Tolkien 2005 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mithalwen · 01-17-2006, 07:05 AM

Well I can forget about that unless a premium bond comes up in a big way - especially since it is all weekdays

Lalwendë · 04-19-2006, 05:10 AM

I'm wondering to post this is the 'Assigned to Mordor' thread, actually...

Here's a link to the actual website of the Second Spring Oxford Tolkien Conference. It gives extracts from might be expected from papers, some of which look extremely interesting, especially the one on Tolkien's England, and the event sounds very high level and academic. However, my suspicions are confirmed that there is only one paper being presented at any time, and it is very much a highly 'timetabled' event, including tours and dinners and the like. It is, however, in a beautiful college, includes plenty of time with Priscilla and has those interesting papers...

The cost remains at £695. For two people this is outrageous, which is why I am thinking of sending it to Mordor! That's about £1400, which would buy me over a month's holiday by the seaside in high season! Or a new car! Do they deliberately want to exclude us 'riff-raff'?

Rant over...

Mithalwen · 04-19-2006, 06:12 AM

Well the premium bond did come up yesterday but only to the tune of £100 - which was nevertheless and appreciated windfall, particularly since I had assumed the nasty brown envelope from up north was from the Inland Revenue. Not enough to make a difference to the conference. So I thinkI will spend it on shoes ...and maybe a chocolate fountain ...

Estelyn Telcontar · 04-30-2006, 03:22 PM

I attended a German Tolkien Society seminar last weekend which featured several lectures by experts I'd already heard last year in Birmingham. I very much enjoyed it, especially as I'd already decided that the Oxford conference is not on my agenda this year. I asked the other participants, and the general consensus was: it's too expensive, and after Birmingham last year, we really don't need to go to something similar so soon. I wonder how well it will be attended...

Child of the 7th Age · 05-02-2006, 01:32 AM

I cannot believe the pricetag on this! Either they are putting people up at luxury digs, or someone has to be making money on this. Or perhaps they are paying all the speakers huge stipends?

Mithalwen · 05-02-2006, 06:00 AM

My guess is they only want serious academics who will be funded by their departments not the lay enthusiasts...... Of course a more select gathering pushes the price up.....and Oxford is generally a lot pricier than Brum

davem · 05-02-2006, 08:09 AM

They had another Conference a couple of years back - 'Landscapes with Angels' - about fantasy literature, with a focus on Tolkien & Chesterton & the talks from that have been published as a special edition of the Chesterton Review, so I'm assuming the same will occur with this one. Its available as a single issue here http://www.isi.org/journals/chesterton_review.html

And for anyone who didn't make it to Birmingham last year the Tolkien Society are due to publish the talks from that either later this year or next.

01-17-2006, 07:05 AM	#1
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,463	Well I can forget about that unless a premium bond comes up in a big way - especially since it is all weekdays __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

04-19-2006, 05:10 AM	#2
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I'm wondering to post this is the 'Assigned to Mordor' thread, actually... Here's a link to the actual website of the Second Spring Oxford Tolkien Conference. It gives extracts from might be expected from papers, some of which look extremely interesting, especially the one on Tolkien's England, and the event sounds very high level and academic. However, my suspicions are confirmed that there is only one paper being presented at any time, and it is very much a highly 'timetabled' event, including tours and dinners and the like. It is, however, in a beautiful college, includes plenty of time with Priscilla and has those interesting papers... The cost remains at £695. For two people this is outrageous, which is why I am thinking of sending it to Mordor! That's about £1400, which would buy me over a month's holiday by the seaside in high season! Or a new car! Do they deliberately want to exclude us 'riff-raff'? Rant over... __________________ Gordon's alive!

04-19-2006, 06:12 AM	#3
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,463	Well the premium bond did come up yesterday but only to the tune of £100 - which was nevertheless and appreciated windfall, particularly since I had assumed the nasty brown envelope from up north was from the Inland Revenue. Not enough to make a difference to the conference. So I thinkI will spend it on shoes ...and maybe a chocolate fountain ... __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

04-30-2006, 03:22 PM	#4
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I attended a German Tolkien Society seminar last weekend which featured several lectures by experts I'd already heard last year in Birmingham. I very much enjoyed it, especially as I'd already decided that the Oxford conference is not on my agenda this year. I asked the other participants, and the general consensus was: it's too expensive, and after Birmingham last year, we really don't need to go to something similar so soon. I wonder how well it will be attended... __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

05-02-2006, 01:32 AM	#5
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	I cannot believe the pricetag on this! Either they are putting people up at luxury digs, or someone has to be making money on this. Or perhaps they are paying all the speakers huge stipends? __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

05-02-2006, 06:00 AM	#6
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,463	My guess is they only want serious academics who will be funded by their departments not the lay enthusiasts...... Of course a more select gathering pushes the price up.....and Oxford is generally a lot pricier than Brum __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

05-02-2006, 08:09 AM	#7
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	They had another Conference a couple of years back - 'Landscapes with Angels' - about fantasy literature, with a focus on Tolkien & Chesterton & the talks from that have been published as a special edition of the Chesterton Review, so I'm assuming the same will occur with this one. Its available as a single issue here http://www.isi.org/journals/chesterton_review.html And for anyone who didn't make it to Birmingham last year the Tolkien Society are due to publish the talks from that either later this year or next. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects." Last edited by davem; 05-02-2006 at 08:14 AM.

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