h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love re-reading books, new ones, old ones. Especially when I've just bought a new book, I tend to read it really fast to try and find out the storyline and what happens to the characters. When I've finished I'll read it again, but concentrating on what is said more. It means that I can read it again and again, which is great.

So my question, why do thing re-reading books is so bad?

Re-reading books on its own isn't bad - in fact, I enjoy it, because, as you say, you can often read a lot deeper into the story - but when you have *only* reread books that you've read before, and you haven't read a new one for the best part of a year, it's not a good state of affairs.

Basically, what it comes down to is a reluctance to try new things... or to take a chance (you might find something new that you like, or you might spend several days reading a book you don't enjoy). I missed out on a lot of good stories because of my reading habits... now thankfully corrected. I do, however, still read books a few times if I enjoy them - but only when I've got nothing else to read.

Hope that answers your question (and thanks for taking an interest )!

26199

I suppose your right, I do tend to stick to the same authors that I've been reading for ages and don't try anyone new.

I try to experiment with new authors, but intersperse (sp? - doesn't look right) them with old favourites. I'll never make the same mistake as I made last summer. I took a whole series of books, of which I'd only just started reading the first. First was mainly OK (not great), but it went downhill after that. Now I'm not the fastest reader in the world, but I'd expected to get through a few books on holiday, however it turned out I only read about 2 or 2 and a half. Very disappointing. I had to struggle through most chapters.

So now, I'll always have an old favourite on standby.

Apart from that I re-read old favourites in order to save some money. I ask for long lists of books for christmas and birthdays and I don't think I've had to buy a book for myself in at least five years.

Sounds about right to me. Currently, actually, I'm planning on reading a whole load of non-fiction in my particular area of interest, that being computing. I'm now reading a book on how computers play chess, and quite good it is too...

Not as good as the Gödel book, though.

Interestin' to see someone else with a name consisting in the main part of numbers... is there a story behind yours? There's a story behind mine, but - as I'm quite fond of saying - it isn't a very good one

26199

Re name and numbers:

Yup story - bad one. But I'm kinda used to using it.

Easy to sign e-mails/postings too!

88425 (..and then we opened the microwave. Bad move!)

Yeah... I quite like using 26199... it's gradually encroaching upon all my non-h2g2 names...

In fact, you can look me up in ICQ, reckon I must be the only 26199 there...

Try putting 26199 into your favourite search engine - chances are this homepage'll be near the top if not at the top...

'S quite cool

26199

I used to have another name - but it was more insulting, so I've kept with this. To make a good impression, you understand. I'm just one of the new people around here, after all...