I have a long list of books on my “to read” list. One challenge is deciding which books to actually read and whether to take the time to reread books that I thought were really terrific when I read them ages ago. Here are some books that decided not to reread because I’m just not drawn to them at this point in my life.
I’ve read Little Women by Louisa Mae Alcott a few times – first about 48 years ago when I was 12 years old. I loved this book then and wanted to be Jo, the independent writer who went off to the city to hone her craft. I enjoyed the story of the four March sisters and was impressed at how different they were and yet were able to come together. I didn’t have a sister, so it was interesting to see what I might have been missing! With each subsequent reading of the story, I have taken away more stars – the story is a bit saccharine, the characters seem a bit more like archetypes than people, and overall the story just was less enjoyable to me. Many people still love this book and I’m very happy for them – it’s great to have favorite books that allow you to escape to a different world. Unfortunately, this is no longer one of my favorites.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum are two childhood favorites that I do not feel drawn to reread at the moment. Perhaps my attachment to the books is due to the fact that I saw and loved the movies made from these books before I read the actual books. The movies had such an impact on me – and I still enjoy them. The books were sort of lost in the shuffle for me – unusual because I generally like the books better than the movies. Perhaps at some point, I’ll pick them up for a quick little treat, but for now, I’m moving on.
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel, Dune by Frank Herbert and Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice were really entertaining books. I enjoyed these books and their sequels very much. Each of these series created new worlds, societies, and cultures; each has its own perspectives and features. I think the books included well-written adventures in time that provided hours of entertainment. Yet, I don’t feel the need to revisit them. While they were entertaining, most did not have a broader message and or lessons to be learned, though Dune has some compelling themes related to the environment and politics that might be interesting to explore again. I may keep the Dune series on my shelf in case I change my mind but I think it may be time to donate the others so that more people can enjoy them.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and several by Edgar Allan Poe (The Fall of the House of Usher, The Purloined Letter, and The Pit and the Pendulum) are all really great stories and engaged me as the reader but this type of story is not my favorite genre, so once was enough for me! I think I’m going to put these into the donation box as well and free up space for other stories that are more in my wheelhouse.
How do you decide what to read, what to reread, and what to leave in the past?
How do you decide which books to pass along to a new home, e.g., donate?
