor. Well ain't the first two anyway.
 

twiggymarie

Daughter of One
Mar 17, 2011
332
1,911
Texas, United States
I devour books like a fat kid devours cake. I have a habit of missing little nuances my first go-around that requires at least two readings to catch most of. In example: reading through The Gunslinger last night, I realized Aileen had been in the story all along, just not overtly so. She was more a footnote I had completely skimmed over, apparently, or perhaps seeing her fleshed out in the graphic novels caused an ah-ha moment or something...:icon_eek:
 

prufrock21

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
2,956
12,657
The Caribbean
Good now we have something in common, other than what seems to be mutual sarcasm.

Just used the show as an example of something I can do again and get similar enjoyment from. The re-read thing does bother me because I really get my "highs" from the ride a new King book takes me on. As stated above it is the only way I have my mind altered now. The 3 or 4 days, depending on work schedule, of reading the new editions go by quickly. Then have to wait until the new one comes out to get same feeling while volumes from 30 years ago gather light dust in bookcase.

Yeah first world problem I know. Ain't hungry, ain't sick, ain't poor. Well ain't the first two anyway.
Know what you got? You got StephenKing-itis. Only way to cure it is with a regular dose of Stephen King fiction. Consider squeezing a lemon, add water, heat until the liquid boils, let set for a while, add sugar then drink it while reading The Stand. Do this regularly until the fever passes. Then you should be good to go. Happy reading. :)
 
Last edited:

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
Know what you got? You got StephenKing-itis. Only way to cure it is with a regular dose of Stephen King fiction. Consider squeezing a lemon, add water, heat until the liquid boils, let set for a while, add sugar then drink it while reading The Stand. Do this regularly until the fever passes. Then you should be good to go. Happy reading. :)

Dude let me get this straight, you want me to take a "home remedy" lemonade concoction and curl up with a book based around an influenza pandemic to cure my StephenKing-itis?

Now that is almost scary enough to work.

Or at least make me think that existentialism stuff I bumped into in college might have some merit.

Nah...I think therefore I am never did it for me.

But that would be ironic wouldn't it? Cure yourself with that book?
 

prufrock21

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
2,956
12,657
The Caribbean
Dude let me get this straight, you want me to take a "home remedy" lemonade concoction and curl up with a book based around an influenza pandemic to cure my StephenKing-itis?

Now that is almost scary enough to work.

Or at least make me think that existentialism stuff I bumped into in college might have some merit.

Nah...I think therefore I am never did it for me.

But that would be ironic wouldn't it? Cure yourself with that book?
Dude let me get this straight, you want me to take a "home remedy" lemonade concoction and curl up with a book based around an influenza pandemic to cure my StephenKing-itis?

Now that is almost scary enough to work.

Or at least make me think that existentialism stuff I bumped into in college might have some merit.

Nah...I think therefore I am never did it for me.

But that would be ironic wouldn't it? Cure yourself with that book?
Yep, only way to cure StephenKing-itis is with a strong dose of Stephen King.
 

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
Yep, only way to cure StephenKing-itis is with a strong dose of Stephen King.
prufrock21 I think you are on the right track with your diagnosis but slightly off with your prescription.

I remembered some of the side effects caused by previous attempts at self medication using almost the exact dosage you describe, minus the boiled lemon concoction.
These included but were not limited to:
Boredom, swelling of the feet and hands, upset stomach, dry mouth, and drowsiness,
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Vision problems
  • Seizures
  • Sweating
  • Aggression
  • Depression
And in one extremely puzzling case, an erection that lasted almost 4 hours?

Only real cure I have found that does the job is a fresh new batch of Stephen King story telling.

Until then I will have to put up with the shakes I guess.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
prufrock21 I think you are on the right track with your diagnosis but slightly off with your prescription.

I remembered some of the side effects caused by previous attempts at self medication using almost the exact dosage you describe, minus the boiled lemon concoction.
These included but were not limited to:
Boredom, swelling of the feet and hands, upset stomach, dry mouth, and drowsiness,
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Vision problems
  • Seizures
  • Sweating
  • Aggression
  • Depression
And in one extremely puzzling case, an erection that lasted almost 4 hours?

Only real cure I have found that does the job is a fresh new batch of Stephen King story telling.

Until then I will have to put up with the shakes I guess.
I hope you sought medical attention immediately. 3 hours and 59 seconds, you are a-okay. 4 hours, DEFc**k Five.
 

prufrock21

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
2,956
12,657
The Caribbean
prufrock21 I think you are on the right track with your diagnosis but slightly off with your prescription.

I remembered some of the side effects caused by previous attempts at self medication using almost the exact dosage you describe, minus the boiled lemon concoction.
These included but were not limited to:
Boredom, swelling of the feet and hands, upset stomach, dry mouth, and drowsiness,
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Vision problems
  • Seizures
  • Sweating
  • Aggression
  • Depression
And in one extremely puzzling case, an erection that lasted almost 4 hours?

Only real cure I have found that does the job is a fresh new batch of Stephen King story telling.

Until then I will have to put up with the shakes I guess.
Apparently yours is a very severe case. Worse case scenario, Mr. King's literary output dwindles to a trickle. Infrequent new fiction. Rare signings. The man becomes practically a recluse. What then,
Dr. Watson?
 

thekidd12

Baseball is a good thing.Always was,always will be
Apr 8, 2016
1,791
11,136
60
NC
Well Sherlock not sure...

Curl into fetal position and suck thumb?

Watch all the sports I can find on idiot box because outcome is not predetermined?

OK got it find black and white TV shows on TVLand because HD color is too vivid and blurs reality.

There better...for a while.
 

Bardo

Well-Known Member
Nov 19, 2011
305
1,408
san diego
OK after looking around on board for a while and even making a few posts, I noticed quite a few people talking about re-reading many of Mr King's books. I have been reading his books since age 16 beginning with a paperback Salem's Lot. He is still the only non-fiction writer I read.

Many times I have tried to re-read one of these without much success. Once I get back into the pages the stories come back too easily without the original suspense or anticipation created the first time I opened it. And this is not a small sample size. Since around 1985 my wife has bought every King book that has come out for me for Christmas or birthday depending on release date.

I don't get it. I can watch an Andy Griffith rerun that I have seen hundreds of times (for those that know the show, only black and white episodes and for those that are too young, Google both Andy Griffith and black and white televisions) and still get the same enjoyment out of it.

Have been married to or courting same woman for 37 years now but if she looked at me with a crooked smile (good luck seeing that) would still have same effect. Even though I know THAT story by heart.

Is it me?

Boy, I'm on the complete opposite, I read them over and over and,,,,,,etc
I just like to hang with my fav characters I guess but it's gotten to a point where ALL my downtime(stop lights, bathroom, lunch breaks) is spent with them which cant be healthy.
Escapism at its finest!
(by the way, on my fourth journey to the Dark Tower with the gang!)