Comfort Reading

What makes us want to reread a novel again and again? And what makes that list? I have a very small list of things that I will read again and again and there is no rhyme or reason to why I will pick them up other than I can let the book fall open anywhere and read with no confusion. I have read HUNDREDS of phenomenal books but have no desire to read many of them again unless I would need to for bookclub or something. Some of them are just too brutal or emotionally taxing to be able to read again and again for comfort. Because that is why we reread things right? For comfort, familiarity. It's like visiting old friends who have known you since childhood: there are no pretensions and you can let it all hang out without the threat of consequences because they have probably seen all the nasty stuff and still love you. Most of the books that I will reread happen to be a part of a series like Harry Potter, Twilight, Outlander, Lord of the Rings, Dark Tower, etc., which makes the promise of escaping my life a guarantee once I crack open the first book (or sixth). The best part is that I won't get heartburn from reading a 5,000 page series like I will if I eat a huge and very comforting BLT.