# Books You've Re-read **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 11, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624 "2008-08-11T16:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/1 "2008-08-11T16:08:41Z")
Omitting scripture, which books have you re-read? Macbeth by _William Shakespeare_ - \> 4 + untold listening and saw once The Stranger by _Albert Camus_ - \> 3 times The Count of Monte Cristo by _Alexandre Dumas_ - \> 3 times Lord of the Rings trilogy by _J. R. R. Tolkien_ - \> 3 times The Honor Harrington series by _David Weber_ - 2 times Off Armageddon Reef by _David Weber_ - 2 times Next up: Wuthering Heights by _Emily Brontë_ - #2 The Count of Monte Cristo by _Alexandre Dumas_ - yet again ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/2 "2008-08-11T16:10:54Z")
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller - countless times. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/3 "2008-08-11T16:20:46Z")
**Lord of the Rings** – I long ago lost track of how many times. At least 20. \*\* Day of the Jackal\*\* – I love Frederick Forsyth’s plotting and writing. All of C.S. Forester’s **Horatio Hornblower** novels – again, I love the writing **A Connecut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court** – I love Mark Twain, but for some reason this is the only one I’ve re-read multiple times. All of Arthur Conan Doyle’s **Sherlock Holmes** stories and novels Several Heinlein novels, especially **Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers** , and **Expanded Universe**. The Straight Dope collections, and **William Poundstone** ’s “Big Secrets” series And humor books I read and re-read – almost all of Dave Barry’s books, and the James Lileks books, and Tom Weller’s **Science Made Stupid** and **Culture Made Stupid** , and **Bored of the Rings** , and too many others to name. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/4 "2008-08-11T16:22:22Z")
I’d love to re-read more, to really get to know a good book. But I can’t. There are just too many good books I haven’t read even once. I’ve re-read some Stephen King – _Carrie_, _The Stand_, _The Gunslinger_. I re-read _Gardens of the Moon_ by Steven Erikson – not because it was so good (although it was) but because it helped me understand what was going on. I’ve re-read _The Dollmaker_ by Harriett Arnow and will probably read it again. I’ve re-read a lot of Ray Bradbury’s short stories, because I helped proofread the reissue of _Dark Carnival_. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/5 "2008-08-11T16:33:20Z")
John Christopher’s Tripods trilogy, ever since I was about…9 or 10, I think. A number of…um…internet-based short stories and novellas in the style of preexisting intellectual properties. _War of the Worlds_, a couple of times. The _Henry Reed_ and _Mad Scientists Club_ books, also since I was a kid. I forget how many times I’ve read Dante’s Inferno…at least a couple. I’m sure there are others, though I can’t bring any to mind just now. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/6 "2008-08-11T16:36:33Z")
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. A Fool’s Progress. I’ve given away three copies of this and keep getting one for myself. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/7 "2008-08-11T16:40:06Z")
Oh yeah, Eaters of the Dead, the only book by _Michael Crichton_ I’ve re-read. ---
**Author:** ![PaperBlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@PaperBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaperBlob)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/8 "2008-08-11T16:43:35Z")
**Ender’s Game** **Lord of the Rings** Most of Larry Niven’s Known Space stuff - **Neutron Star, Ringworld** books, etc. **The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn** Hey **Ranchoth** , glad to see I’m not the only one who’s read the **Mad Scientists Club** books. I really loved those! ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/9 "2008-08-11T17:01:47Z")
This question comes up on this borad every six months or so. And every time it does I am not the least bit embarrassed to say that I have read the two Alice books (\*\*Alice In Wonderland \*\* and **Alice Through The Looking G\*\*\*\*lass** ) at least once a year and sometimes twice for each of the last 55 years. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/10 "2008-08-11T17:03:30Z")
Ditto **Lord of the Rings** and Sherlock Holmes. Also, all of Terry Pratchett. Others: **Dracula** The **Hitchhiker’s Guide** and Dirk Gently books. I also just re-read **Gone with the Wind** but I have a feeling that will be the last time. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/11 "2008-08-11T17:11:07Z")
