The Tolkien Coming of Age Club - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

**The Saucepan Man** · 01-08-2003, 07:19 PM

Many thanks, Estelyn, for the link. I am honoured to be invited, particularly since I am new to the Barrow Downs.

I was first introduced to Prof Tolkien's works some 25 years ago, when we read The Hobbit at school (I think we read it aloud in class). I must have been about 9 or 10. Although the recollection is pretty fuzzy, I have a vague memory of doing a picture in class of the spiders of Mirkwood involving string glued onto the paper as a web (the things that stick in the mind!). I am however eternally indebted to the teacher who introduced me to the book - I have been a fan ever since.

I soon moved on to the Lord of the Rings and soaked it up. I remember being intrigued by the cover which looked down a long road leading from a pleasant green land to a dark, mountainous, stormy land (the Shire to Mordor) with strange figures peeking out from the trees along the way (unfortunately that particular book is now long gone). It was wonderful, because it gave little away and let the imagination run wild in visualising all the characters and locations. I was taken on seeing the FotR film by how much of it looked just as I had imagined it, and again with TTT (I have set out my thoughts on the films elsewhere, so won't repeat myself any more here).

I also remember that awful sadness on finishing the book and wanting to read more. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] I tried the Silmarillion a few years later, but found it pretty hard going and gave up.

I did follow it up by reading all the fantasy books I could get my hands on - some pretty sub-standard, but some were great (Michael Moorcock's Prince Corum series, Anne McCaffrey's Pern books and Aldiss' Helicona books spring to mind). I also got heavily into AD&D and various other RPGS at school - I couldn't believe it, a game with Hobbits in it where you acted out the characters (we always called them Hobbits, not Halflings).

I must have read Lord of the Rings 2 or 3 times shortly after, but hadn't picked it up for many years until I saw the FotR film about a year ago, which prompted to read TH and LotR again. It was like being re-introduced to old friends. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] The film also got my wife into the books - can you believe that she had been told when a girl that she wouldn't enjoy them? [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] All those wasted years!

I never got round to reading the Silmarillion, although I'm planning on doing so soon. I'd also be interested in views on the History of Middle Earth books - I hadn't been aware of them until recently. I'd like to read them, but would welcome advice on where to start (I think that the first few volumes are pre-the Hobbit and LotR).

I'm interested in the conversation about people reading the books to their children. I'm currently reading The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton to my 5 year old daughter (hence the name) and she loves it. I'm looking forward to reading The Hobbit to her, but I think she might be a bit young yet.

As a newcomer, I must admit that I'm enjoying reading all the discussion threads on this sight - I've ventured into some of the "deeper" discussions, but my knowledge pre-the Hobbit is restricted to what I've read in the Illustrated Encyclopedia, so they seem quite daunting. I must work on my knowledge!

Anyway, I think that that's enough from me, so bye for now.

01-08-2003, 07:19 PM	#11
The Saucepan Man Corpus Cacophonous Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: A green and pleasant land Posts: 8,390	Many thanks, Estelyn, for the link. I am honoured to be invited, particularly since I am new to the Barrow Downs. I was first introduced to Prof Tolkien's works some 25 years ago, when we read The Hobbit at school (I think we read it aloud in class). I must have been about 9 or 10. Although the recollection is pretty fuzzy, I have a vague memory of doing a picture in class of the spiders of Mirkwood involving string glued onto the paper as a web (the things that stick in the mind!). I am however eternally indebted to the teacher who introduced me to the book - I have been a fan ever since. I soon moved on to the Lord of the Rings and soaked it up. I remember being intrigued by the cover which looked down a long road leading from a pleasant green land to a dark, mountainous, stormy land (the Shire to Mordor) with strange figures peeking out from the trees along the way (unfortunately that particular book is now long gone). It was wonderful, because it gave little away and let the imagination run wild in visualising all the characters and locations. I was taken on seeing the FotR film by how much of it looked just as I had imagined it, and again with TTT (I have set out my thoughts on the films elsewhere, so won't repeat myself any more here). I also remember that awful sadness on finishing the book and wanting to read more. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] I tried the Silmarillion a few years later, but found it pretty hard going and gave up. I did follow it up by reading all the fantasy books I could get my hands on - some pretty sub-standard, but some were great (Michael Moorcock's Prince Corum series, Anne McCaffrey's Pern books and Aldiss' Helicona books spring to mind). I also got heavily into AD&D and various other RPGS at school - I couldn't believe it, a game with Hobbits in it where you acted out the characters (we always called them Hobbits, not Halflings). I must have read Lord of the Rings 2 or 3 times shortly after, but hadn't picked it up for many years until I saw the FotR film about a year ago, which prompted to read TH and LotR again. It was like being re-introduced to old friends. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] The film also got my wife into the books - can you believe that she had been told when a girl that she wouldn't enjoy them? [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] All those wasted years! I never got round to reading the Silmarillion, although I'm planning on doing so soon. I'd also be interested in views on the History of Middle Earth books - I hadn't been aware of them until recently. I'd like to read them, but would welcome advice on where to start (I think that the first few volumes are pre-the Hobbit and LotR). I'm interested in the conversation about people reading the books to their children. I'm currently reading The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton to my 5 year old daughter (hence the name) and she loves it. I'm looking forward to reading The Hobbit to her, but I think she might be a bit young yet. As a newcomer, I must admit that I'm enjoying reading all the discussion threads on this sight - I've ventured into some of the "deeper" discussions, but my knowledge pre-the Hobbit is restricted to what I've read in the Illustrated Encyclopedia, so they seem quite daunting. I must work on my knowledge! Anyway, I think that that's enough from me, so bye for now. __________________ Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind!