Books I'd love to reread

My problem with rereading is that I feel like I should be making progress when I read; learning about someone new, a new era, a new family. When I was little, I used to rewatch my favourite films and reread my favourite books over and over, and in fact I still do with films. I find it incredibly comforting. The difference I find is that with novels you are making a time investment. I don't have much spare time to spend reading and I've delved so little into the world of literature, so surely time should be discovering something new (which may later become an old favourite)?


However, I thought it might be fun to jot down a few of the books I'd love to reread if I had the time. Maybe when summer comes I might even treat myself and reread one of them!


The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis
I remember when I was in primary school, I had a brilliant English teacher, and she once read us an extract from the first book of the founding of Narnia (if I remember correctly.) Soon after that, my dad read them so me every night, and I remember loving them. It's so lovely to be completely lost in another magical world, and I really do miss that from my reading now.


Anna Karenina, Tolstoy
I think I will eventually reread this, but perhaps in five or ten years. I remember once when I was working at a book stall, talking to one of the others working there, and he said that he rereads Anna Karenina about once every ten years. I thought that was such a lovely thing, but like I said, I'm not sure I have the time to indulge myself right now.


The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
I thought this book was brilliant. I don't think a book has ever made me so depressed. But I thought that was an incredible feat - for a book to be able to make you really feel how the person is feeling. I remember there being really amazing passages, like one with the metaphor of a tree. That's what I find with Sylvia Plath, she'll be talking about something mundane and then suddenly the most incredible poetic brilliance comes out of her, that makes you understand everything. I'd just love to have the chance to remind myself of those passages.


Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder
 This one is a real comfort one. My mum used to read them to me (I think in between Narnia with my dad - good life I led!) but we never finished the books. Again I loved it because it's such a different world from mine. I think children's books are better at that - I find so many adults novels feel that they have to relate exactly to our lives and the world we live in.


I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
I just really loved this book, and I've now forgotten half of the story. I only remember snippets - like the stepmother running around a field dancing naked in the rain (to be honest that may not have even happened in the book, I might be mixing up various different scenes!) But I'd love to remind myself of that story and, as I said in my favourite characters post, one of my favourite narrators.