Old book, new tricks: is reading a book the second time worth it?

When I was younger, I read the entire Harry Potter series at least four times. I knew every detail and I could directly quote the Philosopher’s Stone in its entirety. I could recite the list of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professors in chronological order. I’m sure this skillset is far from unique. Most hardcore fans seem to have read all seven books multiple times. Many of them claim the books seemed to get better every time.

Nowadays, in my relative old age, I struggle to return to a book after reading it for the first time. No matter how much I enjoyed it, I find it impossible to read a novel from cover to cover for the second time. Instead, I’ll read the first hundred pages. Then, I’ll skip to my favourite parts, not even reading the closing words before putting the book back on the shelf. It suddenly seems so futile to reread something when I already know what is going to happen next.

The second time, you’ll notice all the clues you didn’t spot the first time…

I’m sure many people feel the same way. There are so many books to conquer these days. Why on earth would you take the time to return to something you have already read? Of course, re-reading a book can be highly beneficial. It can provide an excellent insight into the genius of a plot twist. The second time, you’ll notice all the clues you didn’t spot the first time. It can be fun to trace the culprit from the very beginning page of a whodunit and marvel at how obvious it all seems now you know the solution. At the same time, you now know who did it, how they did it, why they did it, all the crucial details revealed in the final chapter. It’s just not as exciting as it was before. 

Re-reading a book can be great for relaxation. You can skim over long descriptions, hunt for dialogue, and enjoy the simplicity of reading, without having to focus too hard on what is going on. You might find, as you flick through the pages, that you have in fact forgotten several elements of the story. In this event, you may be able to re-immerse yourself in the story.

The main thing to be aware of when reading a book for the second or third time, in my opinion at least, is you can never experience it in the same way as you did the first time. Unfortunately, it is often the books you find profound and moving that you choose to read again. However, the chances of being deeply affected are slim, as there is indeed nothing like reading a good book for the first time. 

Some books are too special to leave on the shelf gathering dust forever…

Certainly, it’s great to read new things too. If you’re after some easy reading, but don’t want to recover old ground, there are plenty of short, simply-written novels out there which can be picked up cheaply in charity shops or discount stores. Don’t be afraid to try something out for fear it might not be up your street. I’m sure we’ve all read things we later wished we’d never encountered. Still, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been plenty of unexpected gems too. At the same time, there is absolutely nothing wrong with going back to old favourites every once in a while. If at the end of a long day, the only thing you want to do is curl up in bed with a well-thumbed copy of something you’ve read a hundred times, then that’s great!

To re-read, or not to re-read? Well, that’s entirely up to you! Some books are too special to leave on the shelf gathering dust forever. Others might not be quite as exciting on the second reading. There are thousands of books out there, and we should always endeavour to try out new authors or genres. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean we can’t flick through our favourites when we’re feeling nostalgic.