the first time

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

I read them the first with open-mouthed wonder, every moment I could get, even through English and Social Studies (teacher was not pleased). There was nothing else published then (the Sil. had just come out but everyone told me it wasn't the same, and it wasn't). I couldn't believe there was no more. I read and re-read (and after Bakshi's version read again) trying to discover what it was that made these the most beautiful stories I'd ever found. I still don't know. But my disappointment this was all wore away as I discovered they were fresh every time, and Tolkien's rich images were enhanced with each reading. There was no WWW at the time so I didn't know there were others as mad about these books as I was.