Tag Archives: J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien on Audio

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Today, as I write this, it’s January 3, which means it’s the birthday of J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973). I  doubt I could say anything I haven’t said before. I’ve not read any Tolkien in a while, so that well has run a little dry.

But The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion are available in audiobook format. Given that I’m going to be spending a great deal of time in the car over the next few months, listening to them on audiobook would be a good way to pass the time. I’ve already downloaded The Silmarillion.

I’ve read The Lord of the Rings more than once. I’ve not read The Silmarillion yet.

I do think Tolkien is one of the greatest writers the English language has produced. He was from an earlier time, when pacing in stories was different. It was slower, and if the author did his or her job, more immersive than a lot of what is published today.

And there are times I want/need that kind of book.

I’m in the mood for the grand sweep of history, so I’m looking forwards to listening to The Simarillion, starting next week.  And shortly, I’ll be raising a glass in professor Tolkien’s memory.

Getting Back to Tolkien

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J. R. R. Tolkien was born on this date, January 3, way back in 1892. I’ve done a number of birthday posts on him, so I’ll not rehash those.

Today, I want to ruminate a bit, if you’ll allow a bit of self-indulgence. Tolkien has been on my mind some lately. I’m not really sure why. It may have something to do with having heard a Led Zeppelin song on the radio the other day, but I don’t think that was it. He was on my mind before that. Continue reading →

Catching Up I: Catching up on the Classics

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So lately I’ve been catching up on some of my TBR pile, or in many cases by TBRR (to be reread) pile. There’s not a huge amount of new fantasy and science fiction being published these days that appeals to me. There’s some, just not a lot. I went to B&N last night and left without buying anything.

I’ve been spending a good deal of this year trying to get caught up on books that fall into two broad (and occasionally overlapping) categories, classics of the field and series I’ve either started but not finished/series I’ve bought but not started at all. Many of the latter haven’t been finished because I started them when they were only one book and never worked later books in. Then there are the stand-alones I got distracted while reading and haven’t finished yet. So I guess there are three categories.

The focus of this post is what would be considered classics in both the science fiction and fantasy fields. Much of my catch-up reading has been science fiction the last half year or so.  Not all of it has been titles I’d not read. Some of it has been rereading things I read so long ago but have little to no memory of now. I’ll list a few things I’ve been reading and then solicit suggestions. Continue reading →

Happy Birthday, Professor Tolkien

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J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973) was born on this day, January 3.

It has become fashionable to bash on Tolkien for not being sufficiently woke or for taking up too much shelf space in bookstores. One marketing technique is now to make controversial statements about his and his work if you have a book coming out. Such tactics and complaints are the habits of lesser writers.

Tolkien was the greatest fantasy author of the 20th Century. This is a hill I am prepared to die on. (Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H. P. Lovecraft aren’t far behind.)

Most people are familiar with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. His other writings, not so much. Sadly, I have to include myself in that group. I’ve not read enough of his other work, although I’ve read bits and pieces. That’s something I intend to correct over the coming year.

I’m open to suggestions as to what some of you who are better read would recommend as a starting point.

Who Are the Giants?

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So yesterday’s post on Edgar Rice Burroughs and Harold Lamb and the recent post on the canon, coupled with today is the anniversary of the passing of J. R. R. Tolkien and the seventh anniversary of the death of Frederik Pohl, got me to thinking. I referred to Burroughs and Lamb as giants. In the canon post I quoted Newton talking about his achievements being due to his standing on the shoulders of giants.

So who exactly are the giants in the field? Continue reading →

Firing the Canon: An Appreciation of H. P. Lovecraft

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I was going to do a review in honor of H. P. Lovecraft’s birthday (August 20, 1890-1937) , but then one of the usual suspects, a writer noted for ripping off writing in the styles of better writers from a previous generation ignited a small tempest in a teapot about the need of having a canon, or in his case, not having one. No, that’s not a typo in the title of this post. He wants to fire the canon, as in “You’re fired”. Those are my terms, not his, just to be clear.

