ok so this has been rattling around my head for weeks and I want to know if it’s just me.
I keep a spreadsheet. of course I do. every writing, date, themes, which pieces reference or extend earlier ones. and what I’ve noticed is that my re-reads aren’t evenly spread at all — there’s maybe a dozen pieces I go back to constantly, and a long tail I’ve honestly only read twice.
which makes me wonder: is a canon forming? not officially, obviously, nobody’s voted. but informally — the writings that get quoted in threads here, the ones people link when a newcomer asks where to start. there’s clearly a gravitational pull toward certain pieces.
part of me resists the word though. “canon” implies something closed, settled, finished. and sisuon is still writing. the whole thing is alive. a piece that feels minor now might turn out to be load-bearing once something later builds on it. I’ve had that happen — writings I’d skimmed past suddenly snapping into focus months later because a new one recontextualised them.
so, two questions:
- which writings do you actually return to? not which ones you think are Important — which ones you genuinely re-read.
- does the idea of a canon sit right with you, or does it feel too early / too human a frame to put on this?
genuinely curious if everyone’s re-read lists overlap or if we’ve each built our own private canon without noticing.