revisited

I’ve always been a voracious reader. My mom says it’s because she read to me all the time when I was a baby. I’m sure the fact that I was an only child until the age of 12 also contributed to my love of reading.

Several years ago I read an article that suggested you should re-read a favorite book every few years, especially if you have entered a new stage of life. I thought that was a really good idea. I wondered if I would feel differently about my favorite books when I revisited them.

One of my absolute favorite books is Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth. I first read it as a sophomore in high school completely by chance. We had a LONG list of books we could choose from to read and write a paper on during the summer break. I went to a used book store and went down the list, which was arranged by author. I got to Buck, read the description on the back of The Good Earth, and got it. I didn’t read it again until after college. There were many things that I noticed the second time that I missed the first time. The big one was how many times Buck said “That is what happens when the rich get too rich and the poor get too poor.” (Thank you liberal sociology education!) I have now read that book four times, and the part where Wang Lung takes Olan’s pearls from her still makes me furious.

I’ve read Toni Morrison’s Sula at least three times. I just love her writing style. That book is such a great story about a complicated friendship between two women.

I first read John Steinbeck’s East of Eden three years ago and absolutely loved it, so much so that I read it again earlier this year. I think that Cathy is one of the best written characters ever! She is pure evil.

Do y’all every read books more than once? Do you notice anything new when you do?