I first encountered Tolkien as a child with
The Hobbit in an edition from the local public library. I generally visited the library with my parents and brothers on Saturday, once a week, and used to take out about four books, each of which I usually read twice, before returning them.
I liked
The Hobbit. I remember borrowing it at least a second time. I enjoyed it, but less than many other books: Walter R. Brooks’ Freddy the Pig series, C. S. Lewis’ Narnia books, Hugh Lofting’s Doctor Dolittle books, Robert A. Heinlein’s juvenile sf, Andre Norton’s juvenile sf, E. Nesbit’s children’s fantasy, and Catherine Anthony Clark’s wonderful children’s fantasy (which is almost unknown outside of Canada) as well as other books whose names I do not now recall, including much non-fantasy fiction and books on myths and legends.
I next encountered the name
Tolkien in the adult library in a note at the beginning of C. S. Lewis’
That Hideous Strength which referred to
Numinor [sic]. I wanted to know more, though I did not remember Tolkien then in connection with
The Hobbit. But when I looked up
Tolkien in the library card catalogue, the only books mentioned under that name were located in the stacks, not on the open shelves. Possibly the maps were the reason for their being so protected. But since I did not know if the books there listed had anything to do with the manuscript mentioned by Lewis, I did not bother to request them and soon forget about them.
Then, in my last year of high school, in a drug store where I often bought my sf, I saw a new book published by Ace which was then the most prominent publisher of paperback sf, with Ballantine following them. The book was entitled
The Fellowship of the Ring, had a red background on the cover, and was about three times the thickness of a normal Ace book, and three times the price: 75¢ as against the usual Ace cost of 25¢.
I again did not remember the name Tolkien either in connection with
The Hobbit or in connection with C. S. Lewis. But the book looked interesting. I wondered it it might be an Arthurian novel, since the wizard on the cover, dressed in yellow, wore a pointed hat usually associated with Merlin. Also the
Ring in the title might refer to Arthur’s round table. I was already aware that in many sources this table was ring shaped, with an empty centre. But browsing through the book showed no mention of Arthurian names but much mention of Frodo and Gandalf, and other non-Arthurian names. I was somewhat disappointed.
Then, by chance, I flipped to the page which had the ring inscription and read under it the words: “‘I cannot read the fiery letters,’ said Frodo in a quavering voice.” There was also the blurb on the front cover which read: “‘Superb—one of the major achievements of epic imagination in our lifetimes, and your life is the poorer if you have failed to read it.’—ANTHONY BOUCHER”. There were other blurbs and recommendations on the covers and opening pages. I knew then that whatever this book was about, I had to have it.
Once at home with my new book, I began to read it, and discovered it was a sequel to
The Hobbit which I had read as a child. This delighted me! Why shouldn’t a children’s book have an adult sequel? But I was going to read this book RIGHT! Before continuing I walked the half mile to the local library and again borrowed
The Hobbit from the children’s section of the library to refresh my memory before I continued.
But perhaps this account is overlong. For further details on my first reading you my see my account published in
Amon Hen 241. Here I will only mention that my greatest joy was reaching the end of
Fellowship and being puzzled that the story was not yet complete. Searching for an explanation for this in the editorial matter at the front of the book, I found the explanation:
Now Mr. Tolkien has written The Lord of the Rings, an heroic romance published in three parts, the first of which is The Fellowship of the Ring.
I was ecstatic that I had yet two more volumes to read, presumably just as good as the first volume.