Lord of the Rings - because I had read it about 30 years before, and had forgotten it. 2001 a Space Odyssey - at least four of five times. 2010 twice. Childhood’s End several times, and I just reread “The City and the Stars” after Sir Arthur’s death. For the most part, though, 1,000 or more unread books and magazines on my shelves cuts down on the urge to reread. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/12 "2008-08-11T17:12:47Z")
Every book I’ve ever enjoyed. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/13 "2008-08-11T17:15:50Z")
Too many to count. I love re-reading books. I re-read the Anne of Green Gable series at least once a year. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/14 "2008-08-11T17:33:12Z")
All of these twice and will read again: _The Illuminatus! Trilogy_ by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea _The Book of the New Sun_ by Gene Wolfe _The Urth of the New Sun_ by Gene Wolfe _The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant_ by Stephen R. Donaldson _The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenenant_ by Stephen R. Donaldson May not read again: _The Lord of the Rings_ _The Dragonlance Trilogy_ by Weis & Hickman _The Schroedinger’s Cat Trilogy_ by Robert Anton Wilson _Prometheus Rising_ by Robert Anton Wilson Others I plan on re-reading: _Science and Sanity_ by Alfred Korzybski _The Name of the Wind_ by Patrick Rothfuss ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/15 "2008-08-11T17:46:14Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Every book I’ve ever enjoyed. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] Too many to count. I love re-reading books. I re-read the Anne of Green Gable series at least once a year. [/QUOTE] Yep ( well, excluding Anne of Green Gables ;), which I read once, but wasn’t enchanted with - liked the original TV mini-series, though ). I re-read constantly and I doubt I’ve ever enjoyed anything that I didn’t re-read at least once and often many times. It helps that I’m a reasonably fast ( but not speed ) reader. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/16 "2008-08-11T18:02:16Z")
I’ve re-read Gone With the Wind to the point of nearly having it memorized at one time. It’s been a few years now since the last time. I re-read lots of things, so I’ll just say I’ve read these the most: The Chronicles of Narnia The Secret Garden Watership Down Many Stephen King books, especially The Shining and The Stand. (He’s written others that I read once, and once was too much). Jane Eyre The James Herriot books The Haunting of Hill House ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/17 "2008-08-11T18:04:46Z")
By Tolkien: Lord of the Rings & the Hobbit at least 20+ times Silmarillion at least a dozen times. Unfinished Tales at least 4 The rest of Tolkien’s short fiction 3-10 times. Heinlein: I have read everything he wrote through Friday at least twice. “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress” would top this list at about 6 times. Dragon Riders of Pern: First three books and the first three Harper Hall books at least twice. A Short History of the World by H G Wells twice. MacBeth: 3 times. The Lensman series by E.E. ‘Doc’ Smith: at least 3 times. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the first three and least 4 times. Moonheart by Charles De Lint twice Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court: 2-3 times. Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain Chronicles maybe 4 times. The Elric series by Michael Moorcock I read 2 or 3 times but not in 18 years. There are others that I read more than once before I turn 23 and have not read since. These are now hard to recall. Several of the John Carter Books though. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/18 "2008-08-11T19:34:18Z")
I re-read most of my favorite books, sometimes once a year. I’ve re-read all of Heinlein’s “juveniles” dozens of times since I first read them at around age 8-10. I’ve re-read my favorite three of Walter Jon Williams’ books several times each since the early 90s. I’ve re-read SM Stirling’s ISOT series several times…maybe an even dozen by now. The list is pretty long. As for nonfiction books, I’ve re-read Geoffrey Bibby’s “4000 Years Ago” a few times, and some popularized science books more than once. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/19 "2008-08-11T19:44:20Z")
I very rarely re-read anything. Of the books I remember rereading they would include: **Lolita** by Valdimir Nabakov. **The Master and Margarita** by Mikhail Bulgakov **Catcher in the Rye** by J.D. Salinger and, off the top of my head, that’s all I remember rereading. I also rarely watch movies more than once. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624/20 "2008-08-11T20:22:24Z")
Does anyone really not re-read books? Honest question, not trying to be snarky. I re-read all the time. Anything I’ve enjoyed gets re-read. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-youve-re-read/459624.md?page=2)