R. Tolkien : books

[librarius_qui]

To clarify...

The hype-thing was about the film...

About the book I can't really say anything as I haven't read it and I don't intend to. I wouldn't enjoy it... It seems very well thought of. Maybe I will take an attempt once at The Hobbit, but not soon...

"The Hobbit" is a good beginning for Ronald Tolkien's literature.

If you read "The Hobbit", and you like, then you might try "The Lord of the Rings". However, if you don't like fantasy, you'll read "The Hobbit", might have fun, and not a feeling that you've lost time, because it's quick reading. (Unlike Lord ofthe Rings, which takes time and effort comparable to a Don Quixote, or an Illiad (in verses).)

"The Hobbit" is said to be a book for children. I quite agree with it, and I love to be a child again, whenever I take the book to read again. (It's listed, in my profile, together with another one, as my favourite book. & It is!)

I don't consider myself a fan of Ronald T., but I read the main ones:
(in the order I read)

The Lord of the Rings
The Hobbit
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth
The adventures of Tom Bombadil & Other stories
The Book of Lost Tales, volume II (by Christopher Tolkien)

I began to read a biography, by Humphrey Carpenter, which I never finished reading. (I'm definitely NOT a fan ... But I liked what I read, and I consider Ronald T. my major influence in some sort of writings. Even because, in a way, I write in order to answer some questions he and Clive Lewis proposed.)

Anyway, I recommend The Hobbit to a list of books that do no harm to read.~

[whatsername]

Yeah I think The Hobbit is a good introduction to Middle Earth. If you feel like you want more then continue into The Lord of the Rings.

I want to read Children of Hurin badly!

[Honest]

Yeah I think The Hobbit is a good introduction to Middle Earth. If you feel like you want more then continue into The Lord of the Rings.

I want to read Children of Hurin badly!

Sorry for jumping in..But, I was just gonna ask: how did find The Lord of the Rings? I borrowed the three books but didn't read any of them yet :(

[whatsername]

Sorry for jumping in..But, I was just gonna ask: how did find The Lord of the Rings? I borrowed the three books but didn't read any of them yet :(

Well it took me a few months to finish the whole trilogy, not because the books were boring but because at that time I was a lazy reader. But to be honest the books are amazing! Not only is the story interesting and great to keep up with, but also the language is so rich.

I don't think you should borrow the books, buy a copy from your nearest book shop ASAP because these are books that need to be re-read over and over again, good stuff :)

[Honest]

Cool :)
Thank you for the advice; I will get them soon.

[Lokasenna]

Good old Prof. Tolkein - he's a personal hero of mine. Anyone picked up Sigurd and Gudrún yet? It's more of an academic experiment than a literary one, but it really is quite amazing. It really does rank alongside the real eddaic poetry in terms of quality and imagery.

[billl]

I agree. Honest should go and borrow (or buy) The Hobbit. It was my favorite of those four books, actually. It used to be just as famous as Lord of the Rings, by the way. There was more than one movie made of that before Lord of the Rings came out. (But the Hobbit movies weren't so good.)

[Honest]

I agree. Honest should go and borrow (or buy) The Hobbit. It was my favorite of those four books, actually. It used to be just as famous as Lord of the Rings, by the way. There was more than one movie made of that before Lord of the Rings came out. (But the Hobbit movies weren't so good.)

Hi:Any idea how long is the Hobbit? What should I start with; The Hobbit or the Lord ?

[Helga]

Good old Prof. Tolkein - he's a personal hero of mine. Anyone picked up Sigurd and Gudrún yet? It's more of an academic experiment than a literary one, but it really is quite amazing. It really does rank alongside the real eddaic poetry in terms of quality and imagery.

I can't wait for the 'new' book, I've read most of his books and loved them, when I started 'the fellowship of the ring' I thought it was a slow prosess but when I had finished all three I thought every word was important and I wouldn't want to miss out on any of the descriptions of places and people. did you know there was an Icelandic woman living with his family and many words he uses come from Icelandic?....like from the Hobbit the character 'Beorn' who was a man by day and a bear at night, the way you pronounce beorn is the same way you say bear in icelandic it's also a popular name. also the names Sigurd and Gudrún are Icelandic names. I've heard he had an interest in my lovely country...

and Honest I think you should start with the Hobbit, it's a good introduction for what to come. also a bit easier to read, at least it was for me.

[Honest]

A friend of mine asked me just to read only the first book. The second and the thrid, he claims, are sort of repetition and conclusion. True?

[electricpenguin]

also the names Sigurd and Gudrún are Icelandic names. I've heard he had an interest in my lovely country...

Not just the country but its medieval literature as well - 'Sigurd and Gudrún' is a reworking of the Icelandic Volsunga saga!

Lokasenna - have you seen his letters in Special Collections in the Brotherton? His handwriting is so distinctive!

[whatsername]

A friend of mine asked me just to read only the first book. The second and the thrid, he claims, are sort of repetition and conclusion. True?

