[Mithalwen]

I haven't voted yet because the BBC adaptation holds such a special place in my heart as does the the Jackanory Hobbit which prolly counts as a listen.

My parents were readers but neither would have read Tolkien. My father read mainly military history and my mother was not have read fantasy/scifi. So if I hadn't heard the blessed Bernard Cribbins read The Hobbit I might never have got into Tolkien -none of my RL friends are remotely interested save one who is more of a film bod and I didn't meet him til university which was between my tolkien phases.

I was given LOTR the Christmas after I read the Hobbit but struggled and didn't finish that time. I heard the radio LOTR adaptation repeats just after I had tried again, suceeded and got hooked and so that interpretation is closely interwoven wiht my own impressions. I still prefer the Frodo and Sam thread on the Radio version. The brilliant acting of Ian Holm and Bill Nighy (with Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum and Andrew Seear as Faramir) make the bit of the book I find hardest to read absolutely riveting.

So as things stand it would be read (I have not heard the plain reading or had it read to me) but if listen to Beeb adaptations were an option it would be hard. Now if it were the Silmarillion - well Ihave CRT's recordings and that would be a definite listen save that they are only extracts. Amazing stuff.