Exciting Tolkien find - map lovers alert.. - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

William Cloud Hicklin · 10-26-2015, 05:34 PM

Mentally I can't square Ravenna in the middle of endless flat fens with near-vertical Minas Tirith on its mountain seat

Faramir Jones · 10-27-2015, 06:02 AM

Pitchwife, you're right in terms of your reference. In Volume I, Chronology, of their The J.R.R.Tolkien Companion and Guide (2006), Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond deal in detail with Tolkien's 1955 trip to Italy with his daughter Priscilla. There is a lot of detail from Tolkien himself; because he kept a journal of the trip, which he called Giornale d'Italia.

On 27th July 1955, he wrote to Rayner Unwin, 'I leave the North Kingdom [England] for a rapid excursion to Gondor [Italy] on Saturday morning, but shall, I hope, be back by August 16'. (Chronology, p. 462)

His and Priscilla's trip to Italy is covered on pages 462-74 of the Chronology, and pages 463-8 deal with their time in Venice. On page 466, we read that after both had dinner with Christopher and Faith Tolkien, who were also staying in Venice, they returned to their hotel. Tolkien's account speaks of it being

a beautiful balmy night...Venice seemed incredible, elvishly lovely - to me like a dream of Old Gondor, or Pelagrir of the Númenorean ships, before the return of the Shadow.

10-26-2015, 05:34 PM	#1
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,330	Mentally I can't square Ravenna in the middle of endless flat fens with near-vertical Minas Tirith on its mountain seat __________________ The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.

10-27-2015, 06:02 AM	#2
Faramir Jones Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lonely Isle Posts: 706	A dream of Old Gondor Pitchwife, you're right in terms of your reference. In Volume I, Chronology, of their The J.R.R.Tolkien Companion and Guide (2006), Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond deal in detail with Tolkien's 1955 trip to Italy with his daughter Priscilla. There is a lot of detail from Tolkien himself; because he kept a journal of the trip, which he called Giornale d'Italia. On 27th July 1955, he wrote to Rayner Unwin, 'I leave the North Kingdom [England] for a rapid excursion to Gondor [Italy] on Saturday morning, but shall, I hope, be back by August 16'. (Chronology, p. 462) His and Priscilla's trip to Italy is covered on pages 462-74 of the Chronology, and pages 463-8 deal with their time in Venice. On page 466, we read that after both had dinner with Christopher and Faith Tolkien, who were also staying in Venice, they returned to their hotel. Tolkien's account speaks of it being a beautiful balmy night...Venice seemed incredible, elvishly lovely - to me like a dream of Old Gondor, or Pelagrir of the Númenorean ships, before the return of the Shadow. Last edited by Faramir Jones; 10-27-2015 at 06:06 AM.