A Guide to Reading Tolkien

Originally Published on 3/05/08

Many people ask me how they should go about reading Tolkien. With so many books containing such a complex and vast mythology, it can definitely be confusing. There are many ways to go about it, but I’d like to share with you my own guide to reading Tolkien. Here is the order which I recommend any reader new to Tolkien should try, with some tips to getting the most out of the experience:

1. The Hobbit: This is by far the easiest book to read, and it’s the book that introduces hobbits, and one in particular, Bilbo Baggins. It was written more specifically for children, but as an adult, I still get great pleasure out of reading it. It also introduces readers to Tolkien’s somewhat antiquated style of writing.

2. The Lord of the Rings: This is obviously the most famous of all of Tolkien’s books, and my personal favorite. It took him over a decade to write it, and it was first intended to be a sequel to The Hobbit. It can seem overwhelming because of its length, but that is why I recommend that first-time readers purchase a trilogy version of the book (which was never intended to be a trilogy). But reading it this way breaks it down into easier parts. One warning – this book contains long passages of descriptions of landscape, and even of action. Some readers find this boring, but when you realize how important the entire landscape of Middle-earth is to the story, and how much Tolkien was concerned with the fate of our own world’s natural beauty, then it’s easily appreciated.

3. The Silmarillion: If you enjoyed the first two on the list, then you’re ready to move on to The Silmarillion, which can easily be described as the work of Tolkien’s heart. He begged his publishers for its publication, but they were hesitant. The Silmarillion is less a cohesive narrative, as it is a selection of tales from the First Age of Middle-earth. It tells the story of the creation of Middle-earth, the coming of the Elves and Men, and the battles against Morgoth, the Great Enemy. The stories it contains (including the famous tale of Beren and Lúthien) paint a very vivid picture of the First Age, and the inclusion of such characters as Galadriel, the elf queen who also appears in The Lord of the Rings really demonstrates the overwhelming immortality suffered by the elves. It also contains the Akallabêth, which is the story of the creation and downfall of Númenor, a story important to the character of Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings.

4. The Children of Húrin: The compelling story of Húrin and Turin is finally told in its complete form in this book, which was finally published last year. It is much more of a cohesive narrative, which makes it easy to read, and it’s a great compliment to The Silmarillion.

5. Unfinished Tales: Having read all 4 books on the list, readers will undoubtedly have many questions. This book answers some of them, as it contains many unfinished stories that give more details of the origins of certain characters, like wizards, for instance. You finally get to find out exactly who Gandalf and Saruman are! There are comments from Christopher Tolkien, which shed light on his father’s writing process and the direction which he wanted this stories to take.

6. The Histories: This is a series of books, from the first, The Book of Lost Tales, which are very early poems and sketches of elves and the Undying Lands. The books, which were again compiled by Christopher Tolkien, number 12 in all, and cover almost every inch of history in Middle-earth. They are all alike in that they contain early versions of stories and comments from Christopher Tolkien, but each book concentrates on a single area of history. Here are the books, listed in order (note: I have not read them all):

The Book of Lost Tales, Part I
The Book of Lost Tales, Part II
The Lays of Beleriand
The Shaping of Middle-earth
The Lost Road and Other Writings
The Return of the Shadow
The Treason if Isengard
The War of the Ring
Sauron Defeated
Morgoth’s Ring
The War of the Jewels
The Peoples of Middle-earth

Good luck on your journey to discovering Middle-earth! Be warned, though – once you get a taste of what Tolkien has to offer, there’s no stopping!

Tolkien Week: 12/29 – 1/03

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is the creator of Middle-earth and the author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. He spent his life meticulously creating his mythology, and all modern fantasy writers owe him an incredible debt. This week, in honor of what would have been his 117th birthday on January 3, 2009, I am dedicating this blog to his life and work. Thank you for reading!

Strange Bedfellows

A lot of people are upset by President-Elect Barack Obama’s choice of pastor for the invocation at his upcoming inauguration. I have to admit, Obama’s choice of an outspoken opponent of gay rights is extremely disappointing. In a way, Obama is turning his back on a huge portion of his supportive base, and America’s love affair with Obama seems to be ending. Of course, that was bound to happen at some point, but it’s an incredible shame that it has to be because of Obama’s apparent support of a fiercely anti-homosexual pastor. As a liberal and a firm supporter of gay rights, including the right to marry, Obama’s choice seems incredibly shameful, sad, and unnecessary to me.

But that is my personal opinion. We have to remember that Obama always promised America that he was going to reach across the aisle, and Rick Warren, despite his obvious flaws, is of the same spirit, on some important issues. Pastor Warren believes that Americans have a moral responsibility to protect the earth, making him quite progressive on environmental issues. He believes in real reductions in carbon emissions, something that President Bush has strongly resisted. He also believes that we have a moral imperative to help those afflicted by genocide, as in the horrible situation in Darfur.

This concern for the weak and victimized is very different from the conservative rhetoric we’re used to hearing. Many conservatives don’t even believe that global warming is caused by human activity, and our stance on Darfur seems to be a “express concern but do nothing” kind of approach. We aren’t doing anything to help those in Darfur because we don’t want to piss of China. Obviously, Rick Warren sees this kind of attitude as a moral failing.

