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Forums - What book(s) would you read 100 times over?

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Datxomin
Level: 1
A friend surprised me with this question recently. I like to read and have gone through A LOT of books over the years, from sci-fi space operas to the high-fly literature of Nobel winners and down through history all the way to the classics. But when my friend asked, I could not name a single book that I would want to read 100 times. A few times over, sure. There are plenty and have already done so. But 100 times, to the point that I would know it by heart? None. Not one. How about you guys? Are you that much in love with any book(s)?
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10 years ago
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Rozsomak
Level: 1
When I was a child I lived abroad for a couple of years and I spent most of my free time alone as we had no internet, TV and I did not have any friends. I did not speak the local language when we arrived, so I could only read the books which we had home. I think in the first 2 years we only had about 30-50 books because of the moving and many of them were of no interestet to a child of 9. I ended up reading and re-reading those books which I found readable. Mostly historical romans and classics. I think I read most of them more than 100 times and yes, I new by heart my favourites. I re-read those books even now sometimes (to refresh my memory :). So, to answer your question, in my opinion, you do not read a book 100 times if you have other books available. There are too many good books. I re-read my favourites occasionally, every 2-3 years maybe but that will never reach a total count of 100 per book, I guess.
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10 years ago
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Datxomin
Level: 1
Give me some titles. I'm curious.
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10 years ago
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mysticfive
Level: 1574
I have been a huge fan of Tamora Pierce (fantasy author of two fantastic series, one based in the Realm of Tortall, the other in Emelan) since I was in 6th grade. I re-read her books at least once a year, and every time a new one comes out in either series! I have also bought all of her books that have been translated into Japanese (12 out of 28 haha). they were actually the first full-length books I ever read in Japanese, *because* I knew them so well - I knew that even if I didn't know every word/grammar pattern, I'd still know what was going on and thus learn those unknown things easier, and looking up words wouldn't break the flow of the story as much. I've probably read the first couple books at least 20-30 times by now, and still would gladly read again and again!!
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10 years ago
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Datxomin
Level: 1
That's an excellent point, mysticfive. There was a time, up until only 200 years ago, when a good personal library would contain no more than a dozen books. And many people learned Latin and Greek by rereading these few books. The bible alone is probably responsible for many language learning success stories. What a peculiar insight.
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10 years ago
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|マルコ|
Level: 110
Can I answer : "a japanese dictionary" ? ;D
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10 years ago
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Level: 1
I can't reread books. The clock ticks too loudly.
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10 years ago
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shirokitsune
Level: 1023
I don't know if I would read a book over and over but I have picked up all of the harry potter books in Japanese because I have read them in English and feel I know the story well enought that I could read the Japanese and understand with very little stoppage time to look up words.
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10 years ago
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じゅうり
Level: 1685
This should be "What books have you read 100 times over". I will read anything and everything containing words that gets close enough for me to see it. It used to be a running joke in my family that I'd even read the back of the cereal box at breakfast (and yes, I have). I love reading, and like Daxtomin, have read every genre available from sci-fi, fantasy, biographies, historical fiction, children's books, to most of the "classics". Case in point, a few years ago I read my way through the entire children's section at my local library. Yes, the ENTIRE section. My mainstays are mostly late 19th and early 20th century children's books, and I have a stable of favorites I read over and over.....and over...and over. Most of them are the same ones I discovered for myself in first and second grade. And still love today. Most are now considered classics but to me they're normal. Some examples: A Little Princess, Black Beauty, Heidi, Jane Eyre, Little Women, The Secret Garden, all of the Little House books, Anne of Green Gables, and many more. I don't even know how many times I've read the Betsy-Tacy books or the Green Knowe series or the Edward Eager Magic books. Many of these I've purchased in Japanese and will be working my way through them soon. I still can't believe I found translations of Tom's Midnight Garden and Daddy Long Legs! Lately I've been reading the classics. Wilkie Collins, George Gissing, of course Jane Austen, and Fanny Burney. And of course cookbooks. Don't know where I picked this odd habit up, but I enjoy reading cookbooks from the 1930s to the 1970s. Yes, reading. The ones from the 60s are hilarious, the ones from the late 70s are trippy, and the wartime ones are fascinating.
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10 years ago
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Rozsomak
Level: 1
Datxomin, sure. In which languages do you read?
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10 years ago
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miyukidesu
Level: 7
Z is for Zachariah.
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10 years ago
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iamdravenman
Level: 1
