Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#11

Post by xamuel » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:35 PM UTC

The Bible (technically working on my 2nd cover-to-cover readthrough, but have read individual books in it many times, especially the Gospel of Matthew).

All of Kafka's novels, but especially "The Castle".

Several of PKD's novels: "The Man in the High Castle", "Through a Scanner Darkly", "Ubiq"

"The Silmarillion" (when I was a young adult)

Douglas Adams' "Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency" (when I was a teenager)

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#12

Post by snide » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:35 PM UTC

I read East of Eden every couple years. I find it settles me and makes me believe in the goodness of Humans every time I read it.

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#13

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:36 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#14

Post by madamelic » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:36 PM UTC

henrik_w wrote: post #7

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie

Yep. I would re-read it on a semi-regular basis as suggested.

I need to go back to it. Unfortunately my much loved copy (with highlights and underlines) was given to a family member so now I am left with my Kindle version.

I've also listened to the millennium version twice.

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#15

Post by tonyhb » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:38 PM UTC

"Island" - Aldous Huxley.

"Principles" - Ray Dalio.

"On the shortness of life" - Seneca.

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#16

Post by justinzollars » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:39 PM UTC

Jewish Wisdom for Business Success, Dune, Shoe Dog, On The Road

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#17

Post by trts » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:40 PM UTC

For many books that I find myself thinking about for years, or just that I enjoyed very much, I will revisit them later. They can be very revealing in how my perspective has changed or that I'll identify with completely different characters, or be awed by a passage that my earlier self overlooked.

Several that come to mind are

Heart of Darkness

Moby Dick

Robinson Crusoe

Pretty much any Chekhov story

Cathedral by Raymond Carver

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#18

Post by weka » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:41 PM UTC

The Count of Monte Cristo (Robin Buss version)

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#19

Post by navbaker » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:41 PM UTC

I tend to re-read my favorites every few years or so, my latest re-read was "A Deepness in the Sky" by Vernor Vinge. Lots to dig into in that book, but my favorite aspect of it is actually how he writes the two different cultures' points of view to skew the reader's perception of the (very) alien culture, only revealing exactly how uncomfortable humans would be around them late in the book.

Re: Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once?

#20

Post by LeoPanthera » Tue, Jun 09, 2020, 3:41 PM UTC

Douglas Adam's "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency".

Probably the finest work of fiction ever written, and my favorite book of all time. You kind of have to read it twice, the end completely changes the interpretation of the entire rest of the book. It's great.

Avoid spoilers, and also avoid the TV versions - not even the same story, and quite disappointing. The audiobook version, read by Douglas Adams himself, is sublime.