J.R.R. Tolkien discussion
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2018 Reading Challenge
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My Tolkien 2018 challenge: Children of Hurin and Silmarillion, tried a long time ago to read the later and failed. Silmarillion now in Amazon Prime reading, good prompt to try again.
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I've got the "actual Tolkien" covered, as I've just read a lovely 1966 edition of Farmer Giles of Ham, with Pauline Baynes's fantastic "embellishments". (It's her rendition of the dragon Chrysophylax Dives acting as the Challenge logo this year.)
I'm spoiled for biographies as I've a few yet to read, but I think I'll go with The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary by Peter Gilliver, E.S.C. Weiner and Jeremy Marshall, as the narrow focus appeals to me at the moment.
I've had The Art of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien on my TBR list for too long. It's a beautiful-looking book, and Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull are such ardent Tolkien scholars - knowledgeable, but never dry.
The last category, I'm not sure of at all yet, but perhaps The Mythology Of Tolkien's Middle Earth by Ruth S. Noel, a book I know to be flawed, but which, in a perverse way, is part of its attraction.
All of which is absolutely subject to change on a whim!
I'm confused, when I go to set my shelf up it says the challenge has ended.
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I think there's been a number of requests from various Group moderators for previous challenges to be made less prominent on the home page.
Hmm there's no way to separate your Tolkien challenge with your personal challenge? I thought there used to be a way.
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Mod
The shelf you use for the Tolkien Challenge would need to be a new, unique one that you only use for those books you read as a part of this challenge. As an example, my shelf name is:
tolkien-2018-reading-challenge
Hope this helps :-)
I created one called Middle Earth, but when I go to add books it takes me to my general challenge. I'm odd because I don't do the challenges, but I wanted to do this, so I'll probably just leave it as 2 books and then complete it when I'm done reading them.
I'm planning on listening to the trilogy, The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin, and on reading Tolkien and the West: Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe. I'm about halfway through the Silm; hopefully it won't take me the rest of the year by itself.
I was bored to tears with The Children of Hurin, even though Christopher Lee was narrating, still audio is the way to go with that one I think.
Audio has gotten me through a good number of books I couldn't plow through in print.
I think I just added a book to my challenge. There's an exhibition about to open at the Bodleian Library of unpublished artwork by Tolkien, and the book will be out in July (in the US - June in the UK). I think this will be my birthday present to myself. Precious.
Is that watercolor one of Tolkien's? I knew he did some drawings, but I never really paid attention.
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I'm trying to persuade my wife that she does want to go with me to this exhibition!
Bodleian Tolkien Exhibition.
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Tolkien painted several colour plates for The Hobbit, which are included in many editions of the book.
Hammond and Scull's The Art of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is a fantastic examination of Tolkien's influences and development as an artist, focusing, naturally, on the paintings and drawings he did for The Hobbit. The same authors look more widely at Tolkien the artist in J.R.R.Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator.
Michael wrote: "Aaron wrote: "Is that watercolor one of Tolkien's? I knew he did some drawings, but I never really paid attention."Tolkien painted several colour plates for The Hobbit, which are in..."
I have the The Art of the Hobbit and I can also highly recommend. I am not a big art person per se, but something about Tolkien's style really draws me in (forgive the pun). If you are into that kind of thing, The Art of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
is also wonderful to pour over.
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I am into that kind of thing! :-D
I've got that to read, Tara. It does look fantastic :-)
Wow thanks! I did not realize his watercolor is really good!
Tolkien was very self-deprecating about his artwork, and never felt like it was good enough for publication, but it is really quite delightful!
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That is definitely the general consensus about his strengths and weaknesses Michael. Although I agree that from a realistic POV his characters are lacking, I still rather enjoy them for what they are. His depiction of Smaug is iconic for me.
Tracey wrote: "I think I just added a book to my challenge. There's an exhibition about to open at the Bodleian Library of unpublished artwork by Tolkien, and the book will be out in July (in the US - June in the..."Tracey, will you be shelling out for the collector's edition, or the standard hardcover version? Currently I am strongly considering getting the hardcover, but perhaps its worth the extra dough for the special edition.
