Do You Like This Story?

BY REBECCA SPARROW

It’s literary comfort food; like a serving of warm apple crumble on the coldest and bleakest of nights.  Re-reading our favourite books can be a source of comfort, a reliever of boredom, something soothingly familiar when the world around us has gone mad.

I’ve read Little Women more times than I care to remember.  I dip into Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird (a non-fic book on writing) every few months.  And when I need reminding of how great deliciously written comedies can be I turn to The Girls’ Guide To Hunting Fishing by Melissa Bank.  On the other hand, I can’t bear the thought of re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird because it impacted me so greatly when I read it for the first (and only) time in the mid 90s.

 

The Hunger Games (the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy)

What about you? What book have you read more than once? And why?

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342 Comments so far

  1. janeparker

    These books are definitely some of my favourites! My kids have enjoyed some of these titles with me. Recently, I read a book called “The Boy Under the Table” and I’m in the middle of re-reading it. The book is just that emotionally graphic and terrifying, I needed to read it again. I recommend it to any mother, it changed my outlook on missing children’s cases completely! Such an emotional roller coaster, and so vivid and touching. The author is Nicole Trope, and I would just love to see the book reviewed on here! It has such a powerful and relevant message of hope in today’s society.

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  2. tanjil2

    Great topic! Lots of memories of great reads & re-reads – and even better, ideas for new books to tackle. Loved seeing authors Nancy Mitford, Daphne du Maurier, terry pratchett, Neil Gaiman, Elizabeth Gouge (The White Horse or Green Dolphin Country, anyone?) John Wyndham & Melina Marchetta mentioned, plus books like the The Secret Garden & Jane Eyre. Two others I loved as a kid & have had some success introducing to my kids are Noel Streitfield (Ballet Shoes, White Boots etc) & Joan Aitken (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase & other novels, plus some truly inventive short stories).
    Maggie Alderson’s books are great book ‘chocolate’ for re-reading.

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  3. Meerkath

    Books are and always have been the Chicken Soup for my soul. I simply cannot go a day without reading, so my husband tells me, before I turn into a screaming banshee. I have many favourite books but my comfort cup of tea and slipper books are:

    The Secret History, Donna Tartt
    The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
    The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton
    To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
    Pride and prejudice and Sense and Sensibility- Jane Austen
    Withering Heights, Emily Bronte
    All Harry Potter
    Possession, A S Byatt
    The Other Boleyn Girl, Phillipa Gregory
    And pretty much anything to do with Tudor history lol

    I have to stop now, I have a book to read!!!! Love these posts:)))

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    • Ania

      Not many people have heard of The Secret Story, so I’m pleased to find out someone likes it as much as me:) Each time I read the book I loved it even more than before …
      Plus:
      The Art of Murder and The Number Thirteen Lady (just about to re-read this one) by Jose Carlos Somoza

      The Gadfly by E.L.Voynich (a few re-reads in teenage years)

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      • Ania

        Andreas Steinhöfel The Centre of the World – a must:)

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  4. Kirrily

    Milan Kundera – The Joke

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  5. shirb

    I have just read and re-read “The Boy Under the Table” by Nicole Trope. It was edge of your seat, compelling stuff. My first read took three days – I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend it !

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  6. lauren91

    I just finished The Hunger Games series, and I have to say I was disappointed with the ending. I don’t know why, I just didn’t ‘feel’ it. It was an OK series but I won’t be going back to reread it ten times like I did Harry Potter.

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  7. Rhonda

    Cross Stitch – Diana Gabaldon, and the others in the series.
    Circle of Friends – Maeve Binchy
    The Faraday Girls – Monica McInerney

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  8. ms.dot

    The house of sleep – jonathan coe… just too fascinating.
    The alchemist – paulo coelho
    Mister God, this is Anna – Flynn

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  9. Meggsie

    I have a late 19th century leather bound copy of Pride and Prejuduce which I’ve read several times. It’s my go to book. Also Gone With the Wind, to Kill a Mockingbird, and lots of Enid Blyton books!!

