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"Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Administrator
Posted 2014-08-08 3:37 PM (#8280)
Subject: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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"Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge I've been re-reading some old favorite books lately - both in and out of genre.  I've got enormous stacks of new books to read on my desk but I keep reaching for those books that I know will deliver.  It's a comfort thing I suppose.  Life has been kicking me in the kintamas lately and I just want something trusted to lean back on and what's a better distraction than a good book?  I've got plenty of frustrations right now and I just don't want to risk another one with an unknown book.

Of course these re-reads means I'm way behind on my reading challenges.  Which is what I expected from the beginning really because most of my reading time is spent working on WWEnd but I never thought it would get this bad.  So it got me thinking.  What if I made a new challenge that focuses on re-reads that I might actually complete?  I could use a win, even if I have to generate one artificially.

I was all set to make it a private challenge but as I was filling out the form it occurred to me that other folks might like a reason to re-visit some old favorites too.  It's often hard to justify a re-read when those new books are staring at you from the stacks.  Perhaps this challenge can be the excuse they need to indulge in some nostalgic comfort reading?  So I went ahead and made it public and I'm interested to see how many people will join in.

I'm also interested to hear what you all think about re-reading.  Do you ever re-read?  Does it make you feel guilty or like you're wasting time?  Or do you dive into your old faves from time to time just for the pleasure of it?

I picked the Casablanca theme because that's a movie I've watched many many times and will probably watch again this weekend.  Do you see any difference in re-watching a movie and re-reading a book other than the time commitment?

(And yes, I know Rick never actually says "Play it again, Sam." but that's the way it's remembered and quoted and it sounds better.)

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illegible_scribble
Posted 2014-08-09 8:31 AM (#8282 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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When I was much younger I used to do re-reads frequently, for instance, much of Heinlein's work, the PERN novels, the Chronicles of Amber, the Vorkosigan saga, the Company series, etc. But these days, I've realized that there is a LOT of good fiction coming out constantly, and if I do a lot of re-reading, I'm going to miss a lot of new authors and books that I would really enjoy. (It's the same for me with movies; but there are a lot fewer movies than books which I feel compelled to do more than once.)

I will still sometimes do a complete re-read when a new book in a series comes out much later than its predecessors, for example, I did that for the latest Game of Thrones book. But after reading years ago books 1-11 of the Wheel of Time, I waited until the 14th and final book was out to do a complete re-read. Any future GoT books will probably not invoke a re-read; they're good, but they're not good enough to justify a 3rd go-round at the expense of other books. But there will still be an occasional time when I'll do a re-read of a book or series I really loved.

My biggest regret is that there are so many books I loved which I will never be able to read again for the first time -- which is when a book is most magic. 

Ultimately, you are the only person to whom you have to answer. If a re-read is what makes you happy at a given moment, then you should go for it, and not feel guilty about it.

  

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DrNefario
Posted 2014-08-09 9:27 AM (#8283 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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I very rarely reread anything - I have so much new stuff I want to read that reading something I've already read seems like a ludicrous indulgence - but it something I kind of wish I did more of. It's obviously something Jo Walton gets a lot out of,judging by What Makes This Book So Great? and I don't have quite so much faith in the integrity of my memory as I used to have when I was young. There are certainly some classics I regard highly which I feel I ought to reread with older eyes. And I must be keeping all these books for a reason.

I will probably be joining you in this challenge, but I want to think about the books I want to read, and check if I still own them, before I commit myself.
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daxxh
Posted 2014-08-09 12:06 PM (#8285 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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I used to reread books a lot when I was a kid as well. I don't do it as much now, since there are so many new books that I want to read. I read Dune as a kid, as a college student and a third time a few years ago. It's still my favorite book. I got a lot more out of it as a college student than I did as a 12 year old. I have been wanting to reread Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand again. I need to reread Cyteen and The Gunslinger again, since it's been so long since I read them and I'd like to read their sequels without feeling lost.

