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Great books you've read so long ago that you can barely remember them.

Cainkane1

Philosopher
Joined
Jul 16, 2005
Messages
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Location
The great American southeast
I'm 62 and when I was a child I avidly read "David Copperfield, Silas marner, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, several books by Isaak Asimov and many many others. It has been so many years that if I read these works again it would probably be almost like the first time. Anyone else in here have the same experience?
 
Yeah, there was that one... with the guy... in Russia, or Germany... maybe it was England?

But seriously... I have purchased books that I forgot I already own.
 
You read those on purpose? I think most people were probably assigned those and just skimmed and read the Cliff's Notes.
 
You read those on purpose? I think most people were probably assigned those and just skimmed and read the Cliff's Notes.
I rarely used CN, but I read fast - and unless a book is pointless, I rarely forget it. I still remember reading David and the Phoenix in 4th grade 9ca.'56) (5 or 6 seats back in my row, back to windows). But then, I learned about convection currents in 5th grade (seat by windows, windows to right six back. Also the year I visited the State Museum (with a Mummy +) on field trip, learned what you can do interesting with a D-cell and a stretched out spring from a ball point pen (Branded!!) and clay pigeons (great grenades for playing War!). That year I went heavy on SF reading. Non-Dellian robots.
(Do you know what it's from and how one occurs?)
 
You read those on purpose? I think most people were probably assigned those and just skimmed and read the Cliff's Notes.
.
Young whippersnapper!
Why, in my day, Cliff Notes wasn't around, nor even Classic Comics!
We had to... after licking the road in front of house clean so we could walk 5 miles to school in deep snow, uphill BOTH ways.. actually get the books and read them ourselves!
 
I must reread many things. Faulkner's "Old Man" for instance, which is a flood of words very like the raging Mississippi it describes. Reading it is exhaustive and rewarding.
 
These days I forget pretty well everything inside three days anyway.
I was actually reading a book this week, got 2/3 through, left it by my bed and completely forgot it till I stubbed my toe on it. I'm ashamed to admit it was "The Last Theorem" by Clarke & Pohl.
 
The Day of the Triffids. It was the first "adult" book I read when I was a kid, and it's always stayed with me. Now that you've reminded me, I'm going to get it from the library and read it again!

Thanks!
 
I'm 62 and when I was a child I avidly read "David Copperfield, Silas marner, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, several books by Isaak Asimov and many many others. It has been so many years that if I read these works again it would probably be almost like the first time. Anyone else in here have the same experience?
Same age - but for me, most books do not change on re-reading though I may get more from them. I have reread and enjoyed books I read when under ten and still could find pleasure in them. Adult level books the same.
 
I read Huck Finn 58 years ago this Spring and remember almost all of it. I read some book about a cemetery in the South a couple years back and I can't even remember the title though I think it was a best seller. Quality keeps.
 
I'm 25 and I haven't read Poe or most of my classic Greek since I was eight or ten. I used to be able to tell you all the major gods and their relations, and recite Poe. Can't anymore. Now I have to go find my old Poe books.
 
Yeah, there was that one... with the guy... in Russia, or Germany... maybe it was England?

But seriously... I have purchased books that I forgot I already own.

LOL I know how you feel. I usually give them away as extra christmas gifts on top of the real gift.
 
I'm 25 and I haven't read Poe or most of my classic Greek since I was eight or ten. I used to be able to tell you all the major gods and their relations, and recite Poe. Can't anymore. Now I have to go find my old Poe books.

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take they stoop from off my door!

The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed . . . not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in heaven, and all things in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken, and observe how how calmly, how healthily, I can tell you the whole story.

I went through a Poe phase in high school. :blush:
 
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take they stoop from off my door!

The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed . . . not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in heaven, and all things in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How then am I mad? Hearken, and observe how how calmly, how healthily, I can tell you the whole story.

I went through a Poe phase in high school. :blush:
The best Poe has the Harry Clarke illustrations. He has it cold!! and Dead!!
 
My Father's Dragon - I read it a gazillion times, but all I can remember is a cool map of an island.

The Brothers Karimazov - I remember Ivan's story about Jesus and the Grand Inquisiter, and also the rotting holy monk, but not much else.
 
Fanny Hill

Lady Chatterleys lover


Mmmmm must re-read some of the old favourites soon. ;)
 

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