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  10. speccygirl

    Catcher in the Rye, the Getting of Wisdom, Great Expectations,

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  11. Amandarose

    My favorite book is called paint- Can’t remember the author but I bought it off him in Tasmania at the Salamanca Markets. The I bought another book of his the next time I visited Tassie. Loved them both- Just googled him his name is John Honey – he went to school with my dad before becoming a documentary maker and screen writer. Love that polk- think I google to see if has written anything else.

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  12. Susan

    I have read more times than I can count Martin Boyd’s Langton quartet including the briiliant ‘a difficult young man,’ for others who know this book and series -don’t you think this would make a briiliant ABC/BBC series? Our own ”downton abbey’.

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  13. kateb

    I am a lot older than many of the people commenting on this articel. I have collected books i like /love over the past 25 years. i have about 600 books at the moment (my husband calls it my library and wants to know when i will start a lending system).

    I re read through my collection frequently and get rid of what i find tedious when re reading, and often buy more books from a well liked author.

    finding new authors is difficult , so i browse the local library and read blogs like this to find some.

    last time i was tested i read 400words/ minute with fuoll comprhension, so i go through a lot of books a week.

    thank you everyone for a new selection of authors to browse through. i find I like adventure books, sc fi, fantasy etc. I am not really into realism, life gives enough of that.

    so laurell Hamilton, L.E.Modesitt Jr, Joel Shepherd, Raymond Fiest and i still love Issac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke etc

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    • anthonysherratt

      Let me know if you want to start a book exchange system. We could mail books to each other.

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      • molly

        Have you guys heard of Bookcrossing.com? They have a swap system, and “random acts of bookcrossing kindness” where you send them to people for karma only. They also have local groups with meetups to swap books.

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        • kateb

          I keep my books because i want them, i wouldnt give them away, I would love to have a swap with someone who looked after the books as i do.

          i re read my books about once every 6 years.

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  14. BarbMac

    The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings ( I feel like I’ve escaped from a Big Bang Theory episode!)

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  15. Justine

    The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, loved it as a child and an adult! I’m not typically a fantasy fan but I love this story!

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  16. Sarahlou

    In no particular order:

    Saving Francesca and Looking for Alibrandi ( Melina Marchetta)
    The Juniper Game ( Sherryl Jordan)
    Dreamland (Sarah Dessen)
    Jane Eyre
    The Wishing Chair and the Faraway tree books – so magical when I was little!

    I use to reread the first few harry potter books a lot, but by the time the last couple of books rolled out in stores I was just over it really – feel like I betrayed my generation ( 21 year old here) but I just found the movie versions much more convenient haha.

    I’d also like to say Tully, but it was one of those books for me where I found it had such a pull that I stopped reading it halfway through, just so I didn’t devour it too quickly. That was nearly three years ago now, I think I should probably go back to it considering how many times it has been mentioned here.

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    • Sarahlou

      How could I forget Feeling sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty? All the associated Ashbury High/Brookfield books are fantastic actually – the letters/ messages theme in each book is very well done. Highly reccomended, especially for teenage girls although I think anyone could read them and love them really.

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      • Manda

        Love Melina Marchetta and Jaclyn Moriarty! The last Ashbury/Brookfield book wasn’t my favourite though.

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        • D

          Ah, you both have impeccable taste!

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    • Carly

      Loved Tully!

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  17. Manda

    Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, One Day, The Time Traveler’s Wife and Anna and the French Kiss are my ultimate re-reading/comfort books.

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    • Emma

      I actually feel as though i just wrote this comment! haha

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  18. Jessica

    Jessica by Bryce Courtenay. Amazeballs!

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    • Jackstarbaby

      Yes yes yes!!!! I cant stand to read it now though its too sad!

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  19. bushpiglet

    Anything by Jim Butcher. How I love thee Harry Dresden!

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  20. monkeyboyzmum

    Anything at all by Nancy Mitford but especially Love in a Cold Climate and The Pursuit of Love. Same for Evelyn Waugh but it is Brideshead Revisited that gets revisited

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  21. Melsie

    My latest comfort reads are the series of memoirs by Marlena de Blasi, so beautifully written. I crack them open whenever I’m going through a time of anxiety or stress.

