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My personal favourite is The Shadow of the Past. I was interested to see that I'm not a lone voice in the wilderness on that one, as I thought I might be! I had always thought to myself that it doesn't seem like a chapter in which a great deal of action occurs, but it has always been my favourite because of the feeling of Gandalf and Frodo sitting by the fire at Bag End and just talking. The events leading up to the present setting which Gandalf relates to him are fascinating and stirring, possibly even more so because it is a history lesson, harking back to things which have already happened, rather than witnessing them at first hand. And the chapter, unless I am mistaken (I don't have my book handy as I am away from home this weekend) contains that moment of enormity when Gandalf removes all doubt that the ring Bilbo found is the master ring. My favourite moment in the entire book is when Frodo states that he cannot read the fiery letters, and the trinket takes on a whole new dimension.
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But Gwindor answered: 'The doom lies in yourself, not in your name'.
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