The LMB Tolkien Read-Along!

[Lennidhren]

In another thread, Lindorieh proposed a Lonely Mountain Band read-along of one of Tolkien's works, and I have volunteered to lead the group. If you are interested into delving into the lore of Middle-earth with us, please vote in this poll for which book we should begin with!

N.B. that I am composing the poll just by pulling what I have on my own bookshelves at the moment. If there's something else by JRRT that you would rather read, please vote "other" and comment in this thread with the titles you are interested in! Hopefully whatever we pick will be available at folks' local libraries if you don't already own a copy.

Here are the poll choices with a bit more info:

The Tolkien Reader: An anthology of JRRT's shorter writings (not all LOTR-related), including: "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son", "Tree and Leaf", "Farmer Giles of Ham" and "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" (the latter, a collection of poetry). It's a nice survey of JRRT's range of works beyond just the LOTR that we know and love.

The Silmarillion: Bane of many LOTR fans' existence, for others it is the crown jewel of JRRT's writings. It may best be likened to a collection of mythology - or perhaps you could call it the scriptures of Middle-earth, with its rather archaic diction and its opening cosmogony (creation story). Many a reader has begun it only to get bogged down and never finish; perhaps a read-along would be the motivation you need to experience the whole (wonderful!) text? Or rather than read the whole, dense thing, we might focus on a specific portion of it as listed below:

Silmarillion: Ainulindale and Valaquenta - This portion of the Silmarillion details the creation of the world and the powers of the Valar, who function as something between gods and angels in its mythology. These are two fairly short readings so I am combining them in one option.

Quenta Silmarillion: The heart of the Silmarillion, this text presents the history of the First Age (and a little bit before the FA too), focusing on the race of Elves called the Noldor and their war against Morgoth, the Dark Lord with whose vassal Sauron we are all much more familiar.

Silmarillion: Akallabeth - Perhaps you'd rather focus on the race of Man than of Elves? This portion of the Silmarillion tells the history of Numenor, the island nation whose first king was Elros, Elrond's brother, ancestor of the Gondorian kings and finally of Aragorn.

Silmarillion: Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age - This final portion of the Silmarillion gives the backstory of how the rings were made and of the rise of Sauron - filling in the gaps in LOTR, basically. Galadriel's monologue at the beginning of the LOTR movies draws on this, as I recall...

Unfinished Tales: Bits and pieces of Tolkien's writings that didn't make it into the Silmarillion; these stories are a bit more, well, unfinished =D but you'll find some great lore details here. Includes: Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin; the Narn i Hin Hurin (tale of the Children of Hurin); A Description of the Island of Numenor; Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife; The Line of Elros: Kings of Numenor; The History of Galadriel and Celeborn and of Amroth King of Lorien; The Disaster of the Gladden Fields; Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan; The Quest of Erebor; The Hunt for the Ring; The Battles of the Fords of Isen; The Druedain; The Istari; The Palantiri.

The Lays of Beleriand: A collection of Tolkien's poetry about Middle-earth, including: The Lay of the Children of Hurin; The Flight of the Noldoli; Fragment of a Lay of Earendel; The Lay of the Fall of Gondolin; and The Lay of Leithian (of Beren and Luthien). Wonderful epic poetry, not just the light verse you find in LOTR and in the Adventures of Tom Bombadil collection in the Tolkien Reader, listed above!

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Nothing to do with LOTR, but I personally love this translation by Tolkien of the middle English poem. It also includes his translations of the poems "Pearl" and "Sir Orfeo". It's alliterative verse, very interesting to look at.

[Lindorieh]

I voted other because I'll happily read anything!

Lindorieh

[Aldekim]

I voted unfinished tales, mainly because I am currently about half way thorugh my third read of that tome.

[`Tinki`]

I thought the Silmarillion was interesting stuff. but the "Hobbit" is much easier reading.

[Harperella]

I voted for the Silmarillion and the Quenta Silmarillion, because that's an engaging part with much useful ancient lore. But I'd love to read the Hobbit again and this would be just the excuse to do it.

--Harperella

[gaiagil]

I voted for the Silmarillion pieces: Ainulindalë and the Valaquenta because I love the idea of reading the Silmarillion together, but want to take it one bit at a time. That would give us a deeper and more focused discussion each time, but for the second reading... The Quenta Silmarillion.... maybe break it up a bit... The third reading the Akallabeth.... etc.

Count me in, no matter what is decided.

Gaiagil

[Harperella]

Maybe we should hold another poll with just three choices of reading:

Silmarillion
Other Middle Earth Tolkien works (Lost Tales, Unfinished Songs, Lays of Beleriand)
Other non-Middle Earth Tolkien works (Star of Wooten Minor, Farmer Giles of Ham, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)

That might get us all on the same page...

--Harperella

[Lennidhren]

Harperella wrote:

Maybe we should hold another poll with just three choices of reading: Silmarillion Other Middle Earth Tolkien works (Lost Tales, Unfinished Songs, Lays of Beleriand) Other non-Middle Earth Tolkien works (Star of Wooten Minor, Farmer Giles of Ham, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight) That might get us all on the same page... --Harperella

I think you're right! I had tried to include The Hobbit and LOTR in the poll but I ended up with too many options in the list and had to cut them out to get it to post. All right, I'll post a new categorical poll...

[Galenhir]

This could be a great catalyst to the Tolkien society gatherings I wanted to create within the LMB.

[Tamoro]

I'm with Lindorieh, I'll read just about anything. And if it's not on my shelf, it'll give me the impetus to go get it!

[Turambaril]

Galenswerd wrote:

This could be a great catalyst to the Tolkien society gatherings I wanted to create within the LMB.

I with Galen here, as I would love to get rolling Tolkien Society gatherings focusing month to month on different works or carrying the same work month to month. As the organizer of The Northeast Tolkien Society in years past my wife and I have conducted these types of gatherings at a pub or library. It would be great to have those in the NYC area here at LMB gather to do this, but for those who cannot the discussion can be focused on whatever is be talked about here--to spill over into the live gathering.

Currently I am loving reading various poetry by Tolkien in The Book of Lost Tales, his early ideas of Faerie and the Elves. Just read Kotirion, Tingfang Warble and few others, now am starting from the beginning reading The Cottage of Lost Play, absolutely absorbed in the imagery and feel for it.

Cheers,
Anthony

[Lindorieh]

Turambaril wrote:

Galenswerd wrote: This could be a great catalyst to the Tolkien society gatherings I wanted to create within the LMB. I with Galen here, as I would love to get rolling Tolkien Society gatherings focusing month to month on different works or carrying the same work month to month. As the organizer of The Northeast Tolkien Society in years past my wife and I have conducted these types of gatherings at a pub or library. It would be great to have those in the NYC area here at LMB gather to do this, but for those who cannot the discussion can be focused on whatever is be talked about here--to spill over into the live gathering. Currently I am loving reading various poetry by Tolkien in The Book of Lost Tales, his early ideas of Faerie and the Elves. Just read Kotirion, Tingfang Warble and few others, now am starting from the beginning reading The Cottage of Lost Play, absolutely absorbed in the imagery and feel for it. Cheers, Anthony

I would love to do this!

Lindorieh