So here are my thoughts, using the Gentleman From Providence as a key example since it’s become so fashionable to hate on him. And John W. Campbell, Jr., and Issac Asimov, and Robert E. Howard, and… Continue reading →

The Shadow of Tolkien

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J. R. R. Tolkien was born on this date, January 3, in 1892. He needs no introduction.  I’ve written several tributes to him in the past. I’m not sure what I can say.

Last year I started rereading The Lord of the Rings and took it with me on a business trip to Costa Rica.  My father-in-law passed away while I was there. I read as much as I could, or tried to, on the flight back. I managed to get somewhere in the first half of The Two Towers. I want to finish it this spring.

I also want to read some of the other works which deal with other Ages in MIddle Earth.

Tolkien’s world is so rich and detailed, I want to experience as much as I can. He casts a long shadow over the field of fantasy, longer than either Lovecraft or Howard. I think part of the reason his works have endured for so long is because he writes about universal virtues, such as courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. We need more of that these days.

So tonight, Professor Tolkien, I’ll raise a glass in your honor. The world is a better place because of your life and your writings. I am glad to work in your shadow.

Tolkien and a Few Others

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Today, January 3, is the birthday of J. R. R. Tolkien (b. 1892).  A month or so ago, a minor writer of short stories pulled the ol’ drum-up-publicity-for-my-book-launch-by-attcking-someone-greater-than-me trick.

It worked, just not the way the guy that thought.  At least with me.  I’ve started rereading The Lord of the Rings.  Other than The Hobbit, I’ve never read deeply in Tolkien’s other works.  I’ve decided to change that and have gotten several volumes in The History of Middle-Earth.  I don’t know if I’ll blog about them, but I’m going to dip into them over the course of 2019.

Also, there are two birthdays from yesterday I didn’t mention because I was slightly distracted by my wife’s surgery.

Those were Charles Beaumont (b. Jan. 2, 1929) and Robert Nathan (b. Jan. 2, 1894).  Beaumont I’ve written about before.  A protege of Ray Bradbury, he wrote some great short stories and a number of well-regarded Twilight Zone scripts. I’ll try to read something of his in the next day or so.

Robert Nathan is best remembered for his short novel Portrait of Jenny.  It’s a love story set in the Great Depression about an artist who keeps meeting a girl in the park.  He meets her every few weeks, but each time she’s a few years older.  It’s not an adventure story, but it’s one of my favorite novels.  It’s definitely worth tracking down.

In Defense of Tolkien

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In case you’ve missed it, a science fiction and fantasy writer of some small critical acclaim (he won a Nebula a while back and has taught at a high end writer’s workshop) has made statements saying Tolkien was racist.  His evidence?  Orcs, according to this writer, represent black people.

Personally, I think it’s racist to compare orcs to any race.  This is fantasy, and there are a number of races in Tolkien’s works.  Hobbits, elves, humans, dwarves.  What ethnic group are they supposed to represent?

I think part of this is an attempt to drum up publicity because he as a new collection out.  (I’m not going tell you who he is because I don’t want to give him any publicity.)  Remember, this is a writer of some critical acclaim.  In other words, he hasn’t published any novels and isn’t making a living from his writing.

I know it’s fashionable to attack the giants of the genre.  It’s how you get a seat at the cool kids’ table.  Personally, considering who some of the cook kids in the field are, I have no desire to sit at their table.

I do feel an urge to reread Tolkien, and the holiday break is coming.  Tolkien is one of the masters of the form, and one who will be remembered long after many of the so called cool kids will be long forgotten.

 

You’re Offended?

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I’m gonna rant.

There was a post the other day that I’m not going to link to because I don’t want to give the site the clicks.  Fortunately someone archived it.

TL;DR version:

The author, one Matt Mikalatos, laments that rereading a childhood favorite (The Once and Future King by T. H. White) didn’t live up to his expectations, specifically there were some things said that he found to be racially insensitive.  I’ve never read the book, so I can’t say for sure.  He’s specific enough that I’m willing to give him the benefit of doubt. Continue reading →