Hello,

Have you ever re-read a book and felt like you were reading it for the first time?

Recently, my fiancé and I decided to re-watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. We watched The Fellowship of the Ring on a Saturday, The Two Towers the next day, and then The Return of the King the following Sunday. It had been I don’t know how long since I or we had last watched them, but we enjoyed them even more this time around. After we had watched them, I decided to start re-reading the book. I had first read it something like 14 years ago and I usually leave long gaps in-between re-reading books. Although, most of the time when I try to re-visit an old favourite, I end up reading a new book instead. But when I started re-reading Lord of the Rings, I realised one thing pretty quickly.

I could not remember a majority or indeed ANY of the book.

As I realised this, I was keener than ever to keep reading, and I am now enjoying the book and it’s as if it were my first time reading it. I almost feel bad for not remembering anything from the first time around. But when I think about it, I don’t really remember enjoying the book that much at first reading. I read it on the bus to work, before bed, and took long breaks in-between reading (Years in fact). Now, I’m reading a chapter each time I sit down. I am making comparisons to the films, which I think is a natural thing to do. Still, I am excited to keep reading a book I thought I’d already experienced.

Have you ever felt that way?

And if so, did you put the book down and start another one? Or carry on with the one you had chosen?