The Power of Rereading

When I look over my list of books to read and browse my “Books Worth Reading” board on Pinterest, it’s almost overwhelming to think about all the books there are in the world and what a small percentage I will actually get to read in my lifetime. (For reference, in the United States in 2011, nearly 300,000 books were published!!!) So far this year, I’ve put a concerted effort to focus on those awesome yet-to-be-read books that will make my world come alive.

But in the last week, it’s been books I’ve already read that have gotten my attention. These two books have come in very different forms, but it’s been refreshing to reflect on the power of rereading stories and the importance of taking a second look.

1. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

This is my third year reading Macbeth with my 10th graders, and each year I look at this play in a different light. The conversations and opinions of my students certainly influence me to look at characters in different ways, and ultimately, I come to the end of the unit with a completely new outlook on Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, and even Banquo than when I began. It’s also amazing to me how much more I understand with each rereading. I also love being able to quote lines without having to check the book. In other word, rereading continues to make me into an expert!

2. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

My good buddy Fran gave me this book way back in the good old days when we were college roommates. Having read Omnivore’s Dilemma, I devoured (haha- get it?) this book by local food expert Michael Pollan. In Defense of Food argues that what most of us eat on a regular basis is not, in fact, food, but “edible foodlike substances.” What follows is a well-crafted, fascinating argument for all of us to get back to eating real food in order to be healthier and happier people.

I’m still not done rereading this book, but it has given me a refreshing reminder of what it means to be a healthy eater. It has also inspired me to dive headfirst into making our vegetable garden the best it’s ever been- which is not a high bar, for the record. Taking a second look has been an inspiring start to spring, and it makes me excited for eating healthy summer food- not just foodlike substances!

Admittedly, I have not been the best reader lately, but rereading these two books, although for very different purposes, has reenergized me and made me feel excited for other books that I may read for the first of many times.

What books will you take a second look at this week to inspire and energize you?

March Recap

It’s finally spring, right? Sitting comfy cozy on my bed during a much-needed Spring Break, I feel so pleased when I look over the eight books I was able to make time to read this month.

Here’s a recap of the books I read this month:

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
2. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
3. David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Self Help by Lorrie Moore
5. America Again by Stephen Colbert
6. Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink
7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
8. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Favorite Fiction: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I read this as a recommendation of my friend Kirsten, and it was lovely. A great, quick read told from the perspective of a boy with autism and a mystery that changes his life forever. Fantastic!

Least Favorite Fiction: Self Help by Lorrie Moore. It was a little bit too “woe is me I’m a twenty-something living in NYC” for me. However, the reason I read the book in the first place fills my heart to the top: my college friends and I started an online book club and this was our second read. So fun to be able to connect through books, even when we all live in five different states and two different countries!

Favorite Non-Fiction: Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink. I hope I get a chance to blog about this book, because it really helped me think about eating in a different way. Everyone struggles with mindless eating- snacking even though you’re not hungry, eating just because food is there, munching because everyone else is. This book put a great perspective on how to use mindless eating to your advantage.

Least Favorite Non-Fiction: America Again by Stephen Colbert. This was a quick read, and a fun audiobook, but didn’t have a lot of meat to it. As could be expected from Colbert, this was more about cracking jokes than anything else.

Looking back on these reads, what’s most enjoyable for me is thinking about when I read them and who I got to read them with. I loved discussing Curious Incident with my tenth graders, who read it in ninth grade. I looked so forward to hanging out on Google+ with my book club buddies to discuss Self Help. I snuggled in on my airplane home from Florida to read Insurgent. I laughed, cried, and pondered about my audiobooks on my way to visit friends, drive home from work, and run errands.

Reading always seems to make life more enjoyable.