No, that's untrue. Every book is important in it's own way and I think they all need to be read so that you can fully understand the story and events. Some people might read the first and then skip to the third, but they miss out on so much in the story. And keep in mind the stories are interesting and exciting! You won't get bored of them.

[librarius_qui]

A friend of mine asked me just to read only the first book. The second and the thrid, he claims, are sort of repetition and conclusion. True?

It'd be like to take Stevenson's Treasure Island, read the first chapters, skip the middle, and read the last chapters. You'll loose the adventure. Probably don't undesrtand a lot of things.

It was meant to be published in one volume, when it was published, but the publishers were afraid of launching too big a book, and made him devide it. (In Brasil, there was the first publishing, in six parts ...)

It's one single story. If you loose a chapter, you're loosing par of the story.

And it's a great story, by the way, so it isn't worth loosing any part of it.

[Honest]

Oh, ok. Thank you both. I understand now.

[librarius_qui]

Funny that people seem to have lost these things of sight ...

It's like there's nothing to talk about it, when, in fact, the subject, in general, vanishes because the discussion on the movies is over -- nothing more to say, an most people seem to have said everything there is to be said --, while the books are still there ...

I quite like that the books are still there.

I wish they weren't making other films, because it may come to bring a new "fever", and I don't like fevers on Ronald Tolkien's literature coming from movies. Had it never been movies, I'd be discussing Ronald Tolkien's literature here, because I like *the literature*, and ... are there movies? Whatever!~

It's funny too that his writings are one of the points of beginning of my own writing. And I definitely DON'T write fanfiction (aaarrrrghghg!!)~

So, it's interesting, to me, that most people's interest in R. T.'s literature comes out of movies, and, when there's ten years it's gone, people kind of lost their interest in the books, and they're still ... mine, as the source they are ...~


lq

[emily00]

I hate to pour cold water on all this Tolkien-adoration, but to be honest, I find his works - especially L of the R - stultifyingly dull. Perhaps because I am female and I can't be doing with endless battles and quests and slaying and interminable journeys, which remind me of going on holiday with my children.

I am convinced his work has a far greater following among males.

[librarius_qui]

I hate to pour cold water on all this Tolkien-adoration, but to be honest, I find his works - especially L of the R - stultifyingly dull. Perhaps because I am female and I can't be doing with endless battles and quests and slaying and interminable journeys, which remind me of going on holiday with my children.

I am convinced his work has a far greater following among males.

Lol!!! (I can imagine an epic on your holidays ... it might torn out as a fun Joyce-Tolkienish stuff :rolleyes: )

Tolkien is AMAZING to people (and writers) who like Philology, Etymology, and old languages ...

[JimmyRow]

I hate to pour cold water on all this Tolkien-adoration, but to be honest, I find his works - especially L of the R - stultifyingly dull. Perhaps because I am female and I can't be doing with endless battles and quests and slaying and interminable journeys, which remind me of going on holiday with my children.

I am convinced his work has a far greater following among males.

It is pretty male-oriented - the movies had to glam-up the female roles. Good ol' fighting, good v. evil, great stuff. I've read them (LotR & Hobbit) each at least 3 times over the years.

You need to write an epic about your holidays :yawnb:

The movies were decent, but I hate how movies put an image in your head that replaces your original visualization of the book.

You didn't like The Hobbit either?

[emily00]

It is pretty male-oriented - the movies had to glam-up the female roles. Good ol' fighting, good v. evil, great stuff. I've read them (LotR & Hobbit) each at least 3 times over the years.

You need to write an epic about your holidays :yawnb:

The movies were decent, but I hate how movies put an image in your head that replaces your original visualization of the book.

You didn't like The Hobbit either?

'The Hobbit' was OK (I read it to my kids, but was glad when it ended). The 'L of the R' films I found even less gripping than the books, in fact, I slept through the whole of one of them in a cinema in Aberdeen once, which was some sleep, given that the film lasted about five hours or whatever. It obviously had an anaesthetic effect on my brain.

Seriously, any epic about our family holidays would not reach the best-sellers list. No plot to speak of, irritating child protagonists with no moral interest or development, themes of the utmost banality (e.g. the scarcity of public lavatories in French shopping centres) and generally, far too much violence and bad language.

Stick to 'War and Peace' - much less disturbing)!

[Mr Endon]

emily00, maybe not a best-seller, but I'd definitely read it, sounds like an awesome post-modern novel!

Well the rest of the post was to ask for a recommendation, but I see that the OP and other posts in the first page have done that already. The Hobbit it is then.

[Honest]

May I ask a question:
What should I start with, the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit?

[emily00]

May I ask a question:
What should I start with, the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit?


I'd go for 'Wuthering Heights' or 'A House for Mr Biswas', instead.

[emily00]

emily00, maybe not a best-seller, but I'd definitely read it, sounds like an awesome post-modern novel!

