Public Research: How did you become Tolkien-lover? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Feanor of the Peredhil · 01-25-2006, 07:33 AM

My original introduction was through school. My introduction to LotR was through my brother. I feel that I should thank him for trying to keep me away from the books. His stubborn refusal to let me read (he wanted to turn me into an experiment as to how reading changes if you've seen the movie first) meant that I went and begged an ancient copy of The Fellowship from a teacher that I barely knew.

Celuien · 01-25-2006, 07:43 AM

Other.

There was a brief excerpt from LotR in an extra practice appendix in my grammar textbook in 6th grade - something to do with analyzing sentence structure I think, so not really a section that was teaching about the books - which immediately captured my interest. Thank goodness for grammar class!

Valesse · 01-25-2006, 08:08 AM

I'm red in the face saying it but I didn't want a single thing to do with Lord of the Rings before Fellowship came out in the movies. Actually even a little after that...

My father had read Lord of Rings and the Hobbit... even to us as small children apparently... (Not that I can remember that, mind.) And my sisters had each read the Hobbit on their own but being 14 I decided that I was rebellious and just didn't want to.

When the movies aired promos I was utterly confused by it. Hearing "Middle Earth" and seeing that big blue sky... (Up until then I had figured it as some subterrainian world.) which made me even more frustrated so even as the rest of my family got excited I said that I was flat out NOT going to see those DUMB movies.

They seriously (all joking aside) KIDNAPPED me to go see them. Dragged me out to the car. Picked me up and THREW me in!

The joke is on them though... By Febuary I was into the Return of the King.. sneaking peaks at the Silmarillion. I have yet to give my twin sister either book and it drives her mad (Then again.. she won't release any Douglas Adams... I guess its a book-hostage situation?)

It's a long road with a short connecting path, I'd say. I was both hesitant (if not violently against) then quite eager to read the books... This doesn't help much at all.

the guy who be short · 01-25-2006, 10:52 AM

I voted other.

I saw my school librarian reading them, vaguely recognised the book, and took it out.

Elu Ancalime · 01-25-2006, 05:21 PM

I saw The Two Towers with a friend, and since I had no idea what was going on, I picked up the books, then read The Hobbit, then the Silm. I basically went backwards.
________
IOLITE REVIEWS

Alcarillo · 01-25-2006, 06:43 PM

In third grade, my teacher read The Hobbit aloud to the class. I then became an ardent devotee of Tolkien, immediately starting to read the Hobbit myself. Then I moved on to the Lord of the Rings, then the Silmarillion, and so on.

Lindolirian · 01-25-2006, 07:34 PM

That's pretty much the same as my story: elementary teacher read the Hobbit (in fact we did skits acting it out, I remember I was the Elvenking's porter in Barrel's Out Of Bond). I went to the LotR and Silm from there and the rest is history. Then I asked Alcarillo to check 6 Degrees of Separation in the Quiz Room.

View Poll Results: I've read Tolkien, for I have...
Found him on my own in a bookstore	4	3.77%
Heard about him from a friend/sibling	31	29.25%
Watched the movies	18	16.98%
Read exalted criticism in a paper/book and read his works to look for myself	0	0%
Read spiteful criticism in a paper/book and read his works to look for myself	0	0%
Found the books prohibited in my school/university and decided to have a go	0	0%
Been taught his works in school/university	4	3.77%
Been read his works by my parents as a child/read the books bought for me by my parents	28	26.42%
Enjoyed another artist (poet, writer, etc, please indicate)	3	2.83%
Other	18	16.98%
Voters: 106. You may not vote on this poll

01-25-2006, 07:33 AM	#1
Feanor of the Peredhil La Belle Dame sans Merci Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: perpetual uncertainty Posts: 5,517	My original introduction was through school. My introduction to LotR was through my brother. I feel that I should thank him for trying to keep me away from the books. His stubborn refusal to let me read (he wanted to turn me into an experiment as to how reading changes if you've seen the movie first) meant that I went and begged an ancient copy of The Fellowship from a teacher that I barely knew. __________________ peace

01-25-2006, 07:43 AM	#2
Celuien Riveting Ribbiter Join Date: May 2005 Location: Assigned to Mordor Posts: 1,767	Other. There was a brief excerpt from LotR in an extra practice appendix in my grammar textbook in 6th grade - something to do with analyzing sentence structure I think, so not really a section that was teaching about the books - which immediately captured my interest. Thank goodness for grammar class! __________________ People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect. But actually, from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint, it's more like a big ball of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey... stuff.

01-25-2006, 08:08 AM	#3
Valesse Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: \|Away Posts: 614	I'm red in the face saying it but I didn't want a single thing to do with Lord of the Rings before Fellowship came out in the movies. Actually even a little after that... My father had read Lord of Rings and the Hobbit... even to us as small children apparently... (Not that I can remember that, mind.) And my sisters had each read the Hobbit on their own but being 14 I decided that I was rebellious and just didn't want to. When the movies aired promos I was utterly confused by it. Hearing "Middle Earth" and seeing that big blue sky... (Up until then I had figured it as some subterrainian world.) which made me even more frustrated so even as the rest of my family got excited I said that I was flat out NOT going to see those DUMB movies. They seriously (all joking aside) KIDNAPPED me to go see them. Dragged me out to the car. Picked me up and THREW me in! The joke is on them though... By Febuary I was into the Return of the King.. sneaking peaks at the Silmarillion. I have yet to give my twin sister either book and it drives her mad (Then again.. she won't release any Douglas Adams... I guess its a book-hostage situation?) It's a long road with a short connecting path, I'd say. I was both hesitant (if not violently against) then quite eager to read the books... This doesn't help much at all. __________________ "Loo, what sholde a man in thyse dayes now wryte, 'egges' or 'eyren'?" - Caxton, Eneydos

01-25-2006, 05:21 PM	#5
Elu Ancalime Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Anador Posts: 476	I saw The Two Towers with a friend, and since I had no idea what was going on, I picked up the books, then read The Hobbit, then the Silm. I basically went backwards. ________ IOLITE REVIEWS Last edited by Elu Ancalime; 03-03-2011 at 10:48 PM.

01-25-2006, 10:52 AM	#4
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,343	I voted other. I saw my school librarian reading them, vaguely recognised the book, and took it out.

01-25-2006, 06:43 PM	#6
Alcarillo Shadow of the Past Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Minas Mor-go Posts: 1,007	In third grade, my teacher read The Hobbit aloud to the class. I then became an ardent devotee of Tolkien, immediately starting to read the Hobbit myself. Then I moved on to the Lord of the Rings, then the Silmarillion, and so on.

01-25-2006, 07:34 PM	#7
Lindolirian World's Tallest Hobbit Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Where the view is long Posts: 2,117	That's pretty much the same as my story: elementary teacher read the Hobbit (in fact we did skits acting it out, I remember I was the Elvenking's porter in Barrel's Out Of Bond). I went to the LotR and Silm from there and the rest is history. Then I asked Alcarillo to check 6 Degrees of Separation in the Quiz Room. __________________ 'They say that the One will himself enter into Arda, and heal Men and all the Marring from the beginning to the end."

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