# Why read a book twice? Did you miss something the first time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131 "2003-12-26T16:28:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/41 "2003-12-27T13:36:39Z")
> [@](#): > > **by voguevixen:** > I cannot comprehend the idea that someone couldn’t understand re-reading a book. There have been some books where I read it, then stared at the back cover when I was done (not quite believing it was over!) and seriously contemplated starting at the beginning and reading it again right then and there! Been there and done that! It was Iain Pears’ _An Instance of the Fingerpost_, an amazing _Rashomon_-esque historical mystery novel. And this after repeatedly turning back the pages to reread certain passages during the first reading. Oddly enough, his other books don’t do much for me. ---
**Author:** ![Bunnylady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Bunnylady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bunnylady)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/42 "2003-12-27T13:41:19Z")
I majored in Literature at a tiny liberal arts college in the early 80’s (Eckerd College in St. Pete, for any Florida dopers…), I’ll always remember what one of my professors once said: “Great literature cannot be read, it can only be RE-read.” She explained that you can’t really appreciate a work until you read the beginning (for example) with the whole story in your mind. I’ve certainly found that the second reading of a book is a much richer experience than the first, at least in part because I know what to look for, if you will. But I also have to admit that I read every Terry Pratchett novel at least twice because I DO miss things the first time! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/43 "2003-12-27T15:30:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Sometimes I’ll buy two copies of a book just so that I can read it twice. I actually do this. But its because… > [@](#): > > A while ago a friend of mine and I were talking about books. It must have been when Gregory Peck died and To Kill A Mockingbird came up in conversation. My friend said she had never read it. I grabbed it from the bookshelf and read the first couple of pages aloud to her and then handed her the book. She read for a while and then it was time for her to go. I re-read the book over the next few days - hearing a bit had got me going. My friend bought a copy on her way home. I hand them the book and say “take it” I have another copy. There are a lot of books I’ve given away that I don’t have two copies of - and no intention of rereading. But there are at least three copies of “To Kill A Mockingbird” in my house - and I’ve given away at least four more. ---
**Author:** ![Intent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5e9695/32.png) [@Intent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intent)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/44 "2003-12-27T19:03:02Z")
I love to read. I have to limit myself to 3 or 4 books a week, or I’ll end up reading all the time and getting nothing else done. The first time I read a book, it’s to see what happens. Who does what, goes where, and how it resolves. Rereading, I get to look for foreshadowing and symbols (I love finding them. It’s like putting together a puzzle). I also get to find certain passages that are beautifully written, small things that inspire me. Sometimes, I’ll just pull a book off a shelf to read a certain passage. Or just skip to the parts I like. As I have gotten older, I better understand concepts outlined in some books. Or I will learn a new fact that will put a new spin on symbols in older books. Also, some books are just light, happy books that I read for entertainment, or to cheer me up. And they work just as well the second, third, fourth or twentieth time. All my books are like friends, they give me something more everytime I read them. Truth be told, I feel sorry for people who can’t get joy out of reading or rereading. Life must be so boring without literary depth. ---
**Author:** ![Tricia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/919ad9/32.png) [@Tricia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tricia)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/45 "2003-12-27T20:46:27Z")
When I’m reading a book, I’m uninterruptable; I forget what’s going on around me and tend to come out of a chapter bringing the emotions generated with me. Afterwards, I can’t remember names or events; the book has been absorbed or is converting into some sort of mulch in my brain. I never used to re-read books beacause there is always a new one on the horizon - so many books, so little time - but I agree with the person who said you read books at different times in your life and bring a new perspective to them - also, at my age I think if I re-read some books, it would be like reading them for the first time any way. ---