Well the rest of the post was to ask for a recommendation, but I see that the OP and other posts in the first page have done that already. The Hobbit it is then.

Definitely post-modern. Not sure about the rest!

I suppose it could start with our youngest son (then aged 4) and his reluctance to spend a second holiday in France. He was worried that "all those French people might be there again".

Post-modernly ironic (or just xenophobic)?!

[Fen]

Honest start with the Hobbit it's set before Lord of the Rings.

[Helga]

I hate to pour cold water on all this Tolkien-adoration, but to be honest, I find his works - especially L of the R - stultifyingly dull. Perhaps because I am female and I can't be doing with endless battles and quests and slaying and interminable journeys, which remind me of going on holiday with my children.

I am convinced his work has a far greater following among males.

I don't think that you can say it's because your a girl! I love his books and lord of the rings had so much more than just battles, but they were so well written that they were great too. but it's also about relationships and how small hobbits can do great things. also this is an amazing world Tolkien created and his imagination surprises you, the people and languages he created...

[Emil Miller]

Definitely post-modern. Not sure about the rest!

I suppose it could start with our youngest son (then aged 4) and his reluctance to spend a second holiday in France. He was worried that "all those French people might be there again".

Post-modernly ironic (or just xenophobic)?!

When it come to the English ( I take it you are English ) and the French it's got to be xenphobia rather than irony, even for a four-year-old.:)

[Mr Endon]

Definitely post-modern. Not sure about the rest!

I suppose it could start with our youngest son (then aged 4) and his reluctance to spend a second holiday in France. He was worried that "all those French people might be there again".

Post-modernly ironic (or just xenophobic)?!

Your kid is very perceptive for his age :D Just kidding, the French are alright.

I remember being bored out of my skull as a young lad in Paris, specially when we went to the Louvre. There's something about France that just isn't very appealing to kids. But they have the Disneyland, so I'm baffled.

---
afterthought: maybe they have the Disneyland so as to curb 'le petit ennui'? (oh that's clever)

[acdouglas92]

So true...in that sense I feel like movies can sometimes destroy reverence for the original piece of literature...I dunno if you guys agree. I feel like the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy has done just that, people watch the movies and think they really know the story. Honestly, the movies were a really stunning tribute to the books. But if you want to truly appreciate Tolkien's work, pick up the book itself. I found the edition with watercolors by Alan Lee an excellent one!

Having finished the Lord of the Rings and having read the Hobbit previously, any recommendations on which of Tolkien's works to pick up next? I've heard good things about the Silmarillion; good read?

[Honest]

I watched the movie of the Lord of the Rings. I have two questions:
1- Why do they want to go to Moron to destroy the ring, why don't they destroy it in any place?
2- Where did Forodo go in the end?

[billl]

like from the Hobbit the character 'Beorn' who was a man by day and a bear at night, the way you pronounce beorn is the same way you say bear in icelandic it's also a popular name. also the names Sigurd and Gudrún are Icelandic names. I've heard he had an interest in my lovely country...


I haven't read Tolkein's take on the saga style, but I just finished a collection of Icelandic sagas that was really great. I preferred the older ones, especially Egil's, but maybe the most famous (Njarl's) wasn't included, so I'll still have to try it out sometime.

Anyhow, regarding Icelandic names, I learned that Sigurd and Gudrun are pretty popular, but if the naming still works the way it did back then, I can only imagine what percentage of an Icelandic phonebook is devoted to names beginning with "Thor" (Thorleif, Thorkel, Thorleik, Thorgil, Thorstein, Thorodd, and on and on....) :)

[Honest]

I watched the movie of the Lord of the Rings. I have two questions:
1- Why do they want to go to Moron to destroy the ring, why don't they destroy it in any place?
2- Where did Forodo go in the end?

Ummmmm, any answer, please?

[Remarkable]

Ummmmm, any answer, please?

I don't remember the books extremely well, but I think that the ring was destroyable only from the fire that created it. If it was created there... And Frodo... Well, I think the implication is that he went to heaven. Or to whatever concept of heaven Middle-Earthers have.

Personally, I am a very big fan of J. R. R. Tolkien. I have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Children of Hurin. I would reccomend to any fan The Children of Hurin. Because it is rather short, it gives one time to consider the style of the author and to maybe think over the aim of Tolkien. If he ever had one...

I am going to read The Silmarillion as soon as I am finished with my current book and I can hardly wait!

[Night_Lamp]

I love LOTR and the Hobbit, great story that is a little sad near the end because all of the characters know that their way of life, and themselves will cease to exist soon: by the destruction of the ring, or by Mordor's power.

I have also studied in university some of Tolken's translations of medieval works like Pearl, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Occasionally, the CBC here in Canada plays these great recordings of Tolkien singing in elvish!

I hate the movies, but one good thing about them is the first edition of LOTR I bought for a couple of hundred dollars when I was in high school is regularly on ebay for over $1200!