I disagree with Rick Warren on many things, especially his ridiculous attitude toward homosexuals (he once likened homosexual relationships to incest and pedophilia), but I can at least recognize that he has gone against accepted evangelical and conservative views to correct what he sees as grave wrongs in the world. If Barack Obama can see this in him, why can’t the rest of us? I agree that Obama needs to be more vocal in his support for gay rights and his rejection of ultra-conservative evangelicalism, but, for my part, I’m going to support his choice of Rick Warren as what it is…a gesture to those with whom he disagrees, but with whom he can find some common ground. If we could all do this, maybe we could actually heal some of the divisions in our society.

End of the Semester Update!

I know you’re all breathless with anticipation for another one of my exciting school updates….aren’t you? Well, to satisfy your craving, here’s a general update of what’s going on right now.

Well, we’re in the final week of the semester now. I have two final exams to take, one of which I will take tonight, and a cultural event report to do by Friday. We have hit a glitch, though, in our last-minute scholastic enterprises. Apparently, the weather gods are angry and have decided to inflict upon us snow and below-freezing temperatures. The first snowstorm is over, but the temperature is hovering around 25 degrees, which has turned all the leftover snow to ice. We’re expecting a second snowstorm tomorrow, which was the day that my boyfriend and I were going to go into Tacoma to take our proctored finals. Well…needless to say, we rescheduled for Thursday. They’re not predicting a whole lotta snow for our area, maybe on 2 or 3 inches, but Puget Sound people are idiotic when it comes to snow, and it will take at least 2 days for the roads to clear, and the schools, including Tacoma Community College, where we are taking our tests, will very likely close at the first snowflake. I’m glad that I’m almost done, but having to not only drive out of town for a test (not to mention the $35 fee for simply taking a required final exam), but also somehow get to the Tacoma Art Museum for my cultural event report is making things doubly difficult. Damn these online classes! They’re ten times harder than normal classes, and people still look at you like you’re mentally challenged for taking them.

Anyway, that’s what’s going on with school. What’s going on with me personally is a different story. For the past week, I’ve been dealing with some sharp pains in my chest. I believe that it’s just acid reflux, so I’m drinking ultimate strength Mylanta, but the pain is still there, especially when I swallow food or liquid. Also, my depression has come back, big time. I still have good days, but a lot of days are bad. I’m not constantly crying or anything, but I’m finding it really hard to smile and my mind feels foggy. So, it’s time to see the doctor, both for the acid reflux pain, and for my annoying chemical imbalance. I hate the idea of going on antidepressants, but if they’ll work I’ll do it.

All I’m doing now is trying to get through each day, trying to encourage my boyfriend, who has like twice as much work this week as I do, and trying to stay healthy. But I know that I need to get into the doctor, so I’ll post again when I do.

VP Cheney Admits to Approving Torture

In a recent interview with ABC News, Vice President Dick Cheney admitted to approving the so-called “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques” used by the CIA on terrorist suspects at the Guantanamo Bay prison, which included the use of water-boarding. Water-boarding, which simulates drowning, has been considered to be torture for many years. Why then did the vice president of the United States think that it’s proper to use this technique on another human being? That’s the question of the day.

I’m not necessarily advocating for the rights of terrorists. But if the United States is going to continue to be a role model for the rest of the world, then we need to completely discontinue the use of any kind of torture (including, in my opinion, capital punishment) on any prisoner, suspect, or convicted criminal, despite their crimes. The U.S. needs to hold itself above the use of torture, if we are ever going to rid the world of its use.

100 Things Survey

Thanks, Nici, for letting me steal this!

RULES: There are 100 statements and you bold the ones you have done. Grab it and play for yourself!!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept in an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (solar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten cavier.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chicken pox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Turns 60!

This year, on December 10th (which also happens to be, I’m proud to say, my birthday), it will be 60 years since the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I am so proud to share my birthday with Human Rights Day!  Now more than ever, with all of the uncertainty and violence that exists in such abundance in our modern lives, it’s important to remember such a simple truth, that all human beings are born free and are entitled to a life free from servitude, torture, and all other forms of mistreatment. In honor of this very important anniversary, I’d like to share some simple tips for how you can get involved in human rights issues around the world. To read the full text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, click here.

So, here are some tips for those interested in getting involved in these very important, and unfortunately, pervasive human rights issues:

1. Join Amnesty International. AI is probably the world leader in combating human rights abuses all over the world. They assist prisoners of conscience, who are imprisoned for speaking out against injustice. You can get involved not only by donating money, but also by writing letters on behalf of this prisoners. They are holding a Write-a-thon beginning December 5th until the 14th. To get involved, please click here.

2. Write to your congressperson or senator. You can find your congressperson by visiting http://www.house.gov and your senator by visiting http://www.senate.gov. It is our Congress that ratifies UN treaties, and which has resisted many of the treaties designed to protect vulnerable people around the world. You can add your voice to those who are demanding a change in our policies to reflect our standing as a moral and ethical leader in the world.

3. Make yourself aware of the issues. The Amnesty International website is a great resource for this, of course, but you can also keep yourself informed simply by reading the newspaper and not skipping over the “World” section while looking for the comics or the sports page. Make sure you know what’s going on outside your own, limited bubble! Too often, we find ourselves looking inward and not outward.

4. Get involved in your community. You can volunteer for organizations like the United Way, Boys and Girls Club, or one of the many religious charitable organizations. Human rights abuses don’t just happen outside the United States; there is much you can do to help right here at home!

I hope that on this Human Rights Day, you will take some time to think about the long history of the fight against human rights abuses all over the world. By following some of these simple tips, you can make a real difference in someone’s life!