The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Yeshanu · May 19, 2006

In case y'all haven't realized it, the word "fan" is short for "fanatic."

I have a book, Meditations on Middle Earth. It features essays by such well-known fantasy and sci-fi writers as OSC, Ursula K. Le Guin, Raymond E. Feist, and Terry Pratchett.

A number of the essays start out something like this:

Hi, my name is Ruth. I first read Lord of the Rings when I was seventeen. I loved it. My math teacher wasn't so enthused.

I've read it through at least once each year, and it's been an incredible influence in my life. I started reading other fantasy books because I was looking for more. I started playing Dungeons and Dragons. I started to write my own fantasy stories.

The above is part of my story, but it's also the story of so many of us. My sort-of-ex-husband works with a woman named Arwen. One of the authors in Meditations tells of having a room-mate named Galadriel. I'm sure there are boys out there named Frodo and Aragorn and Faramir, too.

Why is this book so influential? Why are there, or so I've heard, ten million people world-wide who are hard-core fanatics like me?

Perks · May 19, 2006

My mother had the set (I'll not get caught out calling it a trilogy) as a gift from a would be suitor. With the negative connotations, she never read it, but carted it around from place to place as we moved.

I picked it up when I was sixteen and have read it eleven times. I mist up every time I come to the end, not only for poignancy, but because it's over.

I finally converted my mother and her twin about ten years later - and they turned into utter LotR freaks. My passion for it does fall short of dressing the part or naming my children accordingly, but the transporting magic of this book really is unequalled in my reading experience and it holds a very special place in my heart.

CaroGirl · May 19, 2006

I read them, in succession, beginning with The Hobbit, two (or was it three, time goes by so fast) summers ago. I hadn't read it before.

I fell in love.

It's definitely not my typical book, but it's true that I can read anything as long as it's well written. This is clearly a divine intervention type of tale. It's epic, magical, relatable, mystical, exciting, heartening, and personal, all the same time. It's extraordinary that all that can exist in a single novel. Astounding and amazing (to pile up the superlatives).

Yet, why it's so good remains somewhat elusive. It tends to be that way with great art.

Gillhoughly · May 19, 2006

My 10th grade algebra teacher was none-too-pleased either, but he was a moron. I won't get detailed on his teaching style, but Professor Hawking would have failed that class.

Since I'd given the 1st semester my best shot--which caused my other grades to drop--I knew algebra was a lost cause and sat on the back row reading LOTR for the rest of the year. And writing--I was going to be a novelist y'see. It came to me that novelists did not have to use algebra if they so chose.

Like certain veggies, anything I hated as much as algebra would not find its way into my adult life.

Thank you, Prof. Tolkein, for getting me through that class and inspiring a young mind.

And thank you, Coach Moron, for your oh-so special teaching style that got me on my true path!

PS--hope your wife got you to give up those polyester plaid pants and golf shirts. My retinas and psyche are still scarred. :e2tongue:

pdr · May 19, 2006

Isn't it...?

that The Lord of the Rings reads like it is an ancient saga about the history of England? The story rings true.

That Tolkein's concepts of good and evil weren't drawn from the pages of a text book in Basic Philosophy. He'd lived through and seen the results appalling evil. He could write about it too.

That the quality of his writing reflects the immense knowledge he had of the English language and his understanding of the earliest forms of written English. You can feel it in the rhythm of his writing.

So giving us a whole in the forms of his books that are not a slight and shallow story but have depth, a density of understanding and make a thoroughly satisfying read that illuminates quite a lot of human behaviour.

Yeshanu · May 19, 2006

Gilloughby, I think my math teacher must have changed names and moved to wherever you are...

My passion for it does fall short of dressing the part or naming my children accordingly, but the transporting magic of this book really is unequalled in my reading experience and it holds a very special place in my heart.

I have dressed up as an elf for Halloween, but that's as far as I've gone. So far. Funny-but-true stories, however:

My eldest (who is now five ten or eleven) was only six and a half pounds at birth, and had elf-like, almost pointed features. He was beautiful.

