Joanna and I were discussing our favorite books recently, and Joanna mentioned a few books she liked so much she has read them multiple times. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book more than once. Why is that? The short answer is: I don’t have time.

The longer answer is that I have many books I absolutely love. I keep a small collection of my favorites on the bookcase in my living room. I would like to read them again, but many of my favorites – Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc.- are over 900 pages long. So the chances of me finding time to read that many pages on a short period of time is slim. I might set aside the needed time, but my list of “want to read” is very long. So I choose to discover a new story instead.

I may like the new book, or I may not. It might get donated, or I might find room for it with my other favorites. Perhaps I will think of my bookcase as a collection of stories for a future day when my obligations are less and my free time is greater.

Do you read books multiple times? If so, what books are they? Please share in the comments.