This is one of those fears that always lurks in the back of my mind when I stand contemplating my shelves of read books. There are so many dearly loved volumes there, but many I love based on how I felt reading them years – or even decades – ago. I’m an entirely different person now, and my worldview is constantly shifting. I’ve had experiences I didn’t have an inkling of back then, and I understand a lot more about the world and human nature. I’d like to believe that my taste in books transcended these things, but I know that it didn’t. This fear is particularly intense when I’m considering books I read as a child, because not only is all of this true, but stories that were immersive back then are now a bit simplistic and lack the depth I need to really lose myself in a story these days.
That said, I have re-read a few books in the past couple of years that have lived up to my memory, or even exceeded it. So there is hope that at least some of these will stand the test of time!
   
   
   
   
   
  
That’s it for me this week! Which books stood out for you this week? Have you read any of the books on my list, and if you first read them a while ago, have you re-read them? If so, did they hold up? If not, do you also harbour a fear that they might not?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I just reread the audiobook of Good Omens featuring David Tennant and Michael Sheen and it was just as awesome as I remembered it. 😀
I think I have that one! I’ve been saving it for a rainy day…. perhaps I ought to give it ago before Spring is over! Thanks for the reminder!
Jane Eyre is my favorite novel. That one I’ve read many times, and could read many more times. Catcher in the Rye…that’s a book I only needed to read once. 😀
Hahahaha! You have summed it up, just perfectly.
I adored the Trixie Belden series as a child. I had a few of the older (original??) copies on the shelves of my childhood bedroom. I read those books over and over. When I went to our local library and discovered the rest of the series, I devoured them.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/the-cs-have-it-ten-titles-starting-with-c/
Oh I loved her so much! When I was a kid the libraries only had Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, and I just didn’t connect to Nancy’s coordinated outfits and zippy sportscar and perfect boyfriend. It just was not for me. I much preferred Trixie’s bob cut and dungarees and enjoyment of getting mucky! I wish I’d had access to the whole series – I had a few books my friends and I cobbled together from visiting every second hand and antique store we passed, and we passed them around until they were literally falling apart. I had mostly the old hardcovers as well! I want to read them now and try to find the ones I couldn’t get my hands on as a kid, but I know they won’t be enjoyable now and it won’t be the same. Ah well, such is life! I’m so pleased to know that so many other people were reading them when they were kids as well!
I loved Trixie Belden too, but I know we’ve both outgrown her.
Haha I do appreciate your bluntness! And, as always, I know you are right.
I think I’ll always love JANE EYRE. It’s just timeless for me. I recently read a book that starred Jane and was kind of a gentle spoof of the book. It was fun to laugh at some of the book’s ridiculousness 🙂
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I loved my experience of reading it, I’m worried that now I’ll just be criticizing it in my head! What was the gentle spoof book? That might be a good companion read if I do decide to go for it! Happy TTT to you as well!
It’s called PLAIN JANE by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows. It’s a fun YA alternate history book that kept me thoroughly entertained 🙂
Oooooh thank you so much! It’s on the TBR!
Trixie Belden is about all my mom would buy for me. She loved mysteries, and so she wanted me to love them, too. I am quite certain Trixie Belden would be a disappointment.
I keep thinking about rereading Good Omens since I loved it so much long ago.
Oh lucky you! (Unless you only got Trixie and wanted other books, in which case I’m sorry to hear that!) I remember that they weren’t in print when I was a kid, so my friends and I would scour second hand and antique stores looking for copies of them. I only found about five or six of them, battered, well-loved copies that were falling apart. There are still many I never read! I wish I could have read the entire series when I was a kid because I loved them so much. But I know you’re right! I want to re-read Good Omens as well – it’s been about 15 years since I last did! Let me know if you decide to and I’ll join you!
I rarely reread books – I find it too difficult to resist new ones – but if I did I’m 100% sure I wouldn’t be disappointed if I read Jane Eyre again. In fact, you’ve tempted me to go and look for my battered old copy.
I didn’t used to either, but since I started listening to audiobooks sped up I find that reading a book is a much smaller commitment of time, so I have been re-reading a little bit more. It’s also fun to listen to a book I read on the page last time and compare the experiences! Jane Eyre was one of the first books I stayed up until 4am to finish when I was a teenager. I loved that reading experience – hence my worry about re-reading! I do think I should, though. Let me know if you do decide to give it another try – maybe I’ll join you!