Before and after the movie - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Guinevere · 07-27-2002, 05:43 AM

Hullo everyone !

What strikes me, is that apparently everybody here started reading Tolkien as a teenager!
Am I the only one who has discovered Tolkien at a later age? I really wonder now why I haven`t heard about LotR during my stay in England (1971) and in the USA (1973). I read a lot of English books, but none of my friends, teachers etc ever mentioned Tolkien to me...

Only about a year ago, when there was talk about the oncoming movie, my son (16) was recommended "The Hobbit" and LotR by his scout-friends and started reading it (in German).Suddenly I also noticed a large display of Tolkiens works in the English bookshop here in Zürich. So I bought myself the Hobbit and LotR and managed to read FotR before the movie came out. I was immediatly spellbound ,as by hardly any other book before. A whole new world opened up for me! After LotR I read the Silmarillion , a biography and Tolkiens "On Fairie-Stories".

To my own surprise I liked the movie too- inspite of all the shortcomings it conveys much of the books atmosphere.
I have the impression, (like many others said ) that the movies cause a new interest in Tolkien and many young people (especially in the non English-speaking countries) have their first encounter with Tolkiens world thanks to the film, and ,hopefully, many of them will then read the books.

As for my joining the Barrowdowns, well that was also thanks to my son. (Half a year ago I never even used a computer!!)since I had no one else to discuss this topic with, he showed me how to use the internet and find this wonderful site. I was delighted to meet so many other Tolkien-fans all over the world, and since then I`ve read so many interesting contributions and thought-provoking threads, it really has enriched my life!
Thank you all, and especially the founders of the Barrowdowns!!

07-27-2002, 05:43 AM	#11
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	Hullo everyone ! What strikes me, is that apparently everybody here started reading Tolkien as a teenager! Am I the only one who has discovered Tolkien at a later age? I really wonder now why I haven`t heard about LotR during my stay in England (1971) and in the USA (1973). I read a lot of English books, but none of my friends, teachers etc ever mentioned Tolkien to me... Only about a year ago, when there was talk about the oncoming movie, my son (16) was recommended "The Hobbit" and LotR by his scout-friends and started reading it (in German).Suddenly I also noticed a large display of Tolkiens works in the English bookshop here in Zürich. So I bought myself the Hobbit and LotR and managed to read FotR before the movie came out. I was immediatly spellbound ,as by hardly any other book before. A whole new world opened up for me! After LotR I read the Silmarillion , a biography and Tolkiens "On Fairie-Stories". To my own surprise I liked the movie too- inspite of all the shortcomings it conveys much of the books atmosphere. I have the impression, (like many others said ) that the movies cause a new interest in Tolkien and many young people (especially in the non English-speaking countries) have their first encounter with Tolkiens world thanks to the film, and ,hopefully, many of them will then read the books. As for my joining the Barrowdowns, well that was also thanks to my son. (Half a year ago I never even used a computer!!)since I had no one else to discuss this topic with, he showed me how to use the internet and find this wonderful site. I was delighted to meet so many other Tolkien-fans all over the world, and since then I`ve read so many interesting contributions and thought-provoking threads, it really has enriched my life! Thank you all, and especially the founders of the Barrowdowns!! __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat!