Public Research: How did you become Tolkien-lover? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Legolas in spandex · 04-07-2006, 06:14 PM

It was a mix of the movies and a friend of mine being a HUGE Tolkien fan and my other friends following her footsteps.

Mad Baggins · 04-07-2006, 07:06 PM

I saw the movies, read half of Book I of TTT, put it down for a month, then found a complete set (eee!) in my basement and began FotR. Oh, memories...

Brinniel · 07-04-2006, 05:58 PM

I was in eighth grade when the first movie came out. At first, I had no interest in seeing it (admittingly, I was a huge HP fan at the time). But as it grew closer to December, a couple of my friends who had already read the book were getting psyched for the movie. By the time my teacher posted a map of Middle-earth in the classroom and played a tape recording from The Hobbit, I decided to give the books a try. The day I first placed my hands on The Hobbit was December 18. Ten days later, I had finished the book and the LOTR trilogy (if it hadn't been for the holidays I would've finished sooner). I didn't see the movie until New Year's Day, and by then I was so obssessed I didn't know what to do with myself. Thanks to Ithaeliel, I discovered the BD five months later, and haven't been the same since.

Quote:

Then I joined the Barrow Downs and finally got to know at least a few people (The BD only had 5 members at that time) who shared my enthusiasm for anything connected with Tolkien.

Wow, it's hard to imagine the BD with only five members.

ninja91 · 05-29-2007, 08:31 AM

The movies just put it in a visual perspective for me, and since them I have been totally enthralled by his works...

Regin Hardhammer · 05-30-2007, 12:51 AM

I'm really surprised how many there were who got to know Tolkien from a parent. I thought I was the only one. My mother read the Hobbit to me (and later my sister) when we were younger. She had lots of Tolkien books sitting around the house. After that, I went to see the movie and then read LotR on my own.

Although it wasn't the main thing, Tolkien even influenced my choice of majors. I've gotten interested in languages and am doing a double major in linguistics along with Arabic and Hebrew.

The Sixth Wizard · 05-30-2007, 04:52 AM

I got the Hobbit from my parents.

I'm pretty sure the origin of my interest was reading a classic Australian storybook called "The Magic Pudding". There were rhymes on many pages, and my dad would do all the right voices. (the croaky one for the pudding, the squeaky penguin!

) Anyways, I discovered it again in the bookshelf again at the age of nine, found it funny and my dad told me I should read the Hobbit for a good book with songs, rhyming etc. I read the Hobbit in a month or so and eventually got LOTR and spent a whole year reading that, on and off.

So ... yeah. Whole obsessive nature developed from that.

Aganzir · 05-30-2007, 11:30 AM

I was 10 years old and had just befriended a girl nowadays called Thinlómien.

I had heard of a book called The Lord of the Rings, but I had never thought about reading it. As a child I often read books because their names, covers or descriptions seemed interesting, and the Lotr unfortunately looked rather nondescript (in a child's opinion the Finnish edition indeed looks dull out).

I remember walking with Lommy in the wintry schoolyard, and she spoke to me about the Lord of the Rings and roleplaying and everything that was already a part of her life, but by now a part of my life, too. I actually owe everything to her.

When I turned 11 I got the Lord of the Rings from my aunt as a present. I read it quickly, and started rereading almost immediately when I had finished it for the first time. At some point my father thought I had become hooked and read no other books anymore, so he forbade me reading it for two or three months (I had read it say 6 times in 1,5 a year, but I don't think it was that much). I took it with me to school and read it anyway.

By my next bithday I had read the Lotr for several times, the Hobbit, the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales. There was something in Tolkien's works that made me love them, and that love is something I will probably always carry with me.

Rikae · 06-10-2007, 10:08 AM

I read the LOTR for the first time (at age 8) because a 28 year old man I had a crush on was very much into Tolkien, and I wanted to see what it was he liked so much.

The subsequent 8 rereadings, however, were motivated purely by love of the book!

Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR.

(Read the first half in '87, lost it, and never got around to finishing it - I don't really know why. There is no excuse.)

I'm glad I finally did, though. I don't know why I am motivated best by curiosity about interesting men, but I guess I have to accept motivation where I find it. It seems to work out surprisingly well...

Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom.

Morthoron · 06-10-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikae

Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom.

Hmmm...wouldn't listening to Radiohead all day give you the bends?

The Sixth Wizard · 06-11-2007, 01:41 AM

Just a second... you had a crush on a 28 year old Tolkien addict?!

Rikae · 06-11-2007, 06:31 AM

Of course, the age difference is less of an issue this time!

Macalaure · 06-11-2007, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikae

Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR.

I wonder who that interesting 28 year old man is that you're so curious about...

