I was reading a post by R.J. Gibson about his rereading a particular book and got to thinking about which books or book I most frequently reread and I was surprised to realize it is not a book of poems.
The book is Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. I believe he is making a living these days as a motivational speaker.
I bottom out pretty badly from time to time, and when I am in the unhappy place I tend to reach for this book. Can’t explain why. I must find hope, solace, a mirror of my own misery … not sure I need to know why it takes care of me. It works and that’s what matters.
Which book or books, poetry or otherwise, do you find yourself rereading?
P.S. Hollywood managed to turn the story into a steaming pile of shit when they made it into a movie.
9 comments:
Funny, now that I'm retired, I spend my time catching/keeping up, rather than rereading.
Here's a question: What book have you started most often without ever finishing?
Ha! That's a great question Bill.
I can think of a couple right off the bat. The Bow and the Lyre, and The Book of Disquietude.
I blame the later on small print and too much available beer.
Like Bill, I'm too busy trying to read people I've never read before to reread, but I guess the books I've most often returned to are Whitman's Song of Myself and Roethke's Words for the Wind.
I always find myself returning to three Shambhala Pocket Classics:
Cold Mountain by Han Shan
translated by Burton Watson
Tao Teh Ching by Lao Tzu
translated by John Wu
Letters to a Young Poet by Rilke
translated by Stephen Mitchel
Why? When I get burned out trying to be patient with so much contemporary poetry, its always nice to return to these voices that continue to resonate through time and stay fresh.
Loren, I hear you re: Roethke.
I never get tired of Dolor, Root Cellar, and have already sworn my undying love of The Far Field on your site.
Brent, no man is ever wholly free
his first love, no matter who she be. Oh, was there ever a sailor free to choose who did not settle near the sea?
Know what I mean?
Herm...I tried this once before and I lost the post. So let me try this again.
Re-readable fiction:
Truman Capote's "Short Stories" and "The Muses are Heard."
Peter Cameron: Collected short stories, and "The Weekend"
Alice Munro: "The Beggar Maid."
Jayne Anne Phillips: "Black Tickets."
Poetry
Linda Gregg: "Chosen by the Lion."
Jack Gilbert: "The Great Fires."
James Schuyler: "Collected Poems."
Charles Wright: "Black Zodiac."
There are more that I go back to often...especially if I'm trying to finesse a tricky point in my own writing, but these are the main ones I go back to repeatedly for pleasure.
I like your question very much. I'm lazy. I reread the books I have in the house. Turtle Island by Gary Snynder is one that I don't mind picking up again. When I had Whitman's Song of Myself, I read and reread it. I may have to venture out to buy another copy.
RJ, always getting me off track. I already have Meadowlands coming through the public library, and now I have to look more closely at Schuyler. Thanks for the suggestions.
Hi Robin, nice to connect with you and thanks for coming by.
My son is named Whitman, after you know who. So he's a favorite in our house as well.
Found you via Robin Andrea...and the post made me realize I haven't re-read much in a long while. Time to dig in deeper.
Most recent one that comes to mind is Beckett's Molloy. Longer times ago, The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich, Desert Solitaire by Ed Abbey.
But, re: Bill's great and funny Q, what have I started most often without ever finishing?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I just can't seem to get past the first few sentences without losing my focus and wandering away.
*sigh*
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