Not including short story collections, poetry collections, anthologies, etc.
For me, I believe it’s *Oroonoko* by Aphra Behn because it was on the syllabus for three different classes that I took in college. Other than that, the most I’ve read a single book is twice, and that was *Telegraph Avenue* by Michael Chabon. I’ve read *Dracula* 1.5 times. Didn’t finish it the second time around.
by Neckties-Over-Bows
32 Comments
1984 two times. Once in school (maybe watched the movie for the last part of the summary) and one time after
I have read Ender’s Game over 20 times
Dune, The Hobbit, The Time Machine.
Not sure how many times I’ve read them, but several each.
Harry Potter because it used to be a huge comfort read. I don’t even know how many times I’ve read it. I re-read them every time a new book came out. And for a long time I re-read the series every year though it’s been several years now since I picked them up again.
Darkness at Noon by Koestler
The Hobbit. I’ve read it once a year for the past 20 years-ish. May be one of the best story books ever written. It’s fantastical to read, but paints such an amazing and complex story with characters that are absolutely timeless. Just an unbelievably cute and fun book to read.
Money by Martin Amis
I’ve read *City of Thieves* by *David Benioff* 8 times
Noble House by James Clavell. My dad gave it to me when I was 13 and it became an annual read for me.
I read Harry Potters many times as a kid, I can’t remember how many times. Enough to memorise entire paragraphs. Since I was a kid while it was being written and released, and even after the release we needed to wait a little longer for the translation, it made sense to reread the previous books.
Other than that I think my most reread book is Pride and Prejudice. There’s something so comforting about this book that when I’m overwhelmed with life, I find myself having gone back to it. I found a similar comfort in Tenant of Wildfell Hall, so I think that book will also be reread many times in the future.
Either Camus’ The Stranger or Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
I love novellas, they’re my two favorites. I read them both very young originally, and made efforts to read them again as I have gotten older because my perspective has changed. I can happily say that each read through experience is different, and that every decade or so it’s surprising which of the two my perspective has changed more from last time or over time.
Illusions: the Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. Read it often and have gifted copies to many friends and family.
The Long Walk – Richard Bachmann/Stephen King
i who have never known men. it’s just such a beautifully written book and every time i read it, i discover something new. it also always leaves me feeling hopeful and thankful.
*The Hobbit*, starting when I was about eight years old (nearly 50 years ago). It would be *LOTR* but it’s a lot longer, and I got to a point where I didn’t need to start at the beginning, I can just open a book at random and start reading. Otherwise *Dune*, which needs at least three readings to start getting everything.
Short Stories Anthology of Hemingway. Had it so long I come back to random stories. And this book from Time Magazine I ordered 85 years of Great Writing. Random articles selected and sorted by topic, business, social life, art, medical ne, National Experience, etc. That deal with History. I can read random articles. Amazing book
I’ve read The Dark Tower series 3 times and am planning a fourth with a friend this summer.
I’ve read Moby Dick 5 times (always skip the Cetology chapter).
The Hobbit many times.
Little Blue Truck, probably 1500 times or more.
The Lord of the Rings, all three books, stopped counting when I passed 145
Bible would be #1 and then 48 laws of power,33 strategies of war,I’ve read them all at least 15 times
Probably The Blue Castle. Anne of Green Gables and I Capture the Castle are up there though.
I, Claudius and Claudius the god by Robert Graves.
I have read each of these at least 5 times.
The Princess Bride. I first read it to myself, then I read it to a boyfriend many years ago and more recently I read it to my child. The next would be Stardust which I first read several years ago and then read to my child a few years ago.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
I agree if used in a strictly offensive abrasive manner it could be used to hurt,but since the beginning of written word the same thing could be said for a lot of literature I really tried to consciously use the writing of b Robert Greene especially as A Manuel to spot the strategies of potential enemies
wuthering heights! i’ve read it 3 times! which is a lot for me because i don’t care for re-reading personally haha
Sense and Sensibility. My all time favourite book that I read every year over Christmas
Wheel of Time. The entire series, though I usually quit around Knife of Dreams (book 11 of 15-ish). Near the end, the series takes a nosedive, quality-wise IMO, Jordan died and Sanderson finished it. Apparently I’m one of the few who hates the Sanderson books, so I’ve only read his books once.
I’ve been reading the series for 25-ish years. I finish it, give it about 6 months, then find myself picking up the first book and reading it all again. I have the series on audiobook and listen to it on road trips as well.
A Confederacy of Dunces
Harry Potter
I had to think long & hard about this because there are many books I’ve reread several times. But the most reread has probably been Tyrell by Coe Booth.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by the late great Douglas Adams who is more commonly known for his Hitchhikers Guide t the Galaxy series.
Though to be truthful, I’ve never read it. I have always listened to it on audio read by the author. My first encounter with it was an abridged version which was still quite decent, whoever abridged it did a good job. After the second Dirk Gently book came out unabridged, I had a nice letter exchange with his assistant asking about when the first book would get released unabridged on audio. Long story short, when the contract for the abridged version ran out.
Maybe The Outsiders. It was one of the first I read as a kid that I really loved and it’s short enough to come back to everyone once in awhile.