Tolkien reading in Karlsruhe on the 25th

[The Might]

Hi all,

since I know we have quite a few German members here I'm taking the opportunity to invite you to the first ever Tolkien reading day in Karlsruhe, the city I currently live and study in by the way.
You can find more information about the event here:
http://start.tolkien-karlsruhe.de/
It is on short notice, but perhaps some Downers who live nearby can make it.
Feel free to contact me if you happen to have questions left! If you also happen to have more time on your hands you could drop by earlier to receive a free The-Might-appoved tour of the city.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thanks for pointing this out, TM! The German Tolkien Society (Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft) joins with many other societies around the world in celebrating Tolkien Reading Day on March 25 with various public events. There are also reading events in Hannover and Oberhausen on the same day. Here is the information: Tolkien Reading Day in Germany

Here is the original Tolkien Society's page about Tolkien Reading Day and here about this year's theme.

There are sure to be other similar events around the world - I know of one in Toronto, and I assume the US societies are joining in as well. If you hear of events, please post the information here - thanks!

If you attend a Tolkien Reading Day event, please tell us about it afterwards - it's always nice to hear news from Tolkien fans around the world.

[Galadriel55]

Here's the link to the Toronto Tolkien society Tolkien reading day.

Very unfortunaely, I will not be able to attend , but I can always read Tolkien at home or school, maybe with a friend or two.

[Mithalwen]

Isn't every day a Tolkien reading day?

[Pitchwife]

Ai ai, I work till 4pm on Friday, and with an hour and a half to drive to Karlsruhe...
Let me see if anything can be done about it.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Isn't every day a Tolkien reading day?

True, but every day is an unofficial Tolkien reading day.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Here's the link to the Toronto Tolkien society Tolkien reading day.

Very unfortunaely, I will not be able to attend , but I can always read Tolkien at home or school, maybe with a friend or two.

And just why will you not be there, young lady?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

And just why will you not be there, young lady?

Seriously:

a) It's too far from my house for me to get there by myself (ie walkin/biking, and if I take a bus I'd have to switch busses two times - I think - in order to get there. Plus, going by bus will take too long, I'd have to leave like 2h early)

b) If I ask my parents to drive me there (I'm too young to drive), they'd think I'm totally nuts - well, they kind of do already because of my obsession with Tolkien. If I ask if I could go there, they'd probably burn all my Tolkien books.

c) Even if I don't tell them that it's a Tolkien gathering, it's still a pretty long way, so they'd want a good reason for it. It would be kind of hard to think of a good story.

d) If someone gives me a ride, my parents (being parents) will still want to know how and with whom I'm spending the day.

e) I still didn't tell them that I have been actively participating here on the Downs (for the same reason as in b) *Me bad girl!*

f) Even if they knew and approved (which is unlikely) they wouldn't let me spend a day with complete strangers.




I hope that's enough reasons for you! It's not just me being lazy!

[The Might]

Pitch, I had exactly you in mind because I think you are the one who lives the closest! I hope you'll be able to make it somehow, would be great to see you there!

Galadriel, I'm sure your parents would be understanding when it comes to the Professor.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

f) Even if they knew and approved (which is unlikely) they wouldn't let me spend a day with complete strangers.

Totally understandable, reasonable, and commendable. But you know, you could always invite them along.

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I hope that's enough reasons for you! It's not just me being lazy!

Very good arguments all. You have a knack for story telling. Have you ever tried RPGing here?

PS. I know you're really going to spend Saturday afternoon malling at Square One.

I'm a bit nervous about meeting all the folks from Wellinghall Smial, as we've corresponded but never met. What if some of them are movie fans?

[Durelin]

Aw. I do under-appreciate my parents being the nerds/geeks they are. They let me miss almost two whole days of school for 'Trilogy Tuesday'...! I was, of course, supervised, though.

Doesn't seem to be a reading day event around here. If I was more of the event-organizing type I'd try to get something going at school. I have a couple fans in my apartment, so maybe we'll just geek out a little together. I would make an open invitation and promise to bake cookies but the only Downer I know of who lived close at one time is Aylwen.

Edit: Oh, make that Son of Numenor as well. Shout out?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by The Might

Galadriel, I'm sure your parents would be understanding when it comes to the Professor.

