<story><title>On the Joy of Reading Slowly</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/02/i-want-to-savour-every-word-the-joy-of-reading-slowly</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>abhaynayar</author><text>This, plus reading great books more than once.&lt;p&gt;The idea of reading a book a second time was repulsive when I had never done it before. But once I tried it, I realized that it is a much better use of my time and I get many more insights the second time around. I&amp;#x27;d rather read an amazing book again, than waste my time on mediocre books just to say I read a lot of books.&lt;p&gt;Reading a lot of books is overrated. Reading great books is underrated.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>scarecrowbob</author><text>There are several reasons why I agree, but I want to elaborate on one specifically.&lt;p&gt;I believe almost all &amp;quot;meaning&amp;quot; comes from context.  The process of reading a book is part of the process of developing a context for a story.  When we come back to the book&amp;#x27;s beginning again, we are experiencing that same work in a new context.  Often that new context provides elements in the text I may have missed on the first read-through&lt;p&gt;And, further, when I return to books with new life experiences their context has changed again, sometimes radically: reading King&amp;#x27;s &amp;quot;The Shining&amp;quot; as a preteen was very different than reading through it as a twice-divorced alcoholic with two grown children.&lt;p&gt;In my understanding, some texts allow for that return better than others.&lt;p&gt;Some texts are complex, in that they can speak deeply to us in many ways based on the varied contexts in which we approach them, and that&amp;#x27;s much of how I value the books I value.</text></comment>
<story><title>On the Joy of Reading Slowly</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/dec/02/i-want-to-savour-every-word-the-joy-of-reading-slowly</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>abhaynayar</author><text>This, plus reading great books more than once.&lt;p&gt;The idea of reading a book a second time was repulsive when I had never done it before. But once I tried it, I realized that it is a much better use of my time and I get many more insights the second time around. I&amp;#x27;d rather read an amazing book again, than waste my time on mediocre books just to say I read a lot of books.&lt;p&gt;Reading a lot of books is overrated. Reading great books is underrated.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>sorokod</author><text>I commented elsewhere that rereading a book can be compared to revisiting a certain landscape. After a wery long time I am rereading &amp;quot;A Study In Scarlet&amp;quot;, the very first Sherlock Holmes story. Just from the first few chapters some things I have not noticed or perhaps forgot:&lt;p&gt;* Watson is an Afghanistan veteran&lt;p&gt;* The London borough of Holborn is referred to as &amp;quot;the Holborn&amp;quot; (no idea why)&lt;p&gt;* Watson and Holmes are flatmates, they share an apartment as they can&amp;#x27;t afford to live solo - some things don&amp;#x27;t change.&lt;p&gt;* The word &amp;quot;ejaculate&amp;quot; did some cultural traveling over the years.</text></comment>