Barbara Kingsolver is one of my favorite authors, so I was surprised when I saw that I had somehow missed Prodigal Summer. I saw it was available via audiobook at my library and checked it out to listen to during my daily commute to and from work. I was happy to hear Kingsolver herself narrate the book, and about 30 minutes into it, I realized...."HEY! This sounds familiar. I HAVE read this before."
It's obviously been a long long time, and little bits and pieces keep coming back to me as I listen to it. I remember the characters, but I don't quite remember how it ends. I don't often re-read books or re-watch movies even, but I've been enjoyed listening to this book and getting reacquainted with the plot and characters.
What about you? Do you re-read books? Have you ever starting reading a book and realized suddenly that you have read it before, and did you continue reading?
I rarely reread but I still love to actually own them just so I can look at them and remember reading them. I have started into a book a couple of times and realize that I've read it. I usually keep going, mostly because it's books that I read at least ten years ago.
ReplyDeleteI have done this so many times. Usually I don't finish reading the book, but I have a few times when the book was really engaging me.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big re-reader either, and there have been a handful of times I've started a book that I realized I'd already read. While I keep a list of books I've read, I didn't always include non-fiction books so I once got an anthology about raising boys and got a little ways into it before I realized I'd already read it. I think I did read the whole thing again as it had been a couple of years since my first reading.
ReplyDeleteI've also added books to my TBR list and then realized I'd already read the book.
Just wanted to let you know that I gave your blog an "I heart your blog" award. You can view the post at http://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2008/10/12/blogs-i-heart/.
ReplyDeleteIn these parts you might call this phenomenon 'deja lu.' (Already read!) ;)
ReplyDeleteI used to love rereading books, but I find I so rarely have time to read a book the first time around that my rereading has been cut down to the bare minimum. I don't generally forget that I've read a book though. I can't think of a time that's ever happened! I can see it happening in the future though...
ReplyDeleteI love to re-read my favourite children's books, but am becoming much pickier about re-reading adult books, mostly due to lack of time. However, I can definitely re-read Barbara Kingsolver! I admire her writing style so much. To me, she is the perfect combination of the best features of literary and genre fiction.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was doing mystudent teaching, I saw a Robin McKinley book on my cooperating teacher's classroom shelves and thought, "Hey, I missed this one!" I kept getting the feeling that it was all familiar to me, but I was sure I hadn't read it before, that I'd remember such a fun story. Not until the last two chapters did I recall the rest of the story. I had read Robin McKinley's The Hero and the Crown when I was a kid! But I got to read it again, almost like it was the first time, which was a treat.
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