*bump*

Tolkien was referring to a common dislike of what he calls "...meddling with the Primary World, or such small glimpses of it as are familiar to them." He was describing a dislike of fantastic literature on the basis of its failure faithfully to portray the world in which we live: the very "arresting strangeness" which he regarded as a natural advantage of the form.

As one might expect, he says this in his lecture and essay On Fairy-Stories (1939), in which he explores various perceptions of 'fantasy' and challenges the common view that fairy-stories are products of escapism.

[ October 09, 2003: Message edited by: The Squatter of Amon Rûdh ]

Right you are, Old Boy."On Fairie Tales" it is. People dislike fantasy, presuming it to be mere dreaming and hallucination which lack the Art and control of fantasy. In other words, they don't like something which challenges their familiar, preconceived little worlds.

You have the floor. Or the thread. Or the challege. As it may be.

I take up your cast gage with pleasure, Bethberry. How did 'Beren' meet 'Luthien'?

They met, if Carpenter has his facts right, Squatter, at a sort of rooming house for orphans. 37 Duchess Road, Birmingham.

Tolkien's guardian, Father Francis, believed he and his brother were not happy with his Aunt B, and so Father Francis found them lodgings with Mrs. Faulkner, who gave musical soirees which some of the Fathers attended.

On the first floor, beneath the two boys' bedroom, lodged a pretty young orphan girl with some talent at the piano. Edith Bratt.

He was sixteen, she was nineteen. What more need be said?

Bêthberry

That's what I was looking for. Your turn.

Thank-you, Squatter.

Tolkien had a very specific sense of Magic. What was it? (And, to be fair, I should say I am thinking particularly of the Letters here.)

In his draft of a letter to Naomi Mitchison (Nr. 155), Tolkien says He adds that magic as used by Gandalf is artistic, not intended to deceive. Is that what you have in mind?

Good digging! That's not the specific letter I had in mind, but it will do. Here is the passage I was thinking of, from Letter 131 to Milton Waldman (p. 146 in my paperback edition):

And so, Ms Telcontar, I pass the challenge on to you.

Here's a rather straightforward question: Which of Tolkien's children were able to be with him when he died?

My memory might fail me, but I think it was his daughter, Pricilla Anne...

That's half of the right answer, Telchar...

OK - it Might be that someone else can have the other half of the answer because I seriously do not have a clue... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ November 02, 2003: Message edited by: Telchar ]

Ah, nice try, Telch! Unfortunately not Michael - Carpenter writes in the biography: Two more guesses - good thing Tolkien had only four children, eh?! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Michael was on holiday in Switzerland and Christopher in France....but John and Priscilla were able to come down to Bournemouth to be with him. The first reports were optomistic but then a chest infection developed and he died shortly after. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

(I feel a bit guilty trailing in with this at the tail end after Telchar got the first half right......!)

All's fair in love and quiz, Child - and welcome to the thread! You're right, of course - we look forward to your question.

How about this?

Tolkien began the translation of three medieval poems; part of his work went back as early as the 1920s. These poems were published posthumously in 1975, although Tolkien himself felt they had never been completed to his own satisfaction.

What are the names of the three poems?

Child,

Would you be referring to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo?

Bethberry,

Whoa! You're fast. That took exactly three minutes! Is that a record?

(Maybe we should give out "prizes".)

You have the floor now....

Child

That's not a record [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Thank you,Child. I just happened to be online when you posted your challenge, and, well, I do love literature. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Now, for the next one:

What position or job did Tolkien hold in the 11th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, "B" company?

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

Ah, hmm. Esty, I wasn't thinking so much of his rank as what it was he did. Want to try again?

He was the battalion signalling officer. Is that what you're looking for?

Carpenter says:
[ November 07, 2003: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]

Indeed, Ms Telcontar, that was what I had in mind. Strikes me as almost cruelly prescient that he would have that job.

Ask on, Estelyn, ask on.

Here's a nice bit of trivia I discovered - which American president's daughter wrote to Tolkien, asking him for an autograph?

Anyone care to guess this answer? I know the source isn't quite as common as Carpenter's biography, but it's not difficult - there weren't really that many US presidents with daughters during the 60's! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

OK - Kennedy's daughter ?

nope

Well then, Nixon's? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Again, I must regretfully answer "no". Keep going! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Lyndon Johnson's daughter?

(If it's not him, there's only one left [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] )

Right president - daughter's name? [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img]

Luci ?

Gah, what do I know of US Presidents' daughters?! [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Thanks to google, I know that he had two daughters, so I'll go for Lucy (Luci?). [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Edit: Double Gah! Spent too much time on Google! [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ November 13, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

Edit 2: Triple Gah! Wrong daughter.

Mind you, I hate to be pedantic, but the original question was:

requiring that the President, rather than his daughter be identified. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ November 14, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

Both wrong - sorry, but even guessing has to produce the correct answer! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

His other daugher, Ly(i)nda.

That's the one, Beren. Daniel Grotta-Kurska writes in his biography J.R.R.Tolkien, Architect of Middle Earth about the flood of mail that was sent to Tolkien:

Ah.

What did Tolkien receive from the Queen in '72?

He recieved the title CBE (= commander of the Order of the British Empire)