I’ve spent a lot of time lately getting rid of things. I’ve also done a lot of looking at Shiny Objects, variously constituted: new books, new clothes, new furniture, new shoes.
And then I thought, my goodness, Sara, if you would pull yourself away from the screen, you would see that there are many, many things that you still have around. Perhaps it would be a good idea to remind yourself of why, say, Blanche McCrary Boyd and that one pair of Fluevog boots survived the recent purges.
In the context of fashion blogs, wearing clothing one already owns, but in different combinations than one has previously attempted, is known as a wardrobe remix. I’m attempting to approach my bookshelves the same way. I haven’t stopped reading new books — that would be impossible. But I’m mixing it up: making sure the endless onslaught of new titles is balanced by a reconsideration of some that I already decided I liked enough to acquire. And especially if it’s been a long time since my last reread, I’m effectively coming to the rereads fresh.
Sometimes a reread is comforting. Sometimes it makes you see how much you’ve changed. Sometimes it functions to return you to the time and place you read the book first.
What have you reread lately, and how did it strike you?