Rereading old favorites

When was the last time you sat down with a favorite book, maybe one you have enjoyed many times, and gave yourself over to that book for a good re-read? I did and the results were very satisfying.  

I just finished rereading an old favorite, A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. Published in 1950, this book was really made famous in 1981 by a TV mini-series.  I watched every minute of that mini-series, watched it again when it re-aired, then went searching for the book. I think this is the third, maybe fourth time I've read it and I still enjoy this war-survival-love-story. As I read it this time I kept asking myself why I like the story so much and feel compelled to reread the book every few years?  I am suspicious that it has more to do with my memories and events that were happening in my life when I first saw the mini-series that set me up to be a lifelong fan. You see, in 1981 I was falling in love with my husband-to-be.

Rarely do I reread books. In fact it is so rare that I can probably list most of those books here. As a librarian, I want to read the "latest and greatest" to help me find material to recommend to my readers. As a book club member I am always having to read the "book of the month", leaving little time for reading books I have already read. But occasionally I do, especially if I am in the mood for "an old friend." Here are a few books that I find myself rereading with some regularity:

• Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen. Both of these books are so important to me I can't abandon them for more than a year.  I like reading "retellings" of these books, too.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I actually enjoy listening to this on audiobooks.  It is a tale so well told I never tire of it.
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I first read this series when I was in 5th or 6th grade. I am still completely charmed by its magical land and animals.  It is full of symbolism and find new treasures in it  with each rereading.
• Shipping News by Annie Proulx. There is something so quirky about this book I find myself drawn to it, sometimes just reading the chapter headings or small portions of it.
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I have a huge Potter fan in my family so I find myself rereading portions of this marvelous series because she is.

Surprisingly, most of my favorite books and authors I've never reread. Guess I don't want to mess with my positive memories of the books.

What about you?  What are your favorite books to reread?