Yes, I used to have WHAT? MONDAY posts, but I ran out of questions for a while. Lately, I've been getting curiouser and curiouser again, so I think I'll use some Wednesdays to interrogate you.
Today's question is Have you ever felt a book or a movie was too special to experience it a second time?
In other words, do you want a book or movie to stay in your head the way you felt about it right away, instead of looking at it a second time and maybe finding flaws or feeling too familiar with it? Is it special enough to make it a one-time experience?
The Hurricane and I each have a book so special to us that we will not read the book a second time.
For The Hurricane, THAT book is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
The Hurricane read The Poisonwood Bible when she was in high school and announced immediately that it was the best book she had ever read and so important to her that she would never read it again.
I love it, too. I haven't read it a second time, but I probably will one of these days.
For me, the book I won't read again is Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler.
I'm an Anne Tyler fan. This book is her masterpiece. It's so beautiful that I want to preserve it in my mind in the way I first experienced it. Also, I find it heartbreaking, and I can't go through the pain of reading it again.
I don't have movies I won't see a second time. I've found that whether I love or kind of like a movie, I like it even more the second time around because I notice aspects of it I didn't see before.
Now, how about you? Have you ever felt a book or a movie was too special to experience it a second time?
Share with me, darlings.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
I love that idea of finding a book so special that you wont't read it again. I've not done that yet because if I love it, I want to squeeze every last bit of what I love out of it. I haven't read the book you mentioned, so guess what's going on my Kindle today?
ReplyDeletePlease let me know what you think of it.
DeleteNo! I read for pleasure and never for error correction and rarely for hidden messages. So if I read a book more than once it is because I’m looking for reference material (ie We Were Soldiers Once – And Young by Hal Moore and Joe Galloway). Otherwise, rereading a book is frustrating because I know what is going to happen to whom and when. Some books I like the character and look forward to the next book (Jack Reacher series by Lee Child or the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich).
ReplyDeleteI read a lot of non-fiction, too. I love American history, especially WW I and forward. I don't read any books that use the same character each time, but I have certain authors I love.
DeleteI don't re-read adult books. I do re-read Young Adult books. I have read a lot of Ann Tyler over the years.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a favorite Anne Tyler?
DeleteI have books I won't read a second time simply because they suck. Like "Fifty Shakes of Grey." But I get how you can love a book but it might be too painful to read again. I haven't encountered such a book. I'll have to check out the 2 you listed above. There's one book I believe I've read at least 7 times now (and never grow tired of) and that's Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Love it.
ReplyDelete-andi
I've never heard of Outlander. It might make its way onto my wish list.
DeleteI think it's listed as "time-travel, historical romance..." but don't let that turn you away. It's really not about the time-travel (or even the romance--although it's there). The story and the characters are amazing. It takes about 50 pages before it really takes off, but after that I couldn't stop reading. In fact, when I first read it, it was the first of 4 in a series and I read them all straight through one summer. Book #8 comes out next spring and I'm chomping...
DeleteI never thought of it this way. I know I would watch movies over again if I like them, but I tend to never read books more than once. This may be one reason, another reason: there are so many books, so little time. The Family Orchard, by Nomi Eve, The Road, by Cormac McCarthy, Cold Mountain and Nightwoods by Charles Frazier, are a few off the top of my head. I hope to read one of my absolute favorite books again, Angle of Repose, by Wallace Stegner. If I love it as much as I did the first time, I'm in for a treat.
ReplyDeleteI would like to re-read a number of books and haven't because I have so many I haven't read once. I took the time to re-read Cold Mountain. It was worth it. I have read most of Anne Tyler's books multiple times, especially The Accidental Tourist.
DeleteRegarding Anne Tyler...I liked The Accidental Tourist. I read that before I had a child. I'm not sure I could read that now. Kind of like that Eric Clapton song about his son. I turn that off immediately.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why, but the death of the son in Tourist doesn't really bother me. Maybe it's because the character is dead before the book begins; we don't know him. Overall, I think the book is quirky and hilarious. But Eric Clapton's song, that bothers me. Maybe it's because his son was a real person and I know how he died.
DeleteOkay, I'll re-read. That book was wonderful.
DeleteCoffeypot's 2 favorite book series are also my favorites. I have not read Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant, but I just ordered it!!
ReplyDeleteBe prepared. This book really got to me (obviously, since I won't read it again). I think it's amazing.
DeleteEven though it's a fabulous movie and deserving of all the recognition it received, I just don't want to see Schindler's List a second time.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I didn't even see it on DVD until 10 years or so after it came out. I knew its power would really get to me.
DeleteHmm, interesting question. I don't remember ever making a conscious decision not to read a book again because I loved it too much the first time. If I make that call, it's because I DIDN'T like the book, or was ambivalent about it. Reading a special book for a second time is like making love the second time. It's more about savoring the experience.
ReplyDeleteI see your point, but if I read Homesick again, it would be like making love to a lover who married someone else.
DeleteI have rarely ever read a book twice, but I have seen movies more than once. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett and the sequel was decent, too--World Without End--even though it did a tremendous time jump. I just heard the third book is coming out this month and I will have to read it! Loved the books but didn't care much for the TV miniseries. Even though it had some good actors--well, you know how they change things. ;)
I think I've only read one Ken Follett book -- Eye of the Needle. Was that his?
DeleteI've got lots of catching up to do I see!
ReplyDeleteI love you and the Hurricane more than ever, because Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books ever ever, and Ann Tyler is one of my top 5 favorite authors. My favorite book of hers was St. Maybe. Oddly enough, I have not read Homesick. No clue why, but I will now!
I can't say I've ever had a book that I didn't want to read it again. I'm definitely a re-reader. I mark pages and passages that I want to read over again. I have had books that I loved so much that I refused to see the movie, though.