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

Folwren · 03-30-2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilde Bracegirdle

I will be ever indebted to my brother for introducing Tolkien to me...well his books anyway!

Same here, and what better way to put it? Aren't (older) brothers marvelous?

-- Folwren

Balin999 · 04-06-2006, 12:40 AM

I first read about Tolkien in an article about satanism (back then, I was 14, *shiver*).
It was all about some crazy guy (he called his music project "Burzum" and himself "Grishnakh") who was burning churches in Scandinavia and who actually killed another Black Metal-guy.
So at first I thought LOTR had something to do with Satanism and didn't really want to read it.
Some months later I found out that my parents were given it at their marriage. Since we had no one in the family whom I suspected to be into satanism, I decided to read the book, since I always enjoyed reading and wasn't scared of the many pages.
I can remember that I re-read the book twice since I didn't want the story to end. Then I read The Hobbit and The Silm.
Then I joined the Barrow Downs and finally got to know at least a few people (The BD only had 5 members at that time) who shared my enthusiasm for anything connected with Tolkien. In real life, people thought I was a freak. That was, until the movies came out (tah!).

Legolas in spandex · 04-07-2006, 06:14 PM

It was a mix of the movies and a friend of mine being a HUGE Tolkien fan and my other friends following her footsteps.

Mad Baggins · 04-07-2006, 07:06 PM

I saw the movies, read half of Book I of TTT, put it down for a month, then found a complete set (eee!) in my basement and began FotR. Oh, memories...

Brinniel · 07-04-2006, 05:58 PM

I was in eighth grade when the first movie came out. At first, I had no interest in seeing it (admittingly, I was a huge HP fan at the time). But as it grew closer to December, a couple of my friends who had already read the book were getting psyched for the movie. By the time my teacher posted a map of Middle-earth in the classroom and played a tape recording from The Hobbit, I decided to give the books a try. The day I first placed my hands on The Hobbit was December 18. Ten days later, I had finished the book and the LOTR trilogy (if it hadn't been for the holidays I would've finished sooner). I didn't see the movie until New Year's Day, and by then I was so obssessed I didn't know what to do with myself. Thanks to Ithaeliel, I discovered the BD five months later, and haven't been the same since.

Quote:

Then I joined the Barrow Downs and finally got to know at least a few people (The BD only had 5 members at that time) who shared my enthusiasm for anything connected with Tolkien.

Wow, it's hard to imagine the BD with only five members.

ninja91 · 05-29-2007, 08:31 AM

The movies just put it in a visual perspective for me, and since them I have been totally enthralled by his works...

Regin Hardhammer · 05-30-2007, 12:51 AM

I'm really surprised how many there were who got to know Tolkien from a parent. I thought I was the only one. My mother read the Hobbit to me (and later my sister) when we were younger. She had lots of Tolkien books sitting around the house. After that, I went to see the movie and then read LotR on my own.

Although it wasn't the main thing, Tolkien even influenced my choice of majors. I've gotten interested in languages and am doing a double major in linguistics along with Arabic and Hebrew.

Rikae · 06-10-2007, 10:08 AM

I read the LOTR for the first time (at age 8) because a 28 year old man I had a crush on was very much into Tolkien, and I wanted to see what it was he liked so much.

The subsequent 8 rereadings, however, were motivated purely by love of the book!

Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR.

(Read the first half in '87, lost it, and never got around to finishing it - I don't really know why. There is no excuse.)

I'm glad I finally did, though. I don't know why I am motivated best by curiosity about interesting men, but I guess I have to accept motivation where I find it. It seems to work out surprisingly well...

Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom.

Morthoron · 06-10-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikae

Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom.

Hmmm...wouldn't listening to Radiohead all day give you the bends?

Macalaure · 06-11-2007, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rikae

Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR.

I wonder who that interesting 28 year old man is that you're so curious about...

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

04-06-2006, 12:40 AM	#2
Balin999 Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2000 Location: East of the Sun, West of the Moon Posts: 493	I first read about Tolkien in an article about satanism (back then, I was 14, shiver). It was all about some crazy guy (he called his music project "Burzum" and himself "Grishnakh") who was burning churches in Scandinavia and who actually killed another Black Metal-guy. So at first I thought LOTR had something to do with Satanism and didn't really want to read it. Some months later I found out that my parents were given it at their marriage. Since we had no one in the family whom I suspected to be into satanism, I decided to read the book, since I always enjoyed reading and wasn't scared of the many pages. I can remember that I re-read the book twice since I didn't want the story to end. Then I read The Hobbit and The Silm. Then I joined the Barrow Downs and finally got to know at least a few people (The BD only had 5 members at that time) who shared my enthusiasm for anything connected with Tolkien. In real life, people thought I was a freak. That was, until the movies came out (tah!). __________________ ...Nichts ist gelber als Gelb selber... ...The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, but conformity... ...Everything is possible, except to ski through a revolving door...

04-07-2006, 06:14 PM	#3
Legolas in spandex Wight Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 102	It was a mix of the movies and a friend of mine being a HUGE Tolkien fan and my other friends following her footsteps. __________________ "I want to die in my sleep, like my grandfather... not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car."

04-07-2006, 07:06 PM	#4
Mad Baggins Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: A place where after thunder golden showers come falling like a rain of flowers. Posts: 371	I saw the movies, read half of Book I of TTT, put it down for a month, then found a complete set (eee!) in my basement and began FotR. Oh, memories... __________________ I like buying snacks from a vending machine because food is better when it falls. Sometimes at the grocery, I'll drop a candy bar so that it will achieve its maximum flavor potential.

05-30-2007, 12:51 AM	#7
Regin Hardhammer Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tumunzahar/Nogrod Posts: 364	I'm really surprised how many there were who got to know Tolkien from a parent. I thought I was the only one. My mother read the Hobbit to me (and later my sister) when we were younger. She had lots of Tolkien books sitting around the house. After that, I went to see the movie and then read LotR on my own. Although it wasn't the main thing, Tolkien even influenced my choice of majors. I've gotten interested in languages and am doing a double major in linguistics along with Arabic and Hebrew. __________________ For once I myself saw with my own eyes the Sibyl at Cumae hanging in a bottle, and when the boys said to her: 'Sibyl, what do you want?' she replied, 'I want to die.'"

06-10-2007, 10:08 AM	#8
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	Embarrassing admission... I read the LOTR for the first time (at age 8) because a 28 year old man I had a crush on was very much into Tolkien, and I wanted to see what it was he liked so much. The subsequent 8 rereadings, however, were motivated purely by love of the book! Embarrassingly enough, I only completely read the Silmarillion this year, and it was for the same silly, childish reason that I first read LOTR. (Read the first half in '87, lost it, and never got around to finishing it - I don't really know why. There is no excuse.) I'm glad I finally did, though. I don't know why I am motivated best by curiosity about interesting men, but I guess I have to accept motivation where I find it. It seems to work out surprisingly well... Left to my own devices,I'd probably take LJ quizzes and listen to Radiohead all day until I died of boredom. Last edited by Rikae; 06-10-2007 at 10:16 AM.