Aging and re-reading

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Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
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sweden
I love to re-read books! It is a question of what mood you're in. Sometimes, when you're going on a trip, you want to visit a new place and other times you go to place where you been before. You know what it looks and how the people there act but they were nice people and places so you visit them again. It is exactly the same thing with books. For me at least. I have read IT at least 7 times and i will be reading it again. Lord of the rings and several other books and authors i also revisit regularly if not as frequent as i do with IT. If a book is really good there is no way i'm only gonna read it once. One exception and that is Pet Cemetary. I've only read that one once but i'm still scared and it must be at least 20 since i read it. One day i will pick up my courage and read it again. I have found that you often find things that you missed the first when you read a book the second time. Nuances, phrases, that you didn't quite get the first time come out so much clearer. But thats me. I've friends that never reread a book and i often wonder: Do they really know what they are missing?
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
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Hello Kurben, I have some friends, well acquaintances, who have never read one book. It's good to reread a book if it was like 20 years ago that you read it last. I reread Pet Sematary about 4 years ago, and I'm going to reread It next month. Mark.
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
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17,479
I can't see your'e post, Neesy, but it's true; sometimes it's good to read an old book, even though you know the story. I reread Sematary 4 years ago( I had to look it up; I thought it was only two years ago), and I guarantee that the first 100 or so pages of that book have something weird going on there; for instance, the car crash and when they bring the guy into the campus, I can picture that exactly. I've been reading my TPB's of Doctor Strange and I was wondering who you think would win between Strange and say, Flagg?
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
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239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I can't see your'e post, Neesy, but it's true; sometimes it's good to read an old book, even though you know the story. I reread Sematary 4 years ago( I had to look it up; I thought it was only two years ago), and I guarantee that the first 100 or so pages of that book have something weird going on there; for instance, the car crash and when they bring the guy into the campus, I can picture that exactly. I've been reading my TPB's of Doctor Strange and I was wondering who you think would win between Strange and say, Flagg?

Doctor Strange? I am not familiar with this and actually I do not know what TPB means either. I went back to find that post that you said you could not see. Weirdly enough I was just commenting on someone having Scottish roots (GNTLGNT).



I actually just started book two of the Dark Tower series (the Drawing of the Three) - it is very good - so much better than the first book - I found Gunslinger a bit of a slog actually but I did enjoy The Wind Through the Keyhole
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
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17,479
Doctor Strange? I am not familiar with this and actually I do not know what TPB means either. I went back to find that post that you said you could not see. Weirdly enough I was just commenting on someone having Scottish roots (GNTLGNT).



I actually just started book two of the Dark Tower series (the Drawing of the Three) - it is very good - so much better than the first book - I found Gunslinger a bit of a slog actually but I did enjoy The Wind Through the Keyhole
TPB-Trade Paperback-Term for putting comics into a bunch, and usually in black and white. My 4 volumes of Doctor Strange run from the beginning too about 1982. The best is when Strange meets the Silver Dagger. Doctor Stephen Strange also met Dracula, and he used the 'burns' on Dracula, not the all seeing eye of Agamotto.
 

Blake

Deleted User
Feb 18, 2013
4,191
17,479
Doctor Strange? I am not familiar with this and actually I do not know what TPB means either. I went back to find that post that you said you could not see. Weirdly enough I was just commenting on someone having Scottish roots (GNTLGNT).



I actually just started book two of the Dark Tower series (the Drawing of the Three) - it is very good - so much better than the first book - I found Gunslinger a bit of a slog actually but I did enjoy The Wind Through the Keyhole
Oh, Neesy, the picture, sometimes I've felt like that in the 80's, with my denim jacket,after a good not out on the piss.MH.
 

raspberry2012

Active Member
Jul 21, 2014
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I'm so glad I found this thread, because I find myself in the same boat. I'm 50, and started reading SK when I was 15, and I always find myself going back to "that well" of his old beloved stuff. I was talking about this in my intro thread in the newbie section. But I did just buy "Cell" on my Nook, and a couple of the other members here have encouraged me to dive into his new stuff (the most recent new book I read was "Desperation", so it's been at least 10 years), so I plan on doing just that. But we are very very fortunate to have such a huge library of King works to pick from.
 

SutterKane

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2014
297
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I've been on a re-reading craze lately. I started with "Firestarter", moved on to "The Dead Zone" and just finished "The Shining". They all held up great. The thing I'm noticing now more then ever is that I'm a much faster reader then I was as a kid. That much should be obvious I guess, but it still sticks out in my mind. It took me between 2 to 3 weeks when I was 12-13 to finish "The Shining". I read it in 3 days this time.

Next up on the Re-Read list is Cujo. It didn't really stand out from the King pack the first time I read it, time it got another day in court.
 

rocker1972

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2014
93
307
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Dublinq
In the early days, I avidly re-read SK's books - I have The Stand, The Shining, Firestarter, Cujo, The Dead Zone etc. all under my belt multiple times.

I am now in my 60s. There are a lot more SK books on my shelves. I want to re-read them all, but I also want to read loads of other stuff too - I have a 1,000-page biography which I am halfway through, one of Joe Hill's books, His Dark Materials, a load of Robert Ludlums, and a mountain of other stuff. Prioritising my reading becomes more important, and re-reading has to take second place to reading new stuff (so hooray for Joyland and Dr Sleep, and roll on Mr Mercedes which will jump the queue).

