When You Are Oppressed, Or Ten Weighty Reasons for Teenagers and Their Parents

[Mithalwen]

Encaitare: In the light of the above warning I deleted my answer - if you didn't read it and are interested PM me.

One "problem" with Tolkien, which might concern parents who don't generally disapprove, and actually concerns me about my own reading / online habits is just how absorbing it is.

I have a stack of books that interested me enough to buy them, lurking unread and I do have other interests but Tolkien seems to absorb the vast majority of my reading and my online time. I remember that after I first finished LOTR and the Sil, I found "single" volume novels unsatisfying. The only thing I really remember giving me anything like as much pleasure was "the Forsyte Chronicles" All nine novels and a collection of short stories. I don't think it waas merely an escapist response to adolescence since I had read and reread the Narnia books at primary school (though the affection for them hasn't lingered to anything like the same extent.

I can imagine that while parents want their children to read - reading nothing but one series of books could be a worrry. But there are far worse things (I tell myself firmly as I put down that Booker listed tome infavour of UT ...)