About the attractiveness of short posts,
the phantom, I concur. There was a reason why
Diamond18 called this place the burra-Downs.
And about the number of times that the more senior (older?) (arthritic?) members of the Downs have read the books: not all of us have read them annually over decades.
I first read LOTR as a furtive, 'guilty pleasure' read for fun to balance my 'required' reading for my studies. Then later as I was slogging my way through translating the Old English works I came to know Tolkien's academic stuff and learnt how much of his writing gives new breath and life to the old language and culture. Four years ago, I reread The Hobbit as preparation for escorting a school class to a live theatre production of The Hobbit (brilliant performance from the actor/gymnast who played Gollem!). Three years ago, at the bedside of an ill relative undergoing painful and extensive medical tests, I reread LOTR and became aware for the first time of how prevalent are the themes of loss and death. Thus, this Chapter by Chapter reading will be only my third reading.
I post in perpetual fear that the "annual readers" will always find some obscure line that will undo me.
