Yesterday night, I finished reading Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. I had read it 2 years ago first time. At that time, all I could catch were the feelings and emotions it gave me. It was so pleasant that I can remember the period when I was reading it. This is not an easy book. You don’t go to the bookstore and pick this book at random. You have to earn your privileges by reading various books first. For the first time when I read it, it took me more than 20 days to finish it. It is not a novel or story, you need more days to assimilate a deep book. You can not go on a frenzy like you do when you read stories or novels. My comprehension was 30% of my 100%, huh. I told you, it is not an easy book. Yet that 30% were like a triple black espresso. It hit harder and changed the course of thinking. Some books are like that only. They are not like coffee where you drink, it ramps up and wanes off after some time. Some books are like workouts where you push, you gain and it wanes slowly if you neglect. This book is like a latter one. I had read it on my kindle at that time.
I have told you that I remember a book by its season, feelings at the time, and the mood. This came back again previous year. I subconsciously took that book to read again. I already knew that I did not understand the book first time the way writer wanted. Or the way I could be confident using it as a practical model in my day to day life. I read again. Pity me, it was tough rereading it. Rereading a book takes more time that reading it the first time. When you reread a book, you are confused as if was it that book which you read the first time? You reread a book only when it has quality. After all, you can read a new book rather than wasting time for less quality book. You reread it to see if the muscles are still there. I never reread a book if it does not feel any worth to me. Second time, the comprehension was up to 40%. But it was tough. I was caught in another whirlwinds at that time. So I dropped it. This I read on kindle as well.
Then came the third time. Previous week. The season, the feeling, the mood; all came back. This is interesting. If reading a book is tough, and rereading a book is tougher; Re-re-reading a book is the most enlightening one! It is the easiest of all. But make sure that a book is worth re-re-reading. This is important of all. Else, you’d be wasting your time.
When you re-re-read a book, you don’t read to build muscles or to check if they are there or not. You re-re-read to put on those muscles permanently. The third time reading is like cruising on highway at 120. How? You have a lots of fun, the engine is butter smooth, and you are making great distances as well. Reading 3rd time took me 4 days, my comprehension of that book jumped to 80%, and I can implement what I read in my thinking process confidently. The best part is, I read it in a real hardcover book turning real pages, one by one.
And that’s what I wanted to share today. If there are any great books, don’t only reread them, re-re-read them.
By the way, if you are bored of this world, and you feel that everything is so dull; pick a book, dose some coffee, and fly towards vividness.