I'm gonna get shot for saying this one, but: The other day I asked my daughter why she wasn't interested in any guys yet. She said she's waiting for an elf. (Orlando apparently doesn't count, because he's a human dressed as an elf. And he has Kate Bosworth...)

Every time I re-read this tale, I come across some little detail I've overlooked before. Layers upon layers that make the world as real as the one we live in. Complete societies, with languages and customs and tales and songs of their own.

I think that's one thing that LotR has that other novels are missing: A complete base. It's more than just a map. Each and every society depicted has a history, and the histories of all the different societies intertwine and impact one another.

For example, in Return of the King, Sam notes that the light contained within the Phial of Galadriel is from one of the Simarils, and that he and Frodo are part of a tale that's been going on for thousands of years, and that will continue on after they're gone.

It's like a painting: The painter tries to convince the viewer that the world s/he's painted extends beyond the confines of the canvas. So the story in a really good novel extends beyond the covers of the book...

robeiae · May 20, 2006

Like Star Wars and other great epics, LOTR fits the template of the heroic sags--what Campbell called the 'monomyth.' See Hero with a Thousand Faces. The story connets to an essential component of humanity.

Also, I think the world of Middle-Earth is an incredible construct, as is its rich history that Tolkien carefully created and alludes to throughout the trilogy.

Rob

Perks · May 20, 2006

Yeah, MacRobeieieo, I agree. Lord of the Rings is much more mainstream and its fan base inludes many (I'm one) that are not generally drawn to fantasy epics. I think this is because Tolkein wrote out much of the need for suspension of disbelief. It's a rare talent and I'm not sure right off that I can point to another example. There is very little effort to block out what you know of your world. You open the cover of The Fellowship of the Ring and just fall in - and there you are.

The rhythm of his words was very hypnotic. There is a beautiful balance between fat story content and lyricism.

Yeshanu · May 20, 2006

Perks said:
Yeah, MacRobeieieo, I agree. Lord of the Rings is much more mainstream and its fan base inludes many (I'm one) that are not generally drawn to fantasy epics. I think this is because Tolkein wrote out much of the need for suspension of disbelief. It's a rare talent and I'm not sure right off that I can point to another example. There is very little effort to block out what you know of your world. You open the cover of The Fellowship of the Ring and just fall in - and there you are.

Okay, I'll admit right here--there's one teeny, tiny, itsty-bitsy mistake in LotR that throws me out of the world for a very short period of time.

Very near the beginning, Tolkien uses the expression, "like an express train," an ever since I noticed it a few readings back, I'll protest in my mind, "What the heck is an express train?" Besides that one itsy-bitsy point, which I soon get over, the world is exquisitely drawn. And yet, reading through, there is very little description of place in the novel.

We know what a hobbit hole looks like, because we've read The Hobbit, where he describes the hole and hobbits in great detail, but he doesn't do the same in LotR. Most of the description is in the prologues and appendicies, not the novel itself.

A question along those lines: Has anyone ever thought to create a writer's retreat place called "Rivendell?" If so, I'd like to go...

(If not, does anyone have any money to invest?

)

Perks · May 20, 2006

Yeshanu said:
Very near the beginning, Tolkien uses the expression, "like an express train," an ever since I noticed it a few readings back, I'll protest in my mind, "What the heck is an express train?" Besides that one itsy-bitsy point, which I soon get over, the world is exquisitely drawn.

That'll send me back to the books. I never noticed that. But I'm betting it's during the fireworks display.

Deleted member 42 · May 20, 2006

Perks said:
That'll send me back to the books. I never noticed that. But I'm betting it's during the fireworks display.

You'd be right:

The dragon passed like an express train, turned a somersault, and burst over Bywater with a deafening explosion.

Keep in mind that this is the voice of the omniscent narrator.

Perks · May 20, 2006

Yeah, once it was mentioned, the little notetaker in my head nodded. It never bothered me, but it also never registered baldly.

Oh great. Thanks a lot, Ruth.

robeiae · May 20, 2006

Obviously, you guys missed where Tolkien compared Sauron's attack of Minas Tirith to the German invasion of Poland...

