Agonies of a Bookman: 2nd Entry

It's weird to me when people say they like to read but never re-read the same book again because they know the ending. Maybe "like" is right word. To me, if you love something you'll find yourself returning to it at some point. You don't dabble when you feel passion.There are some books out there that are worth re-reading. Some books have several layers and so many details and nuances that multiple readings can be rewarding. With some books, there are so many twists in the plot that you might forget most of the story after you're finished. It happens to me with mysteries, particularly John Dickson Carr whose murders are impossible for me to unravel because I forget the cast of characters almost as often as I forget their alibis.

I listen to while I work. Yes, I count them as reading. They are books you listen to and whether you absorb a story with your eyes or ears it counts in my book as reading. Some books I actually comprehend better by listening to them. That's beside the topic of this article. A good portion of those books are re-reads. Probably the biggest dilemma, for a book lover who buys too much and reads too slowly, is deciding whether to read a new book or re-read an old one.

For me, I don't often re-read books but the rewards are manifold. The beauty of a well-written phrase. The comfort and joy of revisiting a satisfying story. The cathartic moment when you read a passage and wonder if the author had read your thoughts but expressed them in a way you couldn't have. Especially if that passage didn't hit you as hard the first time you read it years beforehand. It's not only excitement or escape that we seek, we also want understanding and sometimes the best means for that come from well-articulated ideas from a good writer.

After 19 years, I re-read Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, enriching myself in the process. After 4, I re-read The Burning Court by John Dickson Carr. After 19 years, I also re-read The Dead Zone by Stephen King ( along with It, Pet Sematary, and Misery). After 23 years, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. I don't begrudge the time spent on them because I love a good story. Much like a hobbit, I love stories more than good food and that's saying something. It's been a crazy year, so I couldn't think of a better Christmas present to give myself than re-reading Tolkien's Lord of the Rings for the first time in 15 years. There is so much detail that Tolkien gives of Middle-Earth's history and denizens that it takes several readings to appreciate the book. After 23 years of being a Tolkien fan, this has been the best and clearest reading yet. In a year when nourishment is more important than ever, re-reading old favorites is a form of therapy. Pick up an old book you like and give it a whirl.

Written by Nicholas Montelongo