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  22. Jac

    My all time favorite which I’ve read about 7 times is still “I know this much is true” by Wally lamb a huge book based on the two characters who are twins yet one has schizophrenia and their complicated lives and relationship it’s soo good I recommend it to everyone it’s that book though that you want to read again for the first time!

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    • ink

      I love that book! I’ve read it 3 times already, it’s a big read but so well written. I laughed and cried out loud, definitely one of my favourite books ever.

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    • colleen

      LOVE that book, and I’ve just this morning finished ‘She’s come undone’ by W.Lamb. Gruelling, funny and good. Also loved his other books.

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    • Kate

      Oh I’ve had that sitting on my bookshelf unopened for about a year now – I have a family member with schizophrenia and I’m worried I’ll find it traumatic. Is there anything in there I should be worried about or would you recommend I dive in?

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  23. Camille

    The God of All Things (Arundhati Roy)
    The Enchanted Wood
    The Folk of the Faraway Tree
    The Outsiders
    To Kill A Mockingbird

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    • Gee-gee

      Love God of Small Things.

      Others I re-read:-

      Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion
      Rum Diaries – Hunter S Thompson
      That I Loved – Siri Hutsvedt

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    • Anonymous

      YES to the outsiders!!

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  24. Juliette

    Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit – I read them once a year, at least, and have done so since I was about 11 years old. Not telling you how many times I have re-read them in total… ;)

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  25. Free

    The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Best page-turner EVER!

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  26. marimba

    Can I just say I’ve found myself saying ‘Oh me too!’ to about a thoooousand books everyone’s mentioned!
    I seriously need a huuuuge house, so I can have a huuuuge library full of all the books I’ve loved…oh how I love the fact that I can now wait to reread about a million of them with my daughter!

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  27. Sam

    Charlotte Gray – Sebastian Faulks
    The Divine Secrets of the Yaya Sisterhood – Rebecca Wells
    Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
    Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
    Hating Alison Ashley – Robin Klein

    and many, many more. What joy reading has brought to my life!

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    • Floss

      I think that I read Hating Alison Ashley about 10 times when I was a kid :)

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  28. Amanda

    The Bronze Horseman – Paulina Simmons

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  29. Cady

    Persuasion, Anne Grey, Greenwitch, Mrs Tim of the Regiment, The Mill on the Floss, The Story of the Little Mole who Knew it was None Of His Business, the Hobbit, Death Comes As The End, Gaudy Night, Get her off the pitch, The Beekeepers’ Apprentice, The Caravaners, Our Hearts were Young and Gay, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, The Uncommon Reader, all the Jeeves & Woosters, The Vacillations of Poppy Carew, An Imaginative Experience, Reaper Man, Tale of Two Cities, the Apricot Colonel, Playing with Water, the Pursuit of Love, Requiem for a Wren, the Far Country, Jim and Wally, Pagan’s Crusade, Notes from a Small Island etc etc etc.

    OK, let’s face it, I re-read them all – if I don’t want to re-read, I give them away. And I still have many hundreds of books. Let’s also not get started on the audio books …..

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    • Melsie

      Yay, another Mary Wesley fan. I have all of her books, I really love The Chamomile Lawn.

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      • monkeyboyzmum

        I have all those too. What a pity she did not start writing till retirement age

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  30. Rebecca

    I have re-read countless books but I re-read To Kill a Mockingbird about once a year. I love it just as much every time.

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  31. snippygal

    Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes.
    Has to be my all time favorite book.
    I have no idea why, its not the greatest book ever written or anything but it just speaks to me I Love it !!

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  32. brizzy

    I’ve never read little women, nor seen a film. Is it great?

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    • cmx

      It is wonderful. Love, laughs, family, sadness. Read it.

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  33. brizzy

    Pride and prejudice
    The Lucky books by Jackie collins-comfort/addiction. Reading autobiographies and watching 60 minutes cancels out the Jackie Collins……
    As a kid I read bimbo and topsy so so many times

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  34. Kathy

    1. The Little Prince
    2. The Alchemist

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  35. Jovana

    I don’t usually re-read books, simply because there are so many others waiting to be read! Re-reading is lovely but it would makes me feel kinda uneasy- like I’m wasting precious reading time.

    That said, as a kid/pre-teen I re-read Hating Alison Ashley countless times. I absolutely loved that book. I also re-read Anastasia and Looking for Alibrandi many times as a child.

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    • Sam

      I think we’re the same person!

      My overriding memory of Looking for Alibrandi is that the word ‘pensive’ comes up a lot. Love that word.

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    • Nickas

      I know what you mean,I have severe reading envy knowing people are re reading books! I always have a huge pile of books (usually requests from the library,extended 3 times) next to the bed and as much as I love reading fall asleep after 3 pages every night-so frustrating!

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  36. catgirl

    Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
    Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis de Bernieres
    Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
    Sixteen – P-P Hartnett
    The Giver – Lois Lowry
    The Lord of the Rings – Tolkein

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  37. Mary

    ‘If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller’ by Italo Calvino. Anyone who gets what the hell happened on their first reading is a literary god.

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    • cmx

      Maybe I need to re-read it. Confused the absolute toenails off of me!

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  38. G.J.

    I love how the majority of people mention re-reading kids books! I too am guilty. The Chronicles of Narnia, the Secret Garden, and A Little Princess particularly. Add to that Harry Potter (if you consider it children’s lit) and everything Enid Blyton.

    My more grown up re-reads are;

    The Mark of the Lion series
    To Kill a Mockingbird
    Mao’s Last Dancer
    Nineteen Minutes
    Plus anything by Brock and Bodie Theone.

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    • catgirl

      Mao’s Last Dancer
      Generally I much prefer the book to a movie, but in that case I much preferred the movie.

      I thought that he came across as extremely self-serving in the book, the movie made him more likeable.

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      • G.J.

        I was so surprised by how much I loved the movie; rarely is a movie adaptation that good!

        I don’t remember him coming across as particularly self-serving; maybe it’s time for another re-read!

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  39. hellopetal

    I don’t re-read as many books as I’d like to: reason, SAHM with small child. My mum is a huge reader & I remember how frustrating it was as a child competing with a book for attention so I try not to do that to my daughter. And I am too tired for much of my own reading at night. But we do read ALOT of children’s books. For me re-reading books is about appreciation of the writing & enjoyment of the story or emotions the story evokes.

    Re-reads in the last year:

    if nobody speaks of remarkable things – Jon McGregor (just found another of his at the library – so many ways to begin, hope its as good!)

    The Time Traveler’s WIfe – Audrey Niffenegger (I adore this book & won’t see the film because it simply can’t be as beautiful)

    The History of Love – Nicole Krauss (thanks Peta)

    Girl With a Pearl Earring – Tracy Chevalier

    Re-reads (& then some) as a child:

    Anything by Enid Blyton

    Nancy Drew mysteries by Caroline? Keene

    Alice In Wonderland by CS Lewis

    School/ Uni re-reads:

    Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

    Persuasion & Emma by Jane Austen

    The Waterlily by Kate Llewellyn (& heaps of her poetry too)

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    • G.J.

      Pretty sure Alice in Wonderland wasn’t by CS Lewis ;)

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    • snippygal

      Dont watch The Time Travellers Wife, its awkward acting and nowhere near as beautiful as the book !!

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      • Shelly

        I agree – while I love all the classics mentioned here, the time traveller’s wife is also one of my favourites and I have read it at least three or four times. The movie is very disappointing and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who loved the book….

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  40. Lindalou

    Any Jane Austen. Such great writing and fun.

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  41. Rachel

    Damn you MM book posts & reader comments!!! I always end up with too many books to add to the “must read” list, I can’t get through them quick enough before the next book post!
    I have re read most of my books, but particular faves are:
    All Harry Potters, all 7 of my Jane Austen books (I’m including Lady Susan, Sanditon & The Watsons), Jurassic Park, Pillars of the Earth, Sunshine by Norma Klein (book from 70s, was my mothers & not sure if it’s still around), Matilda by Roald Dahl (I take really good care of my books because they are my friends, but this one is falling apart!), Little Women, & Wuthering Heights.
    In other words, a lot.

