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Birdland · 04-02-2002, 04:32 PM

I really can't say that Tolkien lead me anywhere. I have to give credit to other authors for leading me to Tolkien!

I my youth the works of T.H. White, Jack London, Felix Saltin, Rudyard Kipling, P.L.Travers, James Barrie and Andre Norton opened my mind to exploring strange new worlds with magical, heroic characters that could still reflex the best of humanity.

In my late teens, I was reading much bleaker, darker "realistic" novels. Yet when I stumbled across "The Lord of the Rings" at the library, those earlier authors must have been whispering in my ear, reminding me of worlds where goodness, nobility and faith in magic could still win out over the Darkness. I had never heard of Tolkien. None of my friends had either. But after one chapter, I was home again.

That was 27 years ago, and I have always had a copy of LoTR on my bookshelf, and have read it at least 20 times. Most of those earlier authors I mentioned above share the same space. (Except Norton. Hmmmm, have to go back and check her out again.) Can't say the same for most of those "realistic" 70s authors. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

04-02-2002, 04:32 PM	#7
Birdland Ghastly Neekerbreeker Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the banks of the mighty Scioto Posts: 1,751	I really can't say that Tolkien lead me anywhere. I have to give credit to other authors for leading me to Tolkien! I my youth the works of T.H. White, Jack London, Felix Saltin, Rudyard Kipling, P.L.Travers, James Barrie and Andre Norton opened my mind to exploring strange new worlds with magical, heroic characters that could still reflex the best of humanity. In my late teens, I was reading much bleaker, darker "realistic" novels. Yet when I stumbled across "The Lord of the Rings" at the library, those earlier authors must have been whispering in my ear, reminding me of worlds where goodness, nobility and faith in magic could still win out over the Darkness. I had never heard of Tolkien. None of my friends had either. But after one chapter, I was home again. That was 27 years ago, and I have always had a copy of LoTR on my bookshelf, and have read it at least 20 times. Most of those earlier authors I mentioned above share the same space. (Except Norton. Hmmmm, have to go back and check her out again.) Can't say the same for most of those "realistic" 70s authors. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]