Once more, J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday is upon us and I am ill prepared to say anything to mark the occasion. Much like Dungeons & Dragons, I'm not certain I have anything left to say that I haven't already said on numerous occasions beforehand – or that others more eloquent than I haven't said better. Therefore, I will simply remind everyone of the date and bid you all to commemorate this auspicious date in whatever way seems appropriate to you. I'll be re-reading some of my favorite sections of The Hobbit, like riddles in the dark or the meeting with Elrond. Those scenes (and many others besides) remind of why Tolkien is still remembered and celebrated to this day.
Happy Birthday, Professor Tolkien!
Alassë a nosta, Professor!
ReplyDeleteAve Mestre.
ReplyDeleteBy coincidence, I have this day received hardcovers of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to replace my battered SFBC editions from the turn of the millennium. I think that suffices. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe hobbit is still my favourite book because of the images it creates in my mind when I read it. This is why I've never read the graphic novel or, heaven forbid, watched the tortuous movies. In my minds eye, when I read the book, I'm nine years old again, reading the book by torchlight under the blankets of my bed and the images coalesced from the written words surge into my mind and are perfect in every detail. Happy birthday professor.
ReplyDeleteIt's my favourite book too and I have the same feelings about it. While I'm not a massive fan of the movies I do love the graphic novel and would recommend it to everyone. Andy Serkis reading the audio book is fabulous in its own right.
DeleteHappy birthday to the Master! He remains the standard by which all fantasy authors are judged.
ReplyDeleteThe Hobbit is the best book. LotR’s just rambles in places, Tolkien is not that great an author in my opinion. Over rated greatly. Simon.
ReplyDeleteLOL
DeleteWhen "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve" is right there!
ReplyDeleteThe 2001 book about Tolkien as "author of the century" (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23606.J_R_R_Tolkien) is definitely worth visiting. Makes a compelling case that Tolkien's work gives a unique (maybe definitive) perspective on the 20th century...that his fantasy addresses the century's unique hardships (world war in particular, that fantasy was *the* vehicle for writing about it and Tolkien a master of that craft. His flights of fancy changed our real world for sure.
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ReplyDelete- Reaper from Overwatch
DeleteDo all the "dies!" mean something? I'm curious.
DeleteMy favorite book is The Hobbit, and its first chapter is my favorite. Funny enough, my least favorite chapter is a common favorite: "Riddles in the Dark" (which I find better in the 1937 version).
ReplyDeleteJim Hodges--- My high school buddy Vance, who loved Tolkien as much as I did, always emails me a riddle on Tolkien's birthday, and I him, though we live in different states now, and haven't seen one another in the flesh in years. Little JRRT ritual we've somehow kept up for many years, and G-d be kind, we shall for many years to come.
ReplyDeleteTolkien is my favorite writer of speculative fiction. I like him even better than Haggard, Hodgson, Ashton Smith, and Bradbury, all of whom I greatly admire as excellent writers with superb imaginations.
ReplyDelete