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  42. Harri

    All the Harry Potter books. Because they are amazing, and i grew up with them (i’m 21). I enjoyed the books a lot more than the movies i think. I went to the HP exhibition at the powerhouse museum and it was so incredible! Yep, biggest harry potter nerd right here!

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  43. Sally's

    I have a rule that I must read To Kill A Mockingbird and The Power Of One annually. They ground me. I have re-read the Harry Potter series regularly as well

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  44. Maria

    ‘Tully’ by Paullina Simons. Have read it many times at different stages of my life and every time feels like the first time. Her ‘ Bronze horseman’ series is also amazing and well worth a re- read.
    ‘ the hours’ by Michael cunningham is another favourite. Love the characters, beautiful writing style and clever narrative structure.

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  45. sharoncello

    Chocolat by Joanne Harris – I always feel like I am Vianne when I read this

    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – had a profound impact on me when I first read it and everytime I read it I feel like I learn a bit more about how to be a better person

    The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling – they make me wish I had got a letter from Hogwarts when I turned 11

    Angels & Demons and The Da VInci Code by Dan Brown – rollicking good fun

    Bridget Jones’ Diary by Helen Fielding – v v funny

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  46. Rubyzed

    Oh Dear. My ‘to read’ list has just jumped about a hundred high! Thanks Bec & MMers :)

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    • jessc

      I currently have a spreadsheet open that lists the books I have read this year, the books I have waiting to be read (about 30) and now creating a new to buy list… once I have gotten through the first lot. Thanks Mamamia!

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      • Dfordezi

        Check out website/app Goodreads. Does it all for you, with reader reviews to boot!

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        • jessc

          I’m on that too!

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        • Jimmy's Girl

          Thanks so much for recommending that website – it’s great!!

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  47. Emmjay

    Oh my comfort reading. Often combined with comfort eating, but that’s a whole other story.

    The Harry Potter series
    Anything by Dorothy L Sayers
    Maeve Binchy
    All Terry Pratchetts, and Good Omens (I’m up to my third copy)
    The Anne of Green Gables, Pollyanna and Billabong series
    Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A woman of substance
    The Chalet School Series
    The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
    The Kerry Greenwood Phryne Fisher series (don’t start me on the tv series!)

    I’m so glad I have a daughter and can’t wait to share these books with her – 3 weeks may be a tad young though :(

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    • anthonysherratt

      I have 10 of my Pratchett novels (including Good Omens) personally signed. I suppose I should look after them better but they’re novels I just want to read and re-read.

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      • emmjay

        I just had to reshelve all my Pratchetts – they all seem to have migrated to my bedside table again. I found myself rereading Where’s My Cow and giggling. Tonight my daughter gets a story :)

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        • grannywwax

          Me too!!it’s an addiction…but every time I re-read I get something else out of them. Cold Comfort Farm, the Anne books, easy reads when I need to get over the big ones.

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  48. oopsyboops

    The princess bride. I must have read that squillions of times. It was only in the last year though that I found out that the whole beginning bit isn’t true. I always thought is was. (I’ve been reading it since I was a teenager). I was genuinely gobsmacked to find out. Still love it though.

    Also Good omens by Neil Gaimina and Terry Pratchett.
    Plain truth by Jodi Picault but not too many of her other ones (as others have said, they get a bit formulaic).

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    • Claire - Matching Pegs

      I love Good Omens!

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  49. anonymous

    There’s a bear in there (and he wants swedish), by Merridy Eastman. Reread this on the train the other day and I had to stifle my laughter. It’s a hilarious account of Merridy working in a brothel (as a receptionist) between acting jobs.
    Glad to see she’s on Packed to the Rafters.

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  50. Faybian

    If I’m honest, I’ve reread the majority of my books. I see no reason to buy a book and only read it once. In fact if I don’t reread a book, eventually I trade it in at our local 2nd hand bookshop.

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