So just a word to younger members - you are lucky to have such a large body of work before you as you start on making your way through SK's back catalogue - savour your reading and re-reading!
I have so many books to read from Salem's lot to Robert goddard, In Dublin libraries, you are allowed take 12 books out. so you can guess how many I take. Doesn't stop me going to Easons, are er spending 40 euro on books.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Some day, I will re-read Grapes of Wrath. Hated this story. Hated it. Steinbeck's writing is beautiful, but the story of this family? I wanted to stone them with oranges till they were all pulp. I kept hoping the Beverly Hillbilly truck would suddenly veer off a cliff and clunk and thunk it's way down to the bottom of a gorge where it would burst into flames. THE. END.

I was young when I read it. I had no time for their ignorance. I am sure now with many years under my belt, I will be much more sympathetic to their plight. As I have said, though, any poor-ass family who leaves coins on grandpa's eyes in his side-of-the-road ditch grave -- they ALL need to decrease the surplus population.

And again, grandpa didn't need a Love Boat ride across the river Styx anyway. Dog paddle old man. The river is filled with souls, body surf to the other side.

The smartest person in the book? Roseasharn's deadbeat husband who took off! He left family YukYuk early on. Eat My Dust! Which brings us back to the dusty road that opens the story with one lone turtle.

Ka is a Wheel running over the Joads. Thunk thunk, bye Tom; thunk thunk, bye bye ma; group thunk thunk for the rest.
 

rocker1972

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2014
93
307
51
Dublinq
Some day, I will re-read Grapes of Wrath. Hated this story. Hated it. Steinbeck's writing is beautiful, but the story of this family? I wanted to stone them with oranges till they were all pulp. I kept hoping the Beverly Hillbilly truck would suddenly veer off a cliff and clunk and thunk it's way down to the bottom of a gorge where it would burst into flames. THE. END.

I was young when I read it. I had no time for their ignorance. I am sure now with many years under my belt, I will be much more sympathetic to their plight. As I have said, though, any poor-ass family who leaves coins on grandpa's eyes in his side-of-the-road ditch grave -- they ALL need to decrease the surplus population.

And again, grandpa didn't need a Love Boat ride across the river Styx anyway. Dog paddle old man. The river is filled with souls, body surf to the other side.

The smartest person in the book? Roseasharn's deadbeat husband who took off! He left family YukYuk early on. Eat My Dust! Which brings us back to the dusty road that opens the story with one lone turtle.

Ka is a Wheel running over the Joads. Thunk thunk, bye Tom; thunk thunk, bye bye ma; group thunk thunk for the rest.
Have you read "of mice and men", saw the film but never read the book. I think it is by steinbeck
 

Neil W

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2008
1,203
2,592
Isle of Wight UK
Some day, I will re-read Grapes of Wrath. Hated this story. Hated it. Steinbeck's writing is beautiful, but the story of this family? I wanted to stone them with oranges till they were all pulp. I kept hoping the Beverly Hillbilly truck would suddenly veer off a cliff and clunk and thunk it's way down to the bottom of a gorge where it would burst into flames. THE. END.

I would never re-read a book which I didn't like first time round. Time wasted, I still have too many other books to read.
 

FindingGila

Member
Aug 30, 2014
6
38
50
Last summer I slowly read Under The Dome @ 20 pages a day. And I totally enjoyed the experience.

Now, when I'm waiting to start a new book, I pull out Under The Dome. Not because I'm curious of the ending anymore, but simply because I enjoy reading SK's writing style, as each and every chapter stands up on it's own.
 

Rrty

Well-Known Member
Jun 4, 2007
1,394
4,588
On the subject of King rewriting his books...you know, that's a fascinating idea. Hollywood remakes movies...why can't books be remade?

Here's the business model: Stephen King has another writer rewrite, say, "Carrie." The writer knows the basic tale, just writes the book again. King collects the bulk of the royalties, the books are reintroduced to the public, etc.

As crass as that may sound, think of this: King could actually help out writers he likes. Imagine a lot of writers who have slogged it out in the magazine markets and mid-list shelves...think of, as an example, the usual suspects of Cemetery Dance. Perhaps King picks some of them to rewrite a select few. Maybe someone like Brian Freeman tackles "Cujo." Bev Vincent writes a new version of "Thinner." Think of how these great tales could be updated with technologies of today taking the plots in obligatory new directions (imagine "'Salem's Lot" in the era of Facebook and the iPad).

Thoughts on such a thought experiment...?
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
On the subject of King rewriting his books...you know, that's a fascinating idea. Hollywood remakes movies...why can't books be remade?

Here's the business model: Stephen King has another writer rewrite, say, "Carrie." The writer knows the basic tale, just writes the book again. King collects the bulk of the royalties, the books are reintroduced to the public, etc.

As crass as that may sound, think of this: King could actually help out writers he likes. Imagine a lot of writers who have slogged it out in the magazine markets and mid-list shelves...think of, as an example, the usual suspects of Cemetery Dance. Perhaps King picks some of them to rewrite a select few. Maybe someone like Brian Freeman tackles "Cujo." Bev Vincent writes a new version of "Thinner." Think of how these great tales could be updated with technologies of today taking the plots in obligatory new directions (imagine "'Salem's Lot" in the era of Facebook and the iPad).

Thoughts on such a thought experiment...?
I think Stephen appreciates the originality in stories, I'm pretty sure this concept would probably make his toes curl... :biggrin2:
 

Kati33

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2013
198
830
Kansas
I find that listening to audiobooks while commuting are an excellent way to re-read favorite King books! You can relax and let the narrator just carry you away. Time slips away and your eyes don't get tired like when you're reading a paper book! The only problem is stopping listening once you've arrived at your destination!

This is how I've been doing a lot of re-reading as well. And I've been known to drive around the block a couple of extra times as needed... On my short list of re-reads are Cell, Lisey's Story and Pet Sematary. Hubby is one of those who doesn't re-read and doesn't understand why I do.