View Poll Results: I've read Tolkien, for I have...
Found him on my own in a bookstore	4	3.77%
Heard about him from a friend/sibling	31	29.25%
Watched the movies	18	16.98%
Read exalted criticism in a paper/book and read his works to look for myself	0	0%
Read spiteful criticism in a paper/book and read his works to look for myself	0	0%
Found the books prohibited in my school/university and decided to have a go	0	0%
Been taught his works in school/university	4	3.77%
Been read his works by my parents as a child/read the books bought for me by my parents	28	26.42%
Enjoyed another artist (poet, writer, etc, please indicate)	3	2.83%
Other	18	16.98%
Voters: 106. You may not vote on this poll

04-07-2006, 06:14 PM	#1
Legolas in spandex Wight Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 102	It was a mix of the movies and a friend of mine being a HUGE Tolkien fan and my other friends following her footsteps. __________________ "I want to die in my sleep, like my grandfather... not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car."

04-07-2006, 07:06 PM	#2
Mad Baggins Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: A place where after thunder golden showers come falling like a rain of flowers. Posts: 371	I saw the movies, read half of Book I of TTT, put it down for a month, then found a complete set (eee!) in my basement and began FotR. Oh, memories... __________________ I like buying snacks from a vending machine because food is better when it falls. Sometimes at the grocery, I'll drop a candy bar so that it will achieve its maximum flavor potential.

05-30-2007, 12:51 AM	#5
Regin Hardhammer Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tumunzahar/Nogrod Posts: 364	I'm really surprised how many there were who got to know Tolkien from a parent. I thought I was the only one. My mother read the Hobbit to me (and later my sister) when we were younger. She had lots of Tolkien books sitting around the house. After that, I went to see the movie and then read LotR on my own. Although it wasn't the main thing, Tolkien even influenced my choice of majors. I've gotten interested in languages and am doing a double major in linguistics along with Arabic and Hebrew. __________________ For once I myself saw with my own eyes the Sibyl at Cumae hanging in a bottle, and when the boys said to her: 'Sibyl, what do you want?' she replied, 'I want to die.'"

05-30-2007, 11:30 AM	#7
Aganzir Woman of Secret Shadow Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: in hollow halls beneath the fells Posts: 4,511	I was 10 years old and had just befriended a girl nowadays called Thinlómien. I had heard of a book called The Lord of the Rings, but I had never thought about reading it. As a child I often read books because their names, covers or descriptions seemed interesting, and the Lotr unfortunately looked rather nondescript (in a child's opinion the Finnish edition indeed looks dull out). I remember walking with Lommy in the wintry schoolyard, and she spoke to me about the Lord of the Rings and roleplaying and everything that was already a part of her life, but by now a part of my life, too. I actually owe everything to her. When I turned 11 I got the Lord of the Rings from my aunt as a present. I read it quickly, and started rereading almost immediately when I had finished it for the first time. At some point my father thought I had become hooked and read no other books anymore, so he forbade me reading it for two or three months (I had read it say 6 times in 1,5 a year, but I don't think it was that much). I took it with me to school and read it anyway. By my next bithday I had read the Lotr for several times, the Hobbit, the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales. There was something in Tolkien's works that made me love them, and that love is something I will probably always carry with me. __________________ He bit me, and I was not gentle.

05-30-2007, 04:52 AM	#6
The Sixth Wizard Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stuck under a rock in Valinor with Ar-Pharazon. Posts: 480	I got the Hobbit from my parents. I'm pretty sure the origin of my interest was reading a classic Australian storybook called "The Magic Pudding". There were rhymes on many pages, and my dad would do all the right voices. (the croaky one for the pudding, the squeaky penguin! ) Anyways, I discovered it again in the bookshelf again at the age of nine, found it funny and my dad told me I should read the Hobbit for a good book with songs, rhyming etc. I read the Hobbit in a month or so and eventually got LOTR and spent a whole year reading that, on and off. So ... yeah. Whole obsessive nature developed from that.

06-10-2007, 10:08 AM	#8
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	Embarrassing admission... I read the LOTR for the first time (at age 8) because a 28 year old man I had a crush on was very much into Tolkien, and I wanted to see what it was he liked so much. The subsequent 8 rereadings, however, were motivated purely by love of the book! Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR. (Read the first half in '87, lost it, and never got around to finishing it - I don't really know why. There is no excuse.) I'm glad I finally did, though. I don't know why I am motivated best by curiosity about interesting men, but I guess I have to accept motivation where I find it. It seems to work out surprisingly well... Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom. Last edited by Rikae; 06-10-2007 at 10:16 AM.

06-11-2007, 01:41 AM	#10
The Sixth Wizard Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stuck under a rock in Valinor with Ar-Pharazon. Posts: 480	Just a second... you had a crush on a 28 year old Tolkien addict?!

06-11-2007, 06:31 AM	#11
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	Of course, the age difference is less of an issue this time!

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