The debate over rereading books vs moving on: where do you stand?

I was at a used bookstore last Tuesday flipping through a beat-up copy of 'Stoner' when the owner said something that stuck with me. He said 'people who reread books are just avoiding new pain.' That hit weird because I've always been a rereader, but lately I wonder if he's right. Do you think rereading a book that broke you is a way to heal or just a way to stay stuck in something familiar?

2 comments

2 Comments

faithj106d ago

Rereading a book is like visiting an old friend who already knows your secrets. That bookstore owner was wrong, it's not about avoiding new pain, it's about sitting with the old pain and understanding it better. Some books hit you different each time because you're different. I've reread 'The Bell Jar' four times now and each time I find something new to hold onto. Ever had a book change for you like that on a second read?

haydenburns6d ago

Oh man, @faithj10 that's exactly it. I've learned to pick up a book again when I'm in a totally different headspace, like waiting for a big life change or after something rough happens. It's wild how a line you skimmed before can hit you like a ton of bricks the second time around.