Aging and re-reading

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

Van Blaricum

Deleted User
Oct 28, 2014
320
1,830
I have read some books so long ago, that all I remember about them is my affection for them. I also have a memory problem, which allows me to re-read books more than once and still enjoy them.

I find that a book is an index full of thought provoking themes and as my own mental index changes so does the depth of my thoughts regarding what I am reading and how it makes me feel. A well loved old theme can always elicit a new response. But I only read something two or three times.

I totally want to re-read the Stand again, and if I do it will be my third reading, but a book so chock full of content almost goes to waste if it's just once read.
 

OldDarth

Well-Known Member
Jul 10, 2006
730
2,994
Canada
I agree with Neil - we're roughly the same age too.

Rereading as you get older is harder especially since there seems to be so much more content out there these days.

BTW when I reread The Shining - which I feel is one of King's top books - it was interesting how my tastes had changed. When I read it the first time, way back when, I was totally jazzed by the supernatural elements of the story. This time I was much more engrossed with the characters and their reactions to the supernatural elements and their struggle to stay connected to one another. Almost like reading a different book!
 
Sep 21, 2014
5
34
51
Instead of re-reading King's books, I've found that listening to them on audiobook has been great. My local library tends to have 60 percent of his titles available, including The Dark Tower series. I generally have a rule for myself to actually read King's work first; however, I broke that rule once for Blockade Billy because I wasn't sure if I would be able to appreciate reading a book about baseball. Now I realize I should have stuck with my rule. But listening on audio does give me a completely new perspective of his work, so if you have a long drive, I highly recommend audio.
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
Instead of re-reading King's books, I've found that listening to them on audiobook has been great. My local library tends to have 60 percent of his titles available, including The Dark Tower series. I generally have a rule for myself to actually read King's work first; however, I broke that rule once for Blockade Billy because I wasn't sure if I would be able to appreciate reading a book about baseball. Now I realize I should have stuck with my rule. But listening on audio does give me a completely new perspective of his work, so if you have a long drive, I highly recommend audio.
I love audios, and I especially love the audios that Stephen reads himself!
 

Dana Jean

Dirty Pirate Hooker, The Return
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
53,634
236,697
The High Seas
I find my mind wanders whenever I listen to an audio book. Just can't seem to block out all the other distractions....
It really does take some brain training. I did the same thing and would find I had to rewind to the last place I actively remember being engaged in the story. After you do a few, though, you train your ears to listen and your brain to focus. It really is a nice way to get the story. It is sort of comforting to me, like when my mom used to read to me as a kid, or my teacher's would have story time and we would all sprawl out on the story rug. I would listen with such rapture.
 

Kingfisher

Well-Known Member
Jan 1, 2015
55
275
32
I first read Needful Things when I was very young (around ten) so I took most things at face value.

Reading it later in life I asked myself, how much would I expend for that one thing I really wanted? Is that magical mystery item tangible, could I fall under the charm of the ultimate salesman? Is there a parallel; Have I already given something up for a trinket in gold flecked paint?

I don't have many answers but it made me think.
 

mal

content
Jun 23, 2007
4,714
27,243
61
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
My rule of thumb is a new fiction book, then a new non-fiction book, then a pure pleasure book (which often includes a Stephen King re-read). Lately I've started to check out the graphic novels at my library as I used to read comic books as a kid. They fall under the pure pleasure book category! I am hoping they make an updated graphic novel of Dot, Little Lotta, Baby Huey, and Richie Rich comics I used to read (I think I'm kidding...).
 

MadBoJangles

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2015
255
1,282
43
Rereading as you get older is harder especially since there seems to be so much more content out there these days.

BTW when I reread The Shining - which I feel is one of King's top books - it was interesting how my tastes had changed. When I read it the first time, way back when, I was totally jazzed by the supernatural elements of the story. This time I was much more engrossed with the characters and their reactions to the supernatural elements and their struggle to stay connected to one another. Almost like reading a different book!
I can relate to this post so so much.
I reread The Shining just after I purchased Dr Sleep and my thoughts were practically identical.
I had originally read it about 18 years previous!

