How have you read it?

[Eonwe]

i read straight through the first time, but skipped some "boring" (were they really ) parts. but i started my first annualy reading last year. i thought that i'd better do this, cuz i found myself reading random parts, usually just my favorite (pelennor fields, bridge of kazad-dum, last debate, scouring of the shire, to name a few) over and over. i was getting stuck in a rut, so i read straight through (i think this was actually the first time i had sat down and forced myself to read everything stragiht through). interestingly enough, im finding it kind of hard to start it up again this year. maybe ill make it my bi-annual reading...

[Holbytlass]

I read it straight through once or twice a year.
I do read the Fellowship the most up until the council. To me, it seems to be a story unto itself; merriment, adventure, scariness and (unlike Fallenstar ) I like hobbits. Same with Scouring of the Shire, about hobbits that I love and a story unto itself.

When not reading straight through, I skip Helm's Deep most often. Even though, it didn't have everything in it, I do appreciate the movie because I understand that part better.

I have not, to this day, read all the 'lays' and poems, Ugh!! they're too long!! Every once in awhile I'll force myself to read one all the way but it is so torturous.
*ducks, while eggs being thrown at me*

[luthien-elvenprincess]

The first couple of times I read it straight through. But now, when I read it, I start skipping chapters beginning in TTT. I follow the Frodo and Sam chapters until I reach Mount Doom. Then, I go back and read the chapters about the rest of the fellowship until I reach THe Field of Cormallen. Then, I read the rest of the book to the end.

I like the continuity of the story that this type of reading gives. I going to employ the idea of using another character to follow through the story...for instance, Pippen.

I usually skip the poems and the songs...I find them long and boring. I usually skim through them just to find answers to quotation questions!

[Guinevere]

I have not, to this day, read all the 'lays' and poems, Ugh!! they're too long!

I usually skip the poems and the songs...I find them long and boring.

What a pity! Do you generally dislike poetry, then? I love most of the poems in LotR and I even know my favourite ones by heart! (No need to look them up ) Tolkien's language is so beautiful!
Already when reading "The Hobbit" for the first time, the dwarves' song delighted me, (even if I had to look up a lot of ancient words in the dictionary)
And I never would have thought that I would develop a taste for alliterative verse, but now I relish "Out of dark, out of doubt, to the days rising... etc" !

It does credit to Tolkien that his works appeal to so many different people with quite different tastes. Some are more Hobbit lovers, some prefer the heroic battles - there is something for nearly everybody.

[Kath]

I love the songs and poems but I often find that they break up the story too much for me. If I just pick up one of the books and read from any old place and there happens to be a poem I will then read it but if I'm really into the story and I've begun from the start of a book then a poem just seems to be in the way.

I did learn the Oliphaunt song by heart though!

[littlemanpoet]

In my first couple of readings I skipped some of the Elvish songs, but not the Hobbity ones. But Tolkien's poetry has grown on me and now I consider them to be integral to the story. In a certain sense, to me anyway, they are the story.

[Eonwe]

sam's poem about the troll is awesomely hillarious. i always relish the time leadnig upt to it . it says so much about sam (the fact taht no one knew he was such a verse writter)...

the poetry is amazing in general. i love coming to a song i know of and rereading it. such as galadrial's song of regret/whatever when the fellowship leaves lorien. or gimli's song about kazad-dum. or sams song of teh oliphant.

i like how becuase i know the plot, i can focus on different things. like sometime i'll puzzle out teh mystery of aragon's kingship. or another time ill focus on sam adn frodo's journey. one thing i've always wanted to do (but it would be increaibley hard. maybe ill do it in the summer when i have time) is draw up a really detailed map of middle-earth and plot things on it. just read through and plot where this person in when sam and frodo are here, etc. i think that would be so awesome. then i could pin it on my wall and worship it every night.