O, I wish!

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Totally understandable, reasonable, and commendable. But you know, you could always invite them along.

True say, but as I said before, they won't be very happy if I'd ask them to spend a day with Tolkien fans, even if they'd be with me. They'd probably think of it as a day wasted. And this is what I imagine happening:

Bethberry: Hi G55!
Me: Oh, hi Bethberry!
My mom: [my name], do you know her?
me: Ummmm....

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Very good arguments all. You have a knack for story telling. Have you ever tried RPGing here?

A HA HA HA HA!!! But thank you.

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

PS. I know you're really going to spend Saturday afternoon malling at Square One.

Homework, more likely.

PS: I don't like malling.

PPS: I am not trying to make excuses. I really want to attend, but it just won't work out for me. As soon as I'm old enough for my parents not to enquire every time I leave the house, I'm gonna go to Tolkien meetings/moots/gatherings/whatever, and definitely to Reading Days!

[Pitchwife]

TM, I've sweet-talked my boss into letting me leave 2 hours early. See you on Friday!

[The Might]

Ah, perfect, that is great news indeed!

Judging by the time, I suspect you'll be going straight to the library?

[Pitchwife]

Yep, no time for a city tour before the reading (besides, I've been to Karlsruhe a few times); but if you're free in the evening, maybe we could find a cozy pub afterwards? Let's discuss everything else by PM, shall we?

[Bêthberry]

For those of you unable to participate in a Tolkien Reading Day with others, here's a lovely essay on this year's theme, Tolkien's Trees.

I'm looking forward to the Wellinghall smial gathering tomorrow.

[Galadriel55]

How did it go?

Pitch? TM? Bethberry? (Even though you're probably not home yet)

[Bêthberry]

I'm home, Galadriel55! We had an afternoon meeting to accommodate members who drive in from several cities outside the GTA.

We had alot of fun and laughter.I suppose in the vernacular I could say it was awesome. The group was smallish--well, larger than the Fellowship by a bit--but there is a wide range in the ages of members. I'm sure your parents would have found people of interest their own age and there were also some young adults, probably a bit older than you. After lunch we made a concerted effort to read all our passages to each other--interesting how "trees" can take readers in so many different ways; time allowed us to make some comments and observations on each passage. I read two pieces: the paragraph from Tolkien's essay on Beowulf and the critics where he refers to certain critics as "flitting from one tum-tum tree to another"; and part of the poem "Korterion Among The Trees" from Cottage of Lost Play in BoLT 1.

Wellinghall Smial has a very dynamic group of people. They've started (or helped to start) the White Tree Fund to amalgamate the world wide Tolkien community to support various charities and raise awareness of literacy initiatives (among several goals).

They also produce the Silver Leaves Journal in support of that fund. I saw the three past issues of the journal this afternoon and they are beautiful, interesting works, with contributions from around the world. Jef Murray and Ted Nasmith are just some of the contributors.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at one of the Reading Day events some year soon, G55.

EDIT: Probably the most fitting reading was the passage from the chapter "Treebeard" which describes Wellinghall. We all agreed it should be the closing reading for future Reading Day moots.

[Galadriel55]

I'm so jealous! I wish I could go!


Ah, you guys are probably tired of me ranting on this subject. "Those teenagers never know what they want", right? *sighs*

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Ah, you guys are probably tired of me ranting on this subject. "Those teenagers never know what they want", right? *sighs*

No, but I"m a bit embarassed that we are actually off topic and hijacked The Might's and Pitch's thread about the German meeting.

Had you attended, G55, I could have posted about the meeting on the proper thread, as Pitch has done.

Judging from Estelyn's reports of the German TS, I'd say it is a very dynamic group of keen (Tolkeen?) fans. I like the idea of doing readings in a bookstore.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I had originally planned to participate in the Reading Day in Hannover. Alas, a nasssty cold took me out of things the past few days. However, a friend who was actively involved called to tell me about it. The local smial had fun reading various passages from different stories, the bookstore sold several Tolkien books, and even people who didn't actually sit down and stay, hung around the fringes to listen. Sounds like a success to me!

I agree, Bb - cooperating with bookstores to do the readings is an excellent idea. Everyone benefits from it. And yes, the German Tolkien Society is definitely active!