I've come to realize that I miss some of my old friends, the ones that I read years ago and have carted from country to country for the last couple of decades, books that catch my eye on my shelves every time I'm looking for a book to read but for which I never reach. With three or four exceptions, I have never been one to read a book more than one time, but that's about to change.I've read eight books so far in 2008 and I doubt that any of them will make my Top 15 list. In fact, at the rate I'm going, I wonder if I will have a 2008 Top 15 Reads because nothing I've read so far has left that kind of impression on me. Perhaps it's me. Sometimes I get into a reading rut for weeks on end where nothing quite does it for me, only to suddenly break out and absolutely love three or four books in a row. (I've also been fighting a bad cold for almost a week and I'm starting to lose the fight, something that hasn't helped much.)
In an attempt to break out of this slump, I'm going to set a new 2008 reading goal for "re-reads," hoping to revisit 10-15 of my all-time favorite books.
I'm starting off with two very different books: Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and Clyde Edgerton's Walking Across Egypt. One is from 1965 and I recognized it as a horrific masterpiece even when I read it as a junior in high school. The other is from 1987 and is one of the few books that made me laugh out loud from start to finish...two books that could hardly be more different.Maybe reading these will give me the jump-start that I need to get back in the groove...
I wanted to reread more books this year as well! Right now, I'm rereading Persuasion and The Golden Compass, and both are just as good as I remember. Good luck with your own rereadings. :D
ReplyDeleteI love to reread my favorite books, but don't give up hope for new books in 2008. It is still only January, remember. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell it is only January. A wee bit early to despair.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed, while keeping a book list these last couple of years, that I don't reread anything. It used to be my favorite thing.
I enjoyed both of these, but while I might want to reread Walking Across Egypt, once was enough I still have basement scenes in my head that are disturbing. :0
ReplyDeleteI don't normally reread books very often. I know I probably should. I love your choices for rereads, though. Clyde Edgerton is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eva...I'm always a little bit afraid of the idea of re-reading old favorites, fearing that they will not strike me as good the second time around and ruin the good memories I have of them.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, it is still early, I agree, but that's eight books down and another five in progress with no "sizzle" yet...starting to wonder if it's just me.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, I think that the mystique of new books is what keeps most of us from going back and re-reading old favorites. I'm trying to control myself a bit more this year. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm almost done with "Walking Across Egypt" again, Jenclair...it's even funnier this time.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Edgerton, Lisa...he's really underrated, IMO.
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