I am sure this answer varies, and some may not ever read a book more than once, but I can think of exactly three books that I keep on repeat. Let’s have a look, shall we?

The first book is Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion.

I have no idea why this is, but Joan Didion calms me. She makes me see the world differently and more perceptively. STB is a collection of essays published in 1968 and serves as a portrait of the United States in the late 1960s, particularly California, Didion’s native state.

My favorite essays in this collection:

Goodbye to All That where Didion writes of falling out of love with New York City, like she realized her time there was finished. I related to this essay as I, too, once fell out of love with NYC. Rather, I knew I did not want to spend my life there. Her words are woeful, wistful, melancholy, resolved.

Notes from a Native Daughter is another favorite. This one speaks to me for different reasons and less relatable ones. Didion writes about the California that we rarely hear about or think of when we think of the sunshine state. It altered my perspective.

There are several others I could call favorites, but I am drawn to the ones about the social unraveling of that particular time. The tone is ominous through the book, but it comforts me in a strange way. People such as Joan Didion came through that particularly dark time in history, so maybe there’s hope for those of us today. STB sits on my nightstand. I own a hard copy, a Kindle version, and the audiobook, narrated by Diane Keaton. Call me strange, but I like having multiple forms. I don’t know. All I can say is that STB comforts me.

The next book that I re-read is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

This started more as an experiment. I didn’t get this book when I read it in high school. It still didn’t do anything for me when I read it again in college. I was probably in my late 30s or early 40s when I picked it up again after watching the movie – the original one starring Robert Redford. When I read it as an adult, all I could think was how could I hate this book? It’s fabulous! A masterpiece!

TGG is a novel about wealth, class, the American dream – what it is and what it can never be. Disenchantment, a delusion you might say. This is such an important novel, though to fully appreciate it, you really have to dive a bit deeper. On the surface it’s about a bunch of annoying rich people and rich wannabes, but there is so much more.

I think I initially hated this novel because it was forced on me. Frankly, I may not have even read the whole thing in high school. I read it again when each of my children had to read it in high school – neither loved it. Shocking, I know. All in all, I think this book requires one to have lived a bit of life in order to fully appreciate it. Most high school students and even those in college simply aren’t there yet. I’ve read Gatsby so many times now that it feels like an old friend, one that I am always ready to sit down with and catch up over a hot cup of coffee.

The last book that I re-read is The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I can not convey to you how much I adore this book. Ivan is a gorilla who lives in a cage in a shopping mall. The book is told from Ivan’s point of view, and there are few characters in literature that I adore as much as I do Ivan.

This book will make you laugh and cry and scream out in anger, but mostly it leaves you with feelings of hope. It’s a simple book, with simple language. I read it to my children several times, and then I picked it up last year and read it again by myself. It’s a book that gets more beautiful every time I read it.

Children’s books are some of my favorites to re-read. They’re usually easy, and I can get through them quickly. They charm me and remind me of the good in the world, and they often help me view the world through a more innocent child-like lens. If you’re an adult and have never tried children’s books, I highly recommend that you give it a go. It’s kind of life-altering.

I suppose the answer to the question I posed in the title – What’s the point in re-reading a book? – is that it comforts me. It’s an enjoyable experience that I can count on. I am definitely a person who thrives on novelty. I take different routes. I like change. I like new experiences. I hate to admit this, but at times I get bored. Routine makes me feel caged. However, sitting down with a book that I know I love is one of my favorite things on earth. I am a voracious reader. I love new books and the excitement of reading something new, but don’t ever tell me I can’t re-read an old familiar favorite. It’s a simple pleasure that I will never give up!

What about you? Do you re-read books? If so, what’s a favorite?