July 2025 List of the Month: Books We Want To Read Again For The First Time

First impressions are often strongest, and the first time we read a book that is destined to become a favorite, or is particularly memorable to us, can be a thrilling experience. This month's List of the Month is devoted to the Books We Want To Read Again For The First Time.

Each member may add ten titles. Given the subjective nature of the topic, downvoting is not allowed.

For a complete list of topics covered so far in our project, please see the new section for Lists of the Month on the Zeitgeist page

We would welcome suggestions for future lists. Please add them here, and we will keep them in mind, going forward.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I will still enjoy reading it again in the future knowing how things developed and the reasons behind what happened, but it will never be the same as experiencing it for the first time (and the sheer wonder - and confusion - I felt).

Hm. Thinking about this one. Usually, books I want to read again, I want to benefit from the prior reading -- like The Book of the New Sun or Dhalgren. So, the idea is books where I was thrilled by the novelty of the experience and would like to recapture that? Strangely, that is likely to include several books I don't want to re-read.

>3 paradoxosalpha: Yes, I think that sums it up. Books where there was something about the reading experience, the first time, that couldn't be recaptured on a reread.

>3 paradoxosalpha: I think this comment, "books I want to read again, I want to benefit from the prior reading" sums up where I come from. I don't think there is a single book that I enjoyed more the first time than later on. Either I want to read it again or I wish I hadn't bothered to read it the first time. Certainly that's true of fiction books -- sometimes I read history or science books for a particular piece of knowledge and, when done, I'm done.

To take the ultimate example, to truly find the depth and richness of The Lord of the Rings, you need to have read Beowulf and Sir Orfeo and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and understand the doctrine of the Fall and have seen such ballads as "Thomas Rymer" and "Tam Lin" and "The Queen of Elfan's Nourice" and should understand Breton Lays and... OK, I'll stop. :-) But, for me, the purpose of a first read approaches a state of "Learning what I need to study in order to be ready for the second read." :-)

That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with having such a list. But it's a hard pass for me. :-)

It's pretty exciting to see several titles in the list that I currently have in my TBR pile. Sounds like books worth looking forward to! But I'll try not to let it raise my expectations overmuch, knowing what that can do.

Some thoughts occur just scanning the first few titles...

I'd put The Martian ahead of Project Hail Mary. I felt that PHM was overrated and covered too much of the same ground as The Martian.

I first read Dune when I was 14 or something. I loved it, but would be interested to read it first as an adult, possibly appreciating the world building and politics a bit more.

I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies before I read Pride and Prejudice. I realised I was enjoying the Pride and Prejudice stuff as much as the zombie stuff. I did eventually read P&P, but possibly spoiled it a bit for myself.

Didn't enjoy All Systems Red. My comments say "Not as interesting as it sounded. No murdering for starters!"

I rated The Stand (original) 5, and The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition 4.5. Reason being I thought King was fibbing when he said he only restored what was cut, and didn't add or change anything.

If I was going to add a book, I'd put Neuromancer. Easily my favourite.

>7 GuyMontag: If I was going to add a book

Why the subjunctive? You can add it!

>8 paradoxosalpha: The subjunctive would be if I were going to add a book. ;)

>9 anglemark:

All right, nit picked. The hypothetical circumstance should have used the subjunctive grammatical mood, but did not.

I'm resisting the urge to clutter the list with sequels to books already there, I think the point's made. But some of those sequels top my list of books already read that I'd like a refresher on.

>11 Cecrow: I don’t think that’s clutter! It’s useful to me to know what people thought of sequels, since I tend not to read them on the assumption that they won’t be as good as the original. It’s good to know that someone gave them the vote of confidence.

>7 GuyMontag: I first read Dune when I was 14 or something. I loved it, but would be interested to read it first as an adult, possibly appreciating the world building and politics a bit more.

Be careful what you wish for. I was probably in college when I first read Dune, and I remember liking it. Finally reread it when the new movie version came out and found it almost unreadable bad.