My favourite rereads

When I have read a book, it will almost always fit into one of 3 categories:
1. The book was good/bad, and now I can say I have read it, but I will never open it again.
2. I enjoyed reading this, and I'll probably read it again eventually.
3. Those books that can be reread an indefinite amount of times and never lose their charm - even though I know every detail of the plot.

As you might guess, not many books makes it into category 3 - but the few that does......need I say more?

This is some of the books that I have read so many times, that I won't even try to count it.

The Mysterious Island
This one is actually the first classic I ever read, and it will always have a special place in my heart. It's a story about 5 men who strand on a desolate island, and start up a new life. I have a weakness for cast away stories, where the characters must start from scratch, so this one is an obvious favourite. And then later on mysterious things starts to happen on the island (hence the title), so there's excitement and tension. And for the hardcore Jules Verne fan, there is the unexpected but welcome references to some of his other books. So there's nothing bad to say about this book, and I'll admit I have sometimes started reading it, even though I had only just finished it. You can't do that with many books.

Settlers in Canada

Another great book from the time when the only classics I read, was the ones I could find in my parents collection. This is a story about a family from England, who loses their fortune, and then emigrate to Canada to start a new life. Again, I love stories about people who have to start over. The story is exciting and full of drama, and there is a wide range of different characters and personalities. Nothing more to say - it's just a great book.

Anne of Green Gables
Ever since I read this the first time, I was hooked. One book wasn't enough - I had to read all 8 of them. The story about orphan Anne Shirley with the vivid imagination, who makes friends everywhere, and gets in all kinds of mischief, is just a masterpiece. I love the way L.M. Montgomery turns an ordinary life, in an ordinary village into an adventure. How she portrays all the little vignettes and anecdotes, that makes a life. I simply can't express how much I love these books. I always end up reading it at least once a year - sometimes the entire series, and sometimes only the first few books. But if it's possible I enjoy it even more every time I read it anew. Lovely...just lovely.

Little Women
This is another book that I truly, truly love. The touching story about the 4 sisters who struggle to be good and selfless. It is quite obvious that the book was meant to educate young women - it is full of lessons on how to be good, but luckily not in a patronizing way. The characterizations are beautifully done, and the story is heartfelt and true. And this book is unique in another way to me - it's the only book to date, that makes me cry every single time I read it (which is quite a feat, for I don't do crying). 




Pride and Prejudice
That this one is at the bottom of the list, doesn't mean it's my least favourite. It's just the newest addition to my list, and the only one I actually still remember how many times I've read (5 or 6 times I think - it's a little blurry). But it's a classic, that can't be read to many times. I admit my approach to this one is a bit different. I don't normally read it from start to end, rather I reread my favourite passages, which ends up in me reading almost the entire book - though a little backwards. I love how every time I read it, I notice new details in the story, new nuances to the characters, and understand the story better.



This is a few of those books I can always read, if anything else fails. And I often find that I miss the stories if I haven't read them in a while - as I'm starting to do now as I write of them. It's such a hard choice now: should I start reading one of my new projects, or just reread an old beloved favourite?