The Joy of Rereading

I have a number of books that I can happily return to, however many times I read them. In this short post I will share my top choices and briefly explain why.

A Christmas Carol – My favourite ever book and one I try to reread every Christmas. No other book encapsulates my favourite time of year better.

A Week in December – A state of the nation novel by Sebastian Faulks that seems to become more relevant every year. I read it as a precursor to my Christmas books every year and have done since it was published.

To Serve Them All My Days – A book I wrote about yesterday. It informed the type of teacher I wanted to become and, although I know every twist and turn of the story, it still makes me feel emotional and lifts my spirits.

The History Man – A satire by Malcolm Bradbury featuring Howard Kirk, a self serving and unpleasant sociology professor who demands personal loyalty from all around him whilst showing none himself. I first read this during my A Level English and my viewpoint about the characters changes at each stage of my life.

The Chronicles of Narnia – Mainly, it must be said, the first two, The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. They are marvellous comfort reads that take me right back to my childhood and I can’t wait to see the new Greta Gerwig film later this year.

Merry Christmas Sleepover Club – This was a book I read to my children every year and it holds precious memories of the joy of sharing books. I have my own copy now and I read it every year to remind me of some of my favourite times of being a parent.

Happy rereading everyone!