Rereading

This year I have done a lot of rereading. It started with Anne of Green Gables. Then I reread The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. And just recently I reread A Wrinkle In Time. Prior to this, I had never been big on rereading because I always feel that there are so many good books out there that I have yet to get my hands on. But since these three rereading experiences were good, I decided to pick up East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

I first read this about four years ago and loved it. Now, on the second time around, I am stunned by how fantastic it is. What is most interesting is that I distinctly remember reading the other three books the first time. What I remember most is that while reading A Wrinkle in Time, I felt somehow as though I were an adult reader. I can't explain it well, but upon rereading I could see some clear ways in which the book is different from other children's literature.

East of Eden, however, I remember the dedication more than the story. It made me view the book in an entirely different light, which I have carried with me since I last put it down. After a couple of pages, I was fully engrossed in the story once more. I keep asking myself, how does a writer do this? And will I be able to one day?