History books

Writing my previous post, I was reminded of a conversation I had with Mum the other day... Have you ever re-visited a book that you used to love, only to discover that it's become dated?

As I mentioned, I re-read It by Stephen King and was relieved to find that I enjoyed it just as much as the first (or maybe second) time I read it over 20 years ago.

And I can re-read Agatha Christie over and over. But perhaps her books have always been old-fashioned, and that's the attraction.

As with anything, there are books that are 'of their time', but it's hard to understand how you could have enjoyed them so much, once upon a time.

Mum used to read Nevil Shute, but coming back to the books recently she's found them practically unreadable. I decided to have a go and borrowed What Happened To The Corbetts from the library. I managed to get about 3 chapters in, but I had to give up. It read like a public information film - think 'Mr Cholmondley-Warner' but without the comedy - though that particular novel was written almost as an educational piece. Shute wrote it just before the Second World War to urge caution to the authorities who were assuming that the major danger to the British public would be gas attacks, whereas he felt (and, of course, was proved correct) that bombs and their aftermath would be the greater threat.

Of course, it's not the books that change but you. I don't think I could read a Jilly Cooper or a Jackie Collins any more. But I'm not losing any sleep over that! I am about to re-acquaint myself with Tom Sharpe and I've got my fingers crossed that I find him as hilarious as I used to.

Tell me about the books of your past, and maybe give them another go.