And Now to Revisit

For many readers nothing — or little — compares to a newly acquired or even a freshly reviewed older book.

In Ngaio Marsh's excellent mystery Night at the Vulcan the story revolves around a new play titled Thus to Revisit. I don't really want to go into the plot of this interesting mystery (it is one of my favorites in the Ngaio March library) but to recall the title as it refers to Bertha's bookish instincts.

Those of us who are "readers," as my best critical copy reader described herself, are usually eager to find an unread book, new or otherwise.

Some of us of course will from time to time revisit books we have read. It is something we all should do from time to time.

When I was ten or twelve years old I was given matching copies of Mark Twains best-known books, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I eventually read them both, but only discovered years later how much I had missed, probably because the books, especially Huckleberry Finn, were not aimed at the ten- or twelve-year-old audience. When I read while in college that Huckleberry Finn should not be read by preteens or even teens, because then perhaps the book would be read later by more understanding reader, I dug out my copy and discovered that while I had enjoyed much of it, I had understood only a little.

These two — and many others — are worth revisiting.

Years ago I read somewhere that any book worth reading was worth reading three times. I'm not really sure what sort of book is truly "worth reading," but I have reread many books. Sometimes this is surprising.

My roommate in high school during part of my sophomore year was reading Nicholas Monsarrat's The Cruel Sea during study hall. I think during that same period he read The Caine Mutiny. These were a little beyond a person who haunted the used book stores and bought new books only out of necessity and when affordable. I didn't read The Cruel Sea until some years later when I was in a GI hospital. Some time later I found of copy a purchased it. And, although I was a young man when I first read it, I found that I hadn't really grasped much beyond enjoying an adventure story.

Many books which are found in the "young reader" racks in libraries and book stores where originally written for adult readers, or if not, should have been. Quite a few of these may have a depth beyond immature readers, while still providing entertainment.

Some books/authors that always merit return engagements — or first tries:
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte), any or all of the Anne of Green Gables series, (L.M. Montgomery) anything by Herman Wouk, likewise any novel by Kenneth Roberts, Walter D. Edmonds, mysteries by (among others) Ngaio Marsh, Agatha Christie Philip MacDonald (The List of Adrian Messenger, etc.) and many more, including the often missed spy stories of Manning Coles. I'm running out of time, but will return to this later.

Of course all of these are among my favorites.

jmdl

Bertha's Books and Bookery takes on novels

Like my best critical reader I am a "Reader." That is I like to read: newspapers and magazines, the (sometimes garbage but sometimes really good) stuff that shows up on the internet. I probably have far too many subscriptions.

But most of all, I like to read books. A book that is so slight that I have no interest in dipping into again, soon winds up on the shelves of out church's thrift store. On the other hand I can be pretty selective, mostly selective enough to find books that will allow for rereading. Mostly I ration my rereadings so that I won't get worn out with favorite titles.

What do I like?

Various. I have some westerns, some mysteries, some Sci-Fi (here I am very selective) some mainstream (including historical) fiction and some "serious stuff," like history, comment, even some religious stuff, to include but not to be limited to, Bibles. And of course there is the public library.

Books, if you are a bookish person, become old friends. If you have been adequately selective in your purchases, there will be a few that you can read anytime. Times, maybe, when you're a little out of sorts — have the blahs — and want to read something that may help change your attitude. I have several.

They range from things like James Hilton's Goodbye Mr. Chips, which is quite short and almost always satisfying, to tome-like longer things like Kenneth Roberts' mammoth, engrossing and fascinating American Revolution tale Oliver Wiswell.

Roberts, within the historical eras he selected is, to my mind the best; and the listed novel perhaps the finest American historical piece. His research, as far as I can tell, was complete and without flaws. He had the ability to insert his characters into history and develop an exciting, often intriguing, historical novel, without having to modify in any way the historical events which set the stage for the story. Few novelists try to take that course because, I think, it is far easier to make little modifications (in the facts) than to make the characters fit into the existing historical record. Anyway, Roberts' books are old, old friends, and even after repeated readings have the ability to surprise me.

Another good one is Walter D. Edmonds, particularly his Drums Along the Mohawk, the story of the Revolutionary War in New York's Mohawk Valley. A very accurate and satisfying book.

But there are many escape channels via printed reading matter. "Readers" should sometimes revisit the books they first encountered as children. Some of the books, read at 10 or 12 years old or so, release new secrets when read as an adult. Tom Sawyer was entertaining — fun — when I read it a 10 or 12 but more delightful years later, even though I had read the story a number of times before consigning it more or less permanently to the books shelves.

And there are "children's" books which may have originally been written for adults. I cannot imagine any youngster getting the kick out of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables I did reading it as a "mature" adult.

I think I'm starting to babble a bit here, so maybe I should quit while I'm ahead or at least not too far behind.

jmdl