Rereads

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

There are so many books to read.  I read a lot, yet I never seem to be caught up.  There is always another new book on the horizon.  So why would anyone reread a book from their past.  However, many of those old book friends still call us. 

There were several books over the years that have beckon me to visit them again.  Some of them were read when I was in high school, and somehow, we were expected at 16 years old to have a deep range of life experiences to relate to them.  I don’t think so.

I reread a few books when I was teaching those novels to students.  I can remember reading The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and crying at the end of the story when Jody was no longer interested in playing with the water wheel he had

built at the beginning of the story.  He was no longer a boy.  I was reading it to my 4thgrade class of girls.  They probably thought I was nuts.  I read Animal Farm by George Orwell in a reading class that I was teaching.  It was fun watching young minds trying figure out if it was about communism or whatever. I think I will reread it again with the state of the world.  It is probably coming true on many levels. 

I decided to reread The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  At 16 what did I know of love, of adultery.  Hawthorn writes such beautiful prose, and a tear or two fell down my cheek about Hester’s plight.  When in 11th Grade, I was just trying to get through the assignments not really relating.  With a little life under my belt, I could empathize with Hester’s life. You understood her emotions.  I am so glad I carved out time for this reread.

Then I reread To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  I loved it and it was so clear with a second reading what a good man Atticus was – doing the right thing despite his personal feelings.  You learn universal lessons.  Plus, it was a hoot reading Scout’s impressions of school.  I remember that I read them to my faculty for a different point of view of education.  

Another favorite from my youth was The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger.  As a teenager, I thought Holden had nailed life as he navigated coming of age.  However, on the second read as an adult, I thought he was just a whiny kid – so disappointing for me.  I think that is why I didn’t like The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt– whiny teenagers.

 

There are few more books that I will give another whirl through the pages. I always reread Anne Lamott’s book.  I find some little nugget of wisdom in each of the essays – always worth a reread.  I am currently reading The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas that gave me the idea for the Reread Blog. I loved that book!  I am so glad that it is 1500 plus pages. I don’t want it to end, and yet, I know the ending. It is so well-written with rich vocabulary.  Remember the SAT practice list?  It is that kind of rich vocabulary. 

I am debating rereading Moby Dick by Herman Melville, but I think it is truly my white whale.  I am sure you have some books that you might want to reread.  Some will probably be duds, others true gems.  Visit your old friends – they will welcome you back!