40th anniversary of JRR Tolkien's death

[BallAquatics]

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, born in 1892, died 40 years ago today.  He specialised in Anglo Saxon, a subject as dry and dull as it sounds.  With a brilliant mind and in-depth knowledge of language, he brought whole fictional universes to life.  He didn't just write stories, he produced fully interactive content experiences complete with maps, languages, songs and poems. He produced whole new alternate worlds and for many people, Middle Earth is easily as real as London.

With each passing year, he continues to reach newer, younger audiences. For example, when the BBC launched 'The Big Read' in 2003, an overwhelming three quarters of a million UK voters selected Lord of the Rings as their favourite book.

If you enjoyed the movies, you should really treat yourself to the books. As is often the case, there was so much they left out of the films...  the books are vastly superior!

Dennis

[PaulineMi]

 Seeing your post made me realize that times have changed so much it is unlikely we will see photos of such stately looking individuals who have the ability to give us great gifts of literature. It is wonderful to read that his works continue to reach young people who are adept at and entertained by technology.

Thanks for sharing.

[LizStreithorst]

He smoked a pipe.  My brother smoked a pipe.  Back then a pipe gave a man an intellectual air.  That's why my brother smoked one.  Nobody smokes a pipe these days.

I will have to buy the books and read them again.  They do indeed take you to another world.  I owned them once but they're gone now.  Never saw the movie.

[BillT]

I read these books for the first time when I read them to my kids. This among other things got them interested in reading and they are heavy readers now. A great life skill which everyone using this website is partaking in.

[BallAquatics]

I did the same with our children Bill.  When I was in grade school and just learning to read, grandpa told me, "Once you learn to read the world is your oyster, for once you can read, you can teach yourself how to do anything."  I've never forgot those words and still live by them today.

Dennis

[LizStreithorst]

Nobody cared if I could read or not  They expected me to preform well in school but I failed big time.  I was bored to tears and dyslexic to boot.  Back they they just decided that I was either stupid or lazy.

The book that opened me up to literature is called "The Phantom Toll Booth" God knows how man times over I read that book.  I can't remember the author.  Feifer drew the illustrations.

I suppose it's time for me to read Huckleberry Finn again  It's been over 6 years and I feel the need for it.  I have a thing for Mark Twain even though he's dead.

[BallAquatics]

The Phantom Tollbooth is a children's adventure novel and modern fairy tale by Norton Juster. It was published in 1961 with illustrations by Jules Feiffer. It tells the story of a bored young boy named Milo who unexpectedly receives a magic tollbooth one afternoon and, having nothing better to do, decides to drive through it in his toy car. The tollbooth transports him to a land called the Kingdom of Wisdom. There he acquires two faithful companions, has many adventures, and goes on a quest to rescue the princesses of the kingdom?Princess Rhyme and Princess Reason?from the castle of air. The text is full of puns, and many events, such as Milo's jump to the Island of Conclusions, exemplify literal meanings of English language idioms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Phantom_Tollbooth

One of my favorites is Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut...  love that Ice-9  Another is A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison.  I used to read constantly, but my eyes won't allow that now...

Dennis

[LizStreithorst]

I will re read Cat's Cradle if you will read The Phantom Toll Booth.  I have to tell you that I have read may of Vonnegut's books and I am not a fan.  His characters have no dimension 

[BallAquatics]

You're on!

Dennis

[Mugwump]

   While I enjoy all literature, I like biography's the best and/or life stories.....'Rickenbacker' by Capt'n Eddie Richenbacker , 'Churchill as I knew him' by Violet Bonham Carter, ' Eisenhower at War 1943/45' by David Eisenhower, 'The Wise Men' by Walter Isaacson and Evan Thomas..which is about Lovett,  McCloy, Harriman, Bohlen, Kennan, and Dean Acheson..and how they shaped the US, and it's policies during and after WW II....'It takes Heart' by Mel Allen...and others...of course, I've read every Alister  Maclean book too 'Ice Station Zebra' , etc.... and Ian Fleming's Bond books.. 

I just finished 'Landry' about Tom Landry the old Dallas Cowboy coach....next up...who knows?

[BallAquatics]

If you like history type stuff, I highly recommend Shelby Foote's Civil War books.  He was born just down the road from Liz in Greenville, MS.  I listened to most of it as books on tape when I spent many hours on the road.  It's nothing like what they taught us in school.

Dennis

[LizStreithorst]

OK, Dennis.  We're on, 

I'm not as into history as I shoud be.  Science and mediical stuff turn me nn.  My favorite writers in that genera are Oliver Sacks and Francis Crick.

[Mugwump]

I've read some of those, Dennis...and yes, a different slant on the Civil War for sure....

I just finished, a bit back, about couple dozen, of the booklets/pamphlets published in the National Park Service Handbook series based on the various Civil War battles....and a couple of the 'Army Information Digest' booklets..one was a commemoration issue about that war.

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/handbooks/

http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/handbook.html

[BallAquatics]

Science and mediical stuff turn me on.

Dennis

[BallAquatics]

Thanks for the links Jon, I will check it out.....  looks like some interesting material.

Dennis