Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about books and reading habits. This week, Sally asks:
“Have you ever bought a book, started reading it and then realised you have already read it? If so, how far did you get? (Can you tell this happened to me for the first time ever this week!?!) And–did you keep reading??”
I know it has happened more than once with books I borrowed from the library; I suppose it may also have happened with some I bought, but I can’t recall a specific example just now.
If it happens with a library book, whether I continue to read or not depends on how I like it and how much I remember.
I quite often reread books on purpose though – and sometimes buy one that I first borrowed. With a few favourites, I bought them both as printed books and as audio books; or both in English and in Swedish translation.
I suppose the biggest risk for me to end up with two copies of the same book by mistake would be with detective novels by very productive writers like Agatha Christie or Ruth Rendell. I bought some and borrowed others; and some in English and some in Swedish translation. I couldn’t say off-hand which titles I borrowed and which I’ll find in my own bookshelf.
I have bought at least one book that I had bought previously, but hadn't read yet. Recently I bought a book that looked really good. Then I spotted the same book n my bookcase, but I had not read it yet.
ReplyDeleteIt had better be a really good one, then! ;)
DeleteIt has happened to me with books I read first in German and later found them in English, especially since titles are often translated in a manner that does not make you realize at first glance that it is the same book.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I then re-read the whole story, sometimes I didn't, depending of course on how much I liked it the first time and how much I remembered.
It happens, It happened to me awhile back.
ReplyDeletehttp://theplotthickensbookblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/booking-through-thursday_14.html
lots of times when that happens, I just re-read the book.
ReplyDeletei don't mind now because i use the library, but it used to upset me when i bought a book and got home and found i had read it. if i start it and it sounds familiar i keep going and if i can't remember the details or what happens at the end, or if it was really good the first time, i keep reading. if i get it from the library i don't read it again most of the time. don't think i have ever bought the same book twice, like Ginny did. for one thing i always bought paperbacks and i read it as soon as i bought it, then traded it in at the used book store.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how often it happens to all of us. Here's my long BTT answer.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's happened to me, too :)
ReplyDeletehttp://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/06/booking-through-thursday_14.html
I am like you, if I can't remember the end, I'll just keep reading. =) Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteThis has happened to me many times, so to help my poor memory I started keeping a reading journal, and if I'm in doubt about a book I check my journal.
ReplyDelete