a common party question between strangers: “what movie do you wish you could watch again for the first time?” if it’s a canvas totebag crowd they might ask which book you would read again for the first time instead.
“I am becoming convinced that the only real way to "personal growth" outside of direct action is through careful study of fiction. Of course stories may have an intended meaning, but a well written story allows you to ask not just "what does the story mean?" but "why do I think that this is what the story means?"
"rereading something is more novel than reading something again for the first time" - Having been on a rereading binge, I'm tickled by this pun
"would love to see rereading written into the/a curriculum to some degree" - To a certain extent students do reread for writing literary critique essays but only selected passages. Rereading seems to bear fruit only when the reader and the book have a sort of fateful meeting. I've reread books I had to study for 2 years for a national exam and for each read, I approached the book mainly as 'student studying for an exam'
i think there are books that you can reread periodically and find more and deeper meaning, but the list of them is highly personal and resonates with aging
I completely do this, particularly with middle school books (maybe reread a dozen in the past few years). Not really a pattern as much as, a) middle school is far away enough now, but also I didn't really read in high school, and
b) they generally become these nice light snacks between other books (still emotionally involved though); when I want a break from "more serious" reads.
Definitely consider rereading to be reading, if you're getting pulled in on that second/ nth run. Really, it all depends on your level of presence; my eyes/ mind could glaze over on a first read, and that's zombie reading lol, that's no good.
"i would love to see rereading written into the/a curriculum to some degree"
ugh, if only schools thought this far ahead. would've loved this
you do need to change in between reads for a reread to sing. gives you multiple angles on the thing & yourself, develops your understanding of both.
sometimes reading a book changes you enough that you can reread it immediately and get the bonus, but not always. I reread narnia a bunch as a kid and was entertained, but didn't get much more from the rereads. then I revisited them in college and they H I T 😮💨
“I am becoming convinced that the only real way to "personal growth" outside of direct action is through careful study of fiction. Of course stories may have an intended meaning, but a well written story allows you to ask not just "what does the story mean?" but "why do I think that this is what the story means?"
-the last psychiatrist
love that quote, i have used it as an excuse to spend a lot of time reading that could have been employed better
Me too...Better how?
"rereading something is more novel than reading something again for the first time" - Having been on a rereading binge, I'm tickled by this pun
"would love to see rereading written into the/a curriculum to some degree" - To a certain extent students do reread for writing literary critique essays but only selected passages. Rereading seems to bear fruit only when the reader and the book have a sort of fateful meeting. I've reread books I had to study for 2 years for a national exam and for each read, I approached the book mainly as 'student studying for an exam'
i think there are books that you can reread periodically and find more and deeper meaning, but the list of them is highly personal and resonates with aging
I completely do this, particularly with middle school books (maybe reread a dozen in the past few years). Not really a pattern as much as, a) middle school is far away enough now, but also I didn't really read in high school, and
b) they generally become these nice light snacks between other books (still emotionally involved though); when I want a break from "more serious" reads.
Definitely consider rereading to be reading, if you're getting pulled in on that second/ nth run. Really, it all depends on your level of presence; my eyes/ mind could glaze over on a first read, and that's zombie reading lol, that's no good.
It's humbling rereading things that I remember being cringe and realizing how much of the cringe stuff is still enjoyable
"i would love to see rereading written into the/a curriculum to some degree"
ugh, if only schools thought this far ahead. would've loved this
you do need to change in between reads for a reread to sing. gives you multiple angles on the thing & yourself, develops your understanding of both.
sometimes reading a book changes you enough that you can reread it immediately and get the bonus, but not always. I reread narnia a bunch as a kid and was entertained, but didn't get much more from the rereads. then I revisited them in college and they H I T 😮💨