Public Research: How did you become Tolkien-lover?

[Brinniel]

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.

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.