Rob

Perks · May 20, 2006

You know, he emphatically denied any strong correlations. But he did acknowledge that he couldn't avoid being influenced by what he'd seen as a war correspondent.

two40 · Jul 2, 2006

My memory is pretty poor and I don't recall many moments of my life that I ought to. However, the day that I picked up this book 14 years ago is etched in my memory. It was mid summer and I was at my cousin's house. He had a nice collection of books and I saw three that looked alike. They stood out well enough so I picked one up and began reading. That day I got through 200 pages of the first book. For a 14 year old that read mainly Roald Dahl in bite sized pieces this was an achievement and it was a turning point in my life. I haven't stopped reading for pleasure since that day.

I imagine many people have a similar story and the authors of today owe Tolkien a lot for converting casual readers into passionate ones.

Yeshanu · Jul 2, 2006

Welcome to AW, two40!

I was always a passionate reader, but reading LoTR turned me into a passionate writer. I wanted something like what I'd found in those books, but everything else seemed like a pale copy. So I've been in the process of creating my own world for the last seventeen years. It's slow going, but then, Tolkien's world is so well-imangined because he didn't churn those books out in one year--it took him twenty or more years to fully realize Middle Earth.

two40 · Jul 2, 2006

Thank you Yeshanu.

Wow 17 years! To keep yourself motivated after such a long time is an achievement in itself so congratulations. From memory, and keep in mind that mine is pretty poor, LoTR took 12 years to write. But as you say, to fully realize Middle Earth took a bit longer than a dozen years. I can't imagine doing something so vast as you have undertaken. My respect to you.

Inkdaub · Jul 3, 2006

Also keep in mind that Tolkien was a procrastinator of the first order. I read a description of him that said he would 'do almost anything not to write' or some such.

Yeshanu · Jul 3, 2006

Inkdaub said:
Also keep in mind that Tolkien was a procrastinator of the first order. I read a description of him that said he would 'do almost anything not to write' or some such.

Hey! Now I really have hope!

(And I'm maybe more like him than I thought...)

Inkdaub · Jul 4, 2006

Haha...you and me both.

LloydBrown · Jul 4, 2006

This weekend is GrailQuest, the convention where I'm running the Lord of the Rings Trivia game. The game will be Saturday at the World Golf Village Resort hotel. I won't be playing, just to make it fair to the non-Noldor, and I'll be providing cool painted pewter minis of the fellowship instead of the wimpy plastic hobbits that come with the game. Anybody interested is welcome to join.

More info on the convention at http://www.sanctuarygamesandbooks.com/index1.cfm

Inkdaub · Jul 5, 2006

Sounds cool, lloyd. How tough are the questions?

LloydBrown · Jul 5, 2006

Inkdaub said:
Sounds cool, lloyd. How tough are the questions?

They vary, but they're multiple-choice. Although they're based on the books, if you've seen the movies, you can do pretty well.

Also, the game is not Trivial Pursuit; it has an element of resource management to it, too. Just being able to answer questions right won't win you the game.

Camilla · Jul 20, 2006

I'm a huge fan of Lord of the Rings too. Can't remember when I first read it, but I know I left it woefully late. I think I was in my 20s, and still at university. I don't know why I delayed it so long - probably out of some rebellious "I'm not going to read what anyone tells me to" silliness.

Anyway.

Love the books. Am utterly awestruck by the whole story behind the creation of Lord of the Rings, including Tolkien's linguistic work and his explorations into other cultures and mythologies. Loved the movies when they came out, too.

And...aside from anything else, how could I not love this story? It's the reason I met my husband, after all

We found each other on a LOTR fan website shortly after the first film came out. And...he's tall and has pointy ears (Yeshanu, tell your daughter there are elves out there

).

Anything else to say? Oh yeah, I noticed the express train too!

Yeshanu · Jul 20, 2006

LloydBrown said:
They vary, but they're multiple-choice. Although they're based on the books, if you've seen the movies, you can do pretty well.

Also, the game is not Trivial Pursuit; it has an element of resource management to it, too. Just being able to answer questions right won't win you the game.

Hmm. I still don't think anybody'd want to play with me.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

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