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Emma Jane Grey's avatar

As a puzzle person myself, if it helps, the satisfaction of a goal-oriented task that is completed piece by piece and that you can enjoy both the process of (the colours, the challenge) and knowing when you are done (as opposed to exploration-based tasks) is the draw for me 😊

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Donna's avatar

I am always a bit sad to put the last piece in place. Back to the discussion above of repetition, re-doing a puzzle is somewhat similar to re-reading. I always get a new perspective, see new details, and reinforce memories. And yes, it makes me feel safe.

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Simon Haisell's avatar

You guys and Mimi are teaching me the joys of puzzles.

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Frances Howard-Brown's avatar

When training to care for very small children (many years ago) I was taught that repetition makes them feel safe. The world is very large and very unpredictable to a two year old. So much is out of her control so she enjoys doing things she can control over and over again. They are always the same (unless a piece goes missing!) which feels safe to her. Hearing the same story makes her feel safe, it always ends the same way.

Enjoy Hermione Lee on PF- such an interesting and unusual author.

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Absolutely. The same with listening to the same story over and over. Zack has one audiobook story he always falls asleep to. And really, we're not that far removed from children in our yearning for familiarity and routine.

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Dr Alexandria Szeman's avatar

"Stupid o'clock" -- oh how I can relate to this. I've never been able to do writing in the evening. It has to be first thing in the morning for me. But what a delightful phrase: stupid o'clock.

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Absolutely. I have diminishing reserves of non-stupidity. I have to start the day writing and working, knowing full well that nothing sensible will get done later.

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Michelle's avatar

It’s strange to acknowledge this, but I don’t think I’ve ever read a book twice? There are so many I want to read, I’m just trying to get as many in as possible. Conversely, I’ve read countless research manuscripts over and over, countless times - sometimes to the point I’ve memorized entire blocks of text, but often in my crowded brain I can see it & repeat it and then have to search which paper it was in (I’ve never been good with names or dates for this reason 🫠). It fascinates me what our brains remember & what they do not, and what compels us to repetition of one thing but not another (this is my footpath from your daughter puzzling and you puzzling the puzzling, but re-reading books and so on…down my rabbit hole)

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Not strange at all. I felt the same way, and really creating F&T was mostly to give myself the opportunity (permission?) to re-read. Do you have a visual memory? When I remember a quote I can see it on the page and sometimes where I was when I read it. I just need to remember which book and which page! 🫣

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Michelle's avatar

Yes definitely a visual memory - I do the same thing, I can see the words in my mind & also can sometimes remember when or where I read something, same with quote location!

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Connie Brake's avatar

"The first reading is just preparation for the second." I feel that a lot as I reread War and Peace this year. I'm not even half way through the Anna Karenina slow read and it's already on my reread list. I did Mrs. Dalloway in "real time" with Henry Eliot yesterday and got so much more from this second reading.

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Simon Haisell's avatar

I think it's one of the reasons I don't read or write than many book reviews: all the really interesting observations and responses seem to develop later in re-reading. Sometimes I compare it to listening to music: I rarely fall in love with a song the first time I hear it. It's too strange, unfamiliar.

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Kate's avatar

Camille reminds me of Hamilton. “why do you write like you’re running out of time?” I certainly don’t feel that way about writing but it does describe my work life!

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Yes! I've often made the connection between the two. Lawyers who become revolutionaries and writers. Running out of time. I want APOGS the musical.

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Kate's avatar

Yes!!

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Anne-Louise Juneja's avatar

Thanks Simon. I love your recommendations. So many books to read!

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Thank you, Anne-Louise!

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