It might seem early but we are now in to December – and January is really not that far away. With the New year comes.. half-hearted resolutions post-Christmas blues – and my month of re-reading. For me January will all be about celebrating some of the books I have loved at different times in my life. I hope there are plenty of you out there who will join me in some re-reading. It can be such a joy to re-read books you loved before. It can also be fascinating, to see how your perception of things can change. Last time I did a month of re-reading, I didn’t suddenly find I disliked books I had remembered loving, my view of them may have altered slightly, but I retained my love of them.
I admit that there are a few new editions to be savoured in my latest pile of re-reads – but that is all part of the pleasure – reading old favourites in brand new gorgeous copies – well why not? One of the books pictured below – may actually be supplanted by another new edition – Santa permitting.
First of all I reserve the right of course to change my mind at any point about re-reading any of these books, however I doubt very much that I will change my mind about any of them. This is a pile of books I think I can safely say I could happily salivate over. The ten books I have chosen then are:
Howards End – E M Forster
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall – Anne Bronte
The Mayor of Casterbridge – Thomas Hardy (reading for my Hardy reading group)
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
The Pursuit of Love – Nancy Mitford
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – Winifred Watson
Some Tame Gazelle – Barbara Pym (I think, assuming that the Librarything Virago group decide to read Barbara Pym in celebration of her centenary year and that if we do we start with this one)
My Family and Other animals – Gerald Durrell
The Warden – Anthony Trollope
Persuasion – Jane Austen ( I may get a new clothbound edition of this for Christmas)
Should I, in a fit of reading mania – read all of those delightful books – there are I assure you plenty of others I may tag on to the end of the list.
So if you are thinking of joining in with my month of re-reading I would love to hear what you think you will read.
heavenali 
Oh! My Family and Other Animals!! I read this aloud to my children probably about eight years ago and then read it myself a couple of years later. I borrowed it from the library those times. When it was available at a library sale for 50 cents I bought it. What a wonderful book! I do need to reread this again soon. Maybe VERY soon.
It is a delightful book, looking fotward to it.
Some super books there Ali – particularly Miss Pettigrew! I shall certainly join in as much as I can!
Glad to have you on board.
What a wonderful list, Ali: I would happily read/re-read all and any of these! I really enjoy your blog.
Thank you. It does look like a good pile.
Too many books on my tbr, and this would clash with Reading Presently, but I’ll spread the word next time I do a Weekend Miscellany!
Thank you Simon ; )
Lovely list … hm … I did Jane Eyre last time; I think I’m moving towards my list but it’s not ready yet. Going to comb my TBR to see if there are any re-reads on their (i.e. G. Heyer!) and I want to do some travel or popular science books this time. Watch this space …
Love your list. Very hard to choose what to read but so far I’m thinking Rebecca, Wuthering Heights and Picnic at Hanging Rock. I’m reassured by your not disliking what was previously loved because that is probably my biggest worry.
They sound like great choices. I will be interested to hear how you get on.
I’ve not disliked anything I re-read last time, either, but I did change my opinion and reaction to some. It’s a fascinating exercise!
Love this idea! I’m a slow reader and I think I can only manage one re-read and so I’ve chosen…Pride & Prejudice! I’ve only read it once, when I was 17, and I’d love to read it now, twenty years later. I hope I like it as much now as I did back then.
Pride and Prejudice will be a wonderful re-read I’m sure. Hope you let me know what you think of it this time.
I adore rereading! I’m not joining, because I get squirmy when I join challenges, but just to say — have fun. 🙂
It’s a very gentle suggestion rather than a challenge as such – I’m the other half of the terrible twosome (only in literary terms, I hasten to add) and even I didn’t do all re-reading last time, and won’t be this time). It’s just a way to inspire people to revisit those old favourites! Let us know if you pick up anything to have a go with!
I am a huge proponent of re-reading, and had my own summer re-reading project this past year where I chose to re-read three favorites each month. Not everyone sees the value on re-reading, so I’m happy to see another reader who feels as I do!
[…] not sure that I’ll get to all these, but I’ll have fun trying! Ali’s picks are here, and do tell me if you’re going to take part yourself (you don’t have to dedicate the […]
I’ve made my selection now – it looks a bit daunting all in one pile … http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/a-month-of-re-reading-in-january-my-selection/
[…] Heavenali is hosting a month of re-reading in January – which I think is an admirable thing to do because as she rightly points out, “That […]
I am rather late posting but have actually been re-reading so hope I will be forgiven. I am new to blogging and all aspects of it but the idea of a month of re-reading is both appealing and daunting. I did make up a list for January and have posted it on my website http://www.readerwoman.com/?page_id=148
I hope I might manage to reread Some Tame Gazelle: your review was a reminder of the enjoyment it gave me on the first read. Thank you.
[…] I mentioned earlier this month, I was intending to drop into Ali’s Month of Re-reading when I could, and this book counts as a re-read – but also a new one, as I read the translation […]