I apologize for the radio silence. But I haven't been reading much lately and, what I have finished, isn't very blog worthy as I really want to only post positive reviews on here. I have recently bought some new books and I'm hoping they are really going to pull me in and make me want to read constantly.
Due to my recent reading slump I've been thinking a lot about re-reading books. A few books come to mind that I really enjoyed and wouldn't mind diving into again. At the same time I realize that if I re-read a book I know I like I am not using that time to read a new book that I might also enjoy. So it brings up this dilemma for me of whether to re-read books or not. It also brings in the extended issue of keeping books if I'm not going to re-read them.
On the matter of re-reading books or not, I'm not against it. I think it marks a great book if once you finish it you can't stop thinking about it and want to read it again at some point. I have actually re-read quite a few books. But I wonder, as an avid book lover, if re-reading is the best use of my time. I can think of many books in my collection I'd like to re-read either because they were great and I want the experience them again, or I have forgotten some plot points and want to re-engage with the world. In all honestly I could probably go back and re-read most of my books and enjoy doing it. Some I have read so long ago I'm sure it'd be like reading a new book. On the other hand, would simply re-reading the books I have (and I have A LOT) be depriving me of all the other books I haven't read or new books that have yet to come out? I just want to read everything, and obviously it's impossible, but I want to read as much as I can. That's why this question of re-reading books came up for me.
As a book collector, and I'm sure many of you are the same, the thought of downsizing makes me anxious and unsettled. "What?! Get rid of books?!" you exclaim to me. Yes, I've breeched the subject. If I ultimately decided to never re-read a single book again, that I'd only read ones that the stories have yet to cross my brain's threshold, the question would arise of why would I keep the books I've already read. Some, like me, already have many books in their collections they haven't opened yet. Ok, keep those, and donate the rest. Donate the one ones you loved, hated, threw against the wall, and kept you up all night to finish. Now you have the new starting collection. Once you read those that are left, donate those too. Now you can start buying new books you have yet to read and explore. And the cycle goes on and on. Suddenly those full book shelves would be empty and be essentially useless except to harbor useless junk. Having no books on those once blossoming shelves is a sad thought. But if books are never going to get re-read, what's the point in keeping them? Display? A badge of your reading capabilities? My shelves are filled with a little bit of everything and in all honestly probably wouldn't evoke the most stimulating conversation over wine and cheese. But they are still there because they are mine.
In the end of all this thinking I have come to a conclusion. I will not totally give up re-reading books. I think it'd be impossible. Instead I will find a good balance of reading mostly new books with some old favorites thrown in. On the issue of donating books...no way! ;) At least not at this point in life. I did a significant downsize many years ago but of course my collection has grown since then. But right now I'm not ready to part with any of my "friends" who have been there and taken me away to alternate worlds. I love to read and I love my books and that will never change.