[quote author=mysticfive link=topic_id=6016&post_id=31827#rmsg_31827 date=1397416292]I knew that even if I didn't know every word/grammar pattern, I'd still know what was going on and thus learn those unknown things easier, and looking up words wouldn't break the flow of the story as much. [/quote] I've done this with a few books I love, and with books I don't love but used for reading practice all the same. In particular, and I know it's super cheesy, the Harry Potter books. Starting out I had no idea about most of the words, but after looking a few up, and getting into the flow, it didn't matter so much if I didn't know what the characters meant. I knew the story well enough. And often times, even if I hadn't seen the characters before, I could guess out of context. A more direct answer to the OP question, though, Ender's Game and all related books. The Tunnels books. Eragon, et all. And then other awesome stuff like the collected works of Poe and Hawthorne.
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10 years ago
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BaronvonBaron
Level: 64
If manga counts then Hajime no Ippo. But... considering it's over 1,000 chapters... reading that a 100 times over would mean reading 100,000 chapters.... Might not be possible in one lifetime, haha. There's a Sci-Fi series by Dan Simmons called Hyperion which is also a favorite of mine. Definitely worth a look.
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10 years ago
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Snowflake
Level: 558
I'm assuming, since this is Anything Goes, the book doesn't have to be Japanese or Japanese-related. Given that assumption, I'll go with a children's book called Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We got it when my son was little and we read it several times a day for many months (he liked the way I read it aloud). After that initial burst of readings, we'd pick it up maybe once a month or so for the next year or so, or often when his buddies came over to play. He even invited me to read it to his kindergarten class several times (they loved it as much as he did). It is a fun book to read aloud, because it can be read with a certain rhythm, making it almost sing-songy. I'm pretty sure I've read it [u]at[/u] [u]least[/u] 100 times :)). ((edited for spelling error))
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10 years ago
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lostinwakayama
Level: 1
[quote author=Snowflake link=topic_id=6016&post_id=32799#rmsg_32799 date=1399123764]I'm assuming, since this is Anything Goes, the book doesn't have to be Japanese or Japanese-related. Given that assumption, I'll go with a children's book called Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. We got it when my son was little and we read it several times a day for many months (he liked the way I read it aloud). After that initial burst of readings, we'd pick it up maybe once a month or so for the next year or so, or often when his buddies came over to play. He even invited me to read it to his kindergarten class several times (they loved it as much as he did). It is a fun book to read aloud, because it can be read with a certain rhythm, making it almost sing-songy. I'm pretty sure I've read it [u]at[/u] [u]least[/u] 100 times :)). ((edited for spelling error)) [/quote] I would have answered I would never read a book 100 times over, but I was under the assumption the question meant you would read it for yourself, which I wouldn't. Would I read something 100 times over with my daughter? Yes, and likely will, especially seeing as I will be the one to teach her English (she is half Canuck/half Japanese, and we live in Japan). I mean, of course she'll have other English teachers in her lifetime, but... seeing as I know what kids here are taught and around then, let's just say... it'll be old, old review. Unless this revamp of the English education system they're talking about here is a true revamp and not just... well, the government yabbering on again.
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10 years ago
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I would read poetry many times over. In a Japanese context, the works of Bashō are an example And Shakespeare...does someone have a recommendation for a good translation into Japanese?
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10 years ago
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[quote author=Snowflake link=topic_id=6016&post_id=32799#rmsg_32799 date=1399123764]I'm assuming, since this is Anything Goes, the book doesn't have to be Japanese or Japanese-related. Given that assumption, I'll go with a children's book called Chicka Chicka Boom Boom... it can be read with a certain rhythm, making it almost sing-songy. [/quote] ぴょちゃんとはりゆずみ is a Japanese book that sounds a bit like that. "チクチク トゲトゲ くりのいが”
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10 years ago
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mysticfive
Level: 1574
[quote author=marksu link=topic_id=6016&post_id=34032#rmsg_34032 date=1407739068]I would read poetry many times over. In a Japanese context, the works of Bash? are an example And Shakespeare...does someone have a recommendation for a good translation into Japanese?[/quote] I've read some Shakespeare in Japanese, but I haven't found a translation I'm really happy with - most of the translations I've tried really lose something, either they don't maintain the feeling of the verse etc of the original, or they're so loosely translated as to be almost something else entirely! If you find a good one, please let me know!
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10 years ago
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I will try to remember. I know that the standard German translation is so renowned that some German speakers insist it is better than the original!
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10 years ago
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Kyu-nei
Level: 32

Hehe

I read a lot, mostly anything. I don't know any Japanese but I can mildly understand it if it's in romaji.

If it's anything manga-related, there's this one manga called Owari no Serafu (Seraph of the End) that I love so much I know it by memory up to the latest chapter.

In English literature, I like classics such as Shakespeare and some translated works either in English or Spanish by Michael Ende, Cornelia Funke, and more classical authors whose names I cannot remember to save my life. I have also read some plays by Sophocles and I really like them. A very interesting thing about Shakespeare's plays is the insane amount of satire crammed within, which is very impressive and quite fun to read.

I am also constantly looking for more books and recommendations for things to read. It doesn't mater what genre or anything.

Well anyway, hi~

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3 years ago
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