**Author:** ![Profane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@Profane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profane)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/46 "2003-12-27T21:46:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EddyTeddyFreddy \* > \*\*Why reread? All the good reasons have been pointed out already. I’ll just add that (as others have said) I tend to gallop through a book the first time, especially if it’s really well written and the plot is a grabber. I want to find out **what happens next**!!! Needless to say, I can roar right past subtleties that a second reading will reveal. Old friends get read again and again, with a few years often intervening. \*\* That’s exactly what I was going to say. Thanks for writing my post for me. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/47 "2003-12-28T01:45:29Z")
Well, I’ll second what everybody else has said, only adding -my sympathies for whoever works with a bunch of people who don’t enjoy reading, and rereading -there are some books which I simply must not pick up. Because if I do I simply cannot let them go; I find myself suddenly closing the book, it’s one in the morning and I’ve finished rereading it yet again. Sometimes the whole book, sometimes just sections. Some books are just dangerous that way for me - like leaving a box of really good chocalates nearby. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/48 "2003-12-28T05:18:41Z")
Oddly, while my sister and I can both remember a book well enough to tell the whole story to someone else years later, we re-read. Our mother, on the other hand, can’t re-read until she has forgotten the story, which seems to only take a year or two. She thinks we’re strange because we can read a book whose ending we know… we find it incomprehensible that she can forget an entire book in only a couple of years. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/49 "2003-12-28T06:35:25Z")
To me, rereading a book is like visiting a foriegn land again. Sure, I’ve already been there once, but it’s never quite the same on each visit. The first time I read a book, I do read it quite fast: read Stephen King’s _It_ in one day (mostly because I couldn’t fall asleep, having had the crap scared outta me). I got the gist of it, but the nuance was obviously lost (and I’m sorry, I’m not going to allow Mr. King to be dismissed along with Dean Koontz-- unfair and untrue). I admit that I have read the same twenty or so books over and over periodically over the course of many years. I also teach the same books each year, and never quite tire of them. I’ve read Frank Herbert’s _Dune_ series, _The Mists of Avalon_, Faulkner’s _As I Lay Dying_, The Great Gatsby, and the LotR/Silmarillion at least 6-7 all the way through, and find new things to admire, puzzle over, marvel at, and consider each time. I liked LotR on this past reading more than ever before, and that’s saying something. I’m also the kind of person who needs to reread things to reinforce my crappy recall ability After reading a book 3+ times, it starts to go into long-term memory. I can quote long passages from some of these books off the top of my head. If the events of _Farenheit 451_ ever transpire, I want to be one of those guys who could have a whole book memorized. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/50 "2003-12-28T06:36:27Z")
I know it’s spelled Fahrenheit with an “h”. Honestly. ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/51 "2003-12-28T07:44:13Z")
I re-read books because they are like old friends to me. I, like many other people in this thread, love and revere books. I think a story is the ideal way to disseminate an idea. Books are like objects of power to me. ~ The Flaky Perspective, brought to you by your friendly neighbourhood kfl. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/52 "2003-12-28T07:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dangerosa \* > \*\*But there are at least three copies of “To Kill A Mockingbird” in my house - and I’ve given away at least four more. \*\* Now **that** is cool. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/53 "2003-12-28T08:16:15Z")
**Why read a book twice? Did you miss something the first time?** 1. Frequently, yes. Any book worth rereading has depths to it that will be missed during the first reading. The same can be said for any worthwhile work of art. When a work of art ceases to reward, one stops revisiting it. 2. But not always. Not all reading is for the purpose of finding out what happens. It’s the experience of the reading itself that is the reward, not the destination. Reading for pleasure isn’t a goal-oriented behavior; you don’t read to get to the end of the book, you read for the pleasure that it brings. With a good book, that pleasure can often be greater with subsequent readings. ---
**Author:** ![Zap\_Rowsdower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3da27b/32.png) [@Zap\_Rowsdower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zap_Rowsdower)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2003, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131/54 "2003-12-28T18:18:12Z")
I can’t seem to re-read books, even if it has been nearly 20 years. I have tried it with various books like **1984, Once and Future King, The Keep** but I just can’t get back into the story. I start vaguely recalling the major plotlines and then lose interest or put it down then move to something else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-read-a-book-twice-did-you-miss-something-the-first-time/221131.md?page=2)