I doubt I can justify the collector's edition to myself ... We'll see how my bank account looks when my birthday gets closer. Or I'll just find a friend who has it and steal it from him (without strangling him)... then retreat to my cave - I mean bedroom - to admire it.
Ah, those tricksy birthday gifts, always causing trouble...I love beautiful books, but then I tend to be afraid to take them off the shelf, which totally defeats the purpose of getting them.
That's actually a strong argument for me against buying the collector's edition... If I so much bruised the jacket it would feel like I flushed money down the drain.
That's why I buy two, one to use and one to preserve in mint condition.
My Tolkien challenge of this year:- The Hobbit
- The Lord of the Rings
- The Silmarillion
- Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle Earth
- The Children of Húrin
- Beren and Lúthien
- The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún
- The Fall of Arthur
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part 2
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- The Hobbit
- The Lord of the Rings
- The Silmarillion
- Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle Earth
- [book:..."
That's an impressive target, Hannu! Good luck ☺
Just finished the LotR. Going to tackle the Silmarillion and HoME.
Scott wrote: "Just finished the LotR. Going to tackle the Silmarillion and HoME."And once you finish The Silmarillion and HoME, you can go back and read LotR again, and will have a whole new appreciation of references and back stories :)
I am Brazilian and finally the publisher will bring new titles to the country. I'm waiting for the publication of The Fall of Gondolin and Beren and Luthien in portuguese to read them later this year.
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Sounds like you've had to wait a while for Beren and Lúthien, João, but at least you'll be getting The Fall of Gondor in good time :-)
My year so far: My target was to read 10 books which I've already surpassed (11 books). With the exception of BoLT 1 & 2 I've read all of the books I'd planned to read. I have also read some books I didn't initially have on my list: The Story of Kullervo, The Fall of Gondolin and Realms of Tolkien.
Currently I'm reading The Book of Lost Tales, Part One, The Monsters and Critics and Other Essays and The Road to Middle-earth.
I finally updated my Tolkien reading challenge. I did 13! My original goal was to read five, but as I was reading the History of Middle Earth I found I had to continue reading them. I've now hit a History-slump unfortunately. I'll try to finish Morgoth's Ring this year too. Just need to dive in again..
That's quite the accomplishment, those books are no joke!
Tara wrote: "That's quite the accomplishment, those books are no joke!"Thank you! There were a few in the series, I think number 5 or 6 that were really easy to read, those were about the Lord of the Rings beginnings. The rest was a little harder but very interesting none the less. :-)
I'll try for five again next year!
I really want to read The History of the Hobbit soon so I might buy it for myself as a holiday gift.
Max wrote: "Tara wrote: "That's quite the accomplishment, those books are no joke!"Thank you! There were a few in the series, I think number 5 or 6 that were really easy to read, those were about the Lord of..."
I've read The Treason of Isengard and The War of the Ring, but I want to go back and read the series in order. I don't care for the bits about maps and geography, but the changes in the character and story development are interesting.
Tara wrote: "I've read The Treason of Isengard and The War of the Ring, but I want to go back and read the series in order. I don't care for the bits about maps and geography, but the changes in the character and story development are interesting."Totally agreed! I hope you get to read the whole series sometime.
I got most of mine in the thrift shop but I'm missing The Peoples of Middle-earth still, so I might just buy it new. xD
Happy new year, everyone! I'm already thinking about my Tolkien 2019 goal.. :-D
Corbier wrote: "Will there be a 2019 challenge as well?"I hope so!
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Michael wrote: "Real life continues to intrude, so thank you for the gentle reminders. A 2019 Challenge will be available shortly ☺"Fun, thank you so much! No hurries!
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Fun, thank you so much! No hurries!"
No hurries, no worries!! It's up and running now :-D
J.R.R. Tolkien
Books mentioned in this topic
The Peoples of Middle-Earth (other topics)The History of the Hobbit, One-Volume Edition (other topics)
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (other topics)
The Road to Middle-Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology (other topics)
The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Pauline Baynes (other topics)Peter Gilliver (other topics)
E.S.C. Weiner (other topics)
Jeremy Marshall (other topics)
Wayne G. Hammond (other topics)
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If you've already read a book this year that you want to include in your challenge, just create a new shelf for your challenge and set that shelf on the Challenge page when you join. If you have any difficulties, please let us know :-)