I'll probably join this challenge. Why not? I've already signed up for too many. I am not sure that I will finish them all. I keep signing up for them or making a new challenge to fit the books I want to read. This one will justify rereading Delaney when I have so many other unread books to read.
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Rhondak101
Posted 2014-08-12 1:24 PM (#8290 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Dave, I can't even count the times that I've re-read The Left Hand of Darkness, Frankenstein and Dracula! Surprisingly, I reread mysteries more often than I do F&SF. I never remember "whodidit" so it is like a new book for me. A few years ago I reread all the Agatha Christie books that I own (which is most of them). Right now, I'm having a real nostalgic moment and rereading Hardy Boys books from my preteen years. It is really getting in the way of my challenges! And these last sentences probably explain why I will not be joining this challenge, but it is a lot of fun to see a book from older, and we hope wiser, eyes.
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spoltz
Posted 2014-08-13 10:57 AM (#8307 - in reply to #8290)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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I think I'm going to join this challenge. In my personal challenge to read all the Hugo winners, there were 5 I had already read (over the past 30 years) and wasn't planning on rereading until I started writing reviews. Then getting involved with all the WWEnd challenges, I wasn't sure when I'd get around to reading them. I was thinking of creating a personal challenge for these books, but now with Dave's challenge, I can be part of public one.

I generally don't reread books because I'm a slow reader and there's so many books I haven't read. Before 2006, the only books I'd reread were Tolkien's. In 2006, I reread two Salinger books because I got a set of all his works and read them all. Then right before I started reading all the Hugos, I reread Left Hand of Darkness, Lord of Light, Canticle for Leibowitz, and Pern, for several reasons: because I loved them so much, because I got cheap used copies, and because I had nothing else to do while recovering from back and anxiety problems. Then on a trip to Powell's Used Books, I found their Hugo winner display and became obsessed with the Hugos, and then I discovered WWEnd through jfrantz's Hugo Endurance Challenge blog, and well, the rest is history.

As for general feelings about rereading, I generally couldn't understand people who read books over and over. For most of my adult life, I barely read 10 books a year, and had a huge TBR pile, so rereading seemed like a waste of time. Then I met my partner who was one of those people with books crumbling from so much handling. And his mom is one of those annual LOTR readers. I softened up when I reread Salinger, Left Hand, etc, because I realized I got to experience them with a different life perspective, and rediscovered why I loved them to begin with.

So the books I'll be rereading are Dune, American Gods, Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, and Goblet of Fire (which may mean I'll reread the whole Potter series). I might reread Simak's "A Choice of Gods" because I never got around to writing a review for it. It's the only book from all my challenges this year that I haven't reviewed.

Thanks, Dave, for creating this challenge! I'm glad you made it a year long.
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DrNefario
Posted 2014-08-14 7:48 AM (#8315 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Dune is one I'd like to reread, but I have never owned a copy. I borrowed it from a friend when I originally read it, mumble-mumble years ago, and have never picked up a copy of my own.

The same is also true, it seems, of Gateway, another book I remember very fondly but don't appear to own.

And where's my copy of Hitchhiker's gone? That one was definitely mine. Either I lent it out and never got it back, or my brother claimed it.

I might have to sit this one out for now. If there's one principle I am trying to observe, it's reading books I already own, instead of perpetually buying new ones. (In fact, my challenge for this year was merely to gain less than twice the number of books I read - just to slow down the rate of growth - and I'm not even achieving that, but that is only counting unread books, and a reread wouldn't count against me.)
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Administrator
Posted 2015-05-28 10:34 AM (#10642 - in reply to #8315)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Hey!  Would you look at that?  I actually finished a reading challenge.  I just wrapped up Foundation as my last read it again.

Now, I know that's not a big deal to most of you folks who plow through a stack of books like I plow through a plate of tacos but this is the first one I've ever completed and I'm mildly impressed with myself.  I must say, finishing a challenge is a good feeling - even if it's a small one.  Just let me have my moment.