My rule of thumb is a new fiction book, then a new non-fiction book, then a pure pleasure book (which often includes a Stephen King re-read). Lately I've started to check out the graphic novels at my library as I used to read comic books as a kid. They fall under the pure pleasure book category! I am hoping they make an updated graphic novel of Dot, Little Lotta, Baby Huey, and Richie Rich comics I used to read (I think I'm kidding...).
I am tempted to get the Hellraiser graphic novel series, just to see how much they added to the lore.
I know Barker was involved with them directly too, hopefully get around to checking them out before Scarlet Gospels lands in May! :)
 

samhain

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2012
307
172
Connecticut
I re-read a lot of SK.....mostly his 70's-80's stuff. I find myself going on SK "binges" after reading a new SK release. It usually lasts 2 or 3 books, then I go on to other stuff until the next new release arrives. I also listen to SK audiobooks on my way to and from work so I'm pretty much involved with various types of SK goodies throughout each year.
 

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
15,210
48,848
Alberta,Canada
I re-read a lot of SK.....mostly his 70's-80's stuff. I find myself going on SK "binges" after reading a new SK release. It usually lasts 2 or 3 books, then I go on to other stuff until the next new release arrives. I also listen to SK audiobooks on my way to and from work so I'm pretty much involved with various types of SK goodies throughout each year.
I do that,too.
 

Aericanwizard

Well-Known Member
Jun 15, 2011
218
306
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
I'll add my voice to the idea of doing re-reads via audiobook. I really enjoy walking, so I often (read always) plug in an audiobook, and go for a walk. For those who are concerned about distractions, this is precisely why I do re-reads. I have my favourite books for re-reads (It, 'Salem's Lot, Duma Key, and Bag of Bones, read by the author, are particular favourites), but I've recently branched out, re-reading Cell, completely re-evaluating it as a novel (I didn't like it too much the first time, but on re-read, I noticed just how strong the starting is, and, after having read I am Legend since the first reading, I see shadows of that work in this one).

I also love to re-watch films, as my perspective is constantly changing; Groundhog Day is a perennial favourite (every February 2nd). Seriously, that is one of the most infinitely re-watchable films out there.
 

Sunlight Gardener

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2013
375
1,273
I re-read ALL my SK books at one point or another. However, usually I have to let 4 or 5 years go by since the original reading. I am always surprised how much I forgot about each book. My favorites I have read several times. If I remember not being crazy about a particular book the first time around, I want to re-read it even MORE, to see how it aged and if I like it better the next time. That happens a lot with me.

Bag of Bones comes to mind. I read it when I was younger and thought, "Eh it wasn't too bad". The next time around and many years down the road it had a much more powerful effect on me. I'd say I have re-read 95% of my SK books and the ones I haven't yet are less than 5 years old.
 

doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
6,946
25,119
65
dublin ireland
I re-read ALL my SK books at one point or another. However, usually I have to let 4 or 5 years go by since the original reading. I am always surprised how much I forgot about each book. My favorites I have read several times. If I remember not being crazy about a particular book the first time around, I want to re-read it even MORE, to see how it aged and if I like it better the next time. That happens a lot with me.

Bag of Bones comes to mind. I read it when I was younger and thought, "Eh it wasn't too bad". The next time around and many years down the road it had a much more powerful effect on me. I'd say I have re-read 95% of my SK books and the ones I haven't yet are less than 5 years old.
Bag of Bones was one book that totally changed for me the second time I read it, too. I got that it was really a straight up ghost story. So the third time it truly scared me.
 

Pucker

We all have it coming, kid
May 9, 2010
2,906
6,242
62
Here's something to think about when you consider aging and re-reading:

Re-reading something after a number of years can be just as fresh as reading something new, as memory is a notorious trickster and it's entirely possible that you -- yourself -- may not be the same person you were (or thought you were) back when you first read it.

I should think that too many books and not enough time might be a pleasant "problem," but it's a funny thing, this business of time.

Our time is limited from the day we are born. Intellectually, we know this, but most of us don't really grasp it until we've already spent far too much of our time. I told a story in here a couple weeks ago about finding a library in a strange town where I was trapped for my summer vacation and how funny my family thought that was. Twelve years old, "wasting" his summer in the library.

Of course, what they didn't know was that I wasn't in the library at all.

I was in Middle Earth . . . or maybe I was on the HMS Bounty, or Pitcairn Island . . . who remembers?

The point is to go wherever you can as often as you can for as long as you can, and if the places you like to go are places you've been before . . . places you trust . . .

Well, what's wrong with that?