Markreads.net: The Lord of the Rings

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

Maril! Nice to see an old shade skulking around these parts.

Mr. Underhill! It's great to see you're still here, as reliable as the trees. You're the one who should have the Ent name. I dub thee... Underhilluimorododruinthembalnadre.

...and it is fun to watch a complete noob experiencing LotR for the first time. I was very struck by his (her?) experience of the strange behavior of Bilbo in the first chapter, his reluctance to give up the Ring, which is only explained later when Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring's true nature. It's hard to remember the story being that completely fresh.

My first memories of reading The Lord of the Rings are sense memories. Falling asleep with the books in my hand. Fixing a folded page. Trying to read while walking home from the bus. The thrum of my chair being kicked by Mr. Teal as I read it during social studies. I don't remember my first experience of the story itself.

How did a self-described geek manage to remain so radically unspoiled about LotR in this day and age?

Effort, apparently. I know I managed to avoid the entire OJ trial, despite total media saturation. I knew it involved:

- OJ Simpson.
- A woman (possibly his wife?).
- A glove.
- And ... a van or SUV?