This is the payoff for getting the reading levels worked out.  At this rate I might just manage to finish up the Space Opera challenge too... 

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spoltz
Posted 2015-05-28 5:56 PM (#10649 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Congrats Dave! I think I'll let you have this one as I'm doing the minimum on most of my variable number challenges ;-)
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Badseedgirl
Posted 2015-05-29 8:59 AM (#10655 - in reply to #10642)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Congrats Dave!

I plan to finish this one in June. i started late so doing a bit of catch-up. I made a serious commitment to finishing all my challenges this year. Last year I failed horribly! I have also chose to do the minimum on some of the challenges, thats why they are there.
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pizzakarin
Posted 2015-05-30 10:59 AM (#10660 - in reply to #10642)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Congratulations! I love the feeling of looking at a challenge page and seeing my books all filled in.
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spoltz
Posted 2015-06-08 11:23 AM (#10741 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Woohoo! Finished, and it also closes out my Hugo challenge I started about 3 years ago. The last 6 books were rereads and were all part of this challenge.
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Badseedgirl
Posted 2015-06-08 12:14 PM (#10744 - in reply to #10741)
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Spoltz! Awesome for you. I hope to finish this month also.
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Administrator
Posted 2015-06-08 12:22 PM (#10746 - in reply to #10741)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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spoltz - 2015-06-08 11:23 AM Woohoo! Finished, and it also closes out my Hugo challenge I started about 3 years ago. The last 6 books were rereads and were all part of this challenge.

Well done, Sir!  I am jealous of the full green Hugo bar in your reading stats.  I'm sure the winner column on the Hugo Award page looks mighty fine all green too.

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justifiedsinner
Posted 2015-06-09 9:04 AM (#10748 - in reply to #8280)
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Welcome to the Hugo club, Steve! What next? Nebulas? Locus SF?
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spoltz
Posted 2015-06-09 10:48 AM (#10749 - in reply to #8280)
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I'm not sure what's next. I was going to do the Nebulas next, and I am on downhill side of both them and the Locus SF. I have my little current little challenge to read all the posthumous works of Tolkien. But there's so many books I have on my TBR pile that are either scattered around all the awards and lists, not on any list, non-genre, or non-fiction. I just simply need to win the lottery so I can devote all my time to reading!
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Badseedgirl
Posted 2015-06-20 10:53 AM (#10834 - in reply to #8280)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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I'm done, I'm done, I'm done! This is my first 2015 completed challenge. The books I read as an older teen have held up pretty well, but some of the ones I read as a "wee sprout" might not have survived the ravages of time. Funny how our memories work!
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Administrator
Posted 2015-06-20 12:09 PM (#10837 - in reply to #10834)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Badseedgirl - 2015-06-20 10:53 AM I'm done, I'm done, I'm done! This is my first 2015 completed challenge. The books I read as an older teen have held up pretty well, but some of the ones I read as a "wee sprout" might not have survived the ravages of time. Funny how our memories work!

Congrats!  There is always that danger with the things we loved from our younger days.  I can't tell you how I regret watching the 20th anniversary edition of Escape from New York.  Loved it when it came out but 20 years later it's nearly unwatchable. I still love it but mostly for nostalgic value now.

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illegible_scribble
Posted 2015-06-21 6:14 AM (#10844 - in reply to #10837)
Subject: Re: "Read it again, Sam." Reading Challenge
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Administrator - 2015-06-20  12:09 PM
I can't tell you how I retreat watching the 20th anniversary edition of Escape from New York. Loved it when it came out but 20 years later it's nearly unwatchable. I still love it but mostly for nostalgic value now.

Oh, yeah, I loved it too -- saw it many times back then. But sadly, the Suck Fairy has visited it hard since then.

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justifiedsinner
Posted 2015-11-21 11:00 AM (#11873 - in reply to #10837)
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Still not as bad as "Escape from LA".
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