Just like our thoughts that we revisit, like our imagination when we let it transpire, the well worn pages of imaginatorium hold new thoughts, new adventures, and oftentimes old friends. They may be words we know so well that only a few phrases need be uttered and we know precisely where we are. It may be that we know the events in the story so intimately that they become unremarkable to us. But a good book, a truly good story, is a source of unlimited and unending imaginatorium. It won't matter if we've read it two times or a hundred, the allure is still there. There's always the chance that things won't happen the same or perhaps that the ending will have changed from the last time we read it but we don't know until we reach the final pages. It's the reason Shakespeare endures, Jane Austen still lives, and Mark Twain still continues to reside in schools. We may know the endings but it doesn't stop us from enjoying the work.
For some, it might be dull to read something they've already read but for me, there's a familiarity, a comfort, but still a sense of discovery that lies within the pages of books I've enjoyed before. Since it is mid way through my year of written imaginatorium, I decided to reread a few books and read a sequel. I'll admit that I had a very long list of books that I wanted to reread but never got through them all. But all the same, the imaginatorium I dived into was, for me, the chance to converse again with some old friends.
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by JK Rowling, and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, the sequel to the Hunger Games, were my three reads of the month. All of which were of thorough delight. It was my third time reading The Hobbit but only the second time actually paying attention. I was 10 when I received it as a birthday gift. The cover scared me but my dad said it was good so I skim read it, afraid of what ghostly things would be hidden in the pages. Since then, JRR Tolkien has become a familiar friend and the world of Middle Earth a familiar place. Although I wouldn't always want to reside there, I wouldn't mind spending time in the Shire or in Rivendell. Jumping back into the world was a thrill and only added to my anticipation for Peter Jackson's movie.
The Harry Potter series is a series that I have read over and over again and still adore the world of Hogwarts. I had only read the seventh book once so I decided to read it again. It was, once again, a book that I can read many times and still get lost in the story. The only part that still drives me crazy, which might be part of the reason it's taken me so long to re-read it, is the epilogue. But that's a rant for another day.
Catching Fire was also a nice final addition to the month. I really did like the Hunger Games, despite my apprehension that it was too talked about. In Catching Fire, the new characters that she created were intriguing and although I wasn't sure if I liked where she was headed with the story, I understand her reasoning for (SPOILER ALERT) sending them back into the arena. She made it different enough that it wasn't simply a repeat of the first book so that was a good move on her part.
I'll admit that I had every intention of reading through heaps of books this month but I only made it to three. However, each of them contained friends that I have missed and, in the case of Catching Fire, needed to be sure they were okay.
This month served as a fair reminder that once you've finished a book, the book might not be finished with you. It's the stories that we remember long after we've read the last page. It's the books that sit on the shelf and in the quiet, you can softly hear them call your name, begging you to pick them back up. If it's well written and truly worth your time, the book won't end when the pages do, it will keep going. It will find new ways to entice it's readers, draw them in, and invite them once more to enter into some of their favorite moments of imagaintorium. So as you glance over your bookshelf or think through your favorites, perhaps there's a story that just beckons you to come back and discover once again the reason why you fell in love with that story in the first place. Happy Reading!
Next month: Recommendations from friends. As much as I love picking a theme and reading within it, there's a lot of books that either would not fall into such a theme or I would never think to pick a theme revolving around them. So I'm taking my friends' advice and reading some of their favorites. Feel to let me know if there's any that you recommend as well.
The Hobbit- JRR Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- JK Rowling
Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins
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