[Bêthberry]

I share the same hesitations which BW and Mr. Underhill have about letting HoME material intrude too greatly into the Chapter by Chapter discussion. There are already readers who have questioned whether the discussion is for older or newer members and I think too great a reference to HoME would discourage the newer members who likely have read neither HoME nor UT or quite possibly even The Silm.

It is very tempting for those of us who have had previous discussions on the various topics to assume unconsciously a knowledge of those discussion and go on from there. This I think we have to be careful of, and remember always to provide links and explanations so that the newer members feel drawn into the discussion and not excluded because it looks like an insiders' talk.

I think we are all carefully balancing between what is/was our 'first' reading experience and our later reading experiences of LOtR. Much as I am intrigued by alternate texts--and certainly have no fear of knowledge of them destroying my enjoyment of the final published version--I think the fun of this discussion is the exploration of how we all read in so many different ways. To include many versions would I think take away this focus on our unique reading experiences towards trying to create some 'authoritative interpretation.' This could possibly discourage those who don't see or follow or understand 'the party line' (said jokingly of course) and we would thereby be losing others who have much to offer.

Cheers.