Are there any pre-1977 readers here? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

William Cloud Hicklin · 06-17-2021, 08:50 AM

Just a thought that came to me a few days ago: the difference of experience between people who read The Lord of the Rings before the Silmarillion came out, and those a bit younger. The experience, I suppose, of trying to piece together something, anything, about the Elder Days from the tantalizing scraps in print, and which was about as accurate as myths of Hy Brasil were before the discovery of the New World.

***Mithadan*** · 06-17-2021, 05:05 PM

I first read The Hobbit in 1971 0r 72, quickly followed by LoTR, with several quick rereads of both. Around 1975, I read LoTR carefully with a notebook at the ready, and wrote down every single "work" referred to in the story and in the appendices. Then, I went to a bookstore and sat down with a very patient clerk and went through Books in Print in the hope that I could order a copy of "books" like The Fall of Gondolin that clearly had to exist. I, of course, learned that the only books by JRRT in print at that time were The Hobbit, LoTR, The Tolkien Reader and (my memory is less than clear about this and I do not have patience to research it) possibly The Road Goes Ever On (which I tracked down a few years later), The Monsters and the Critics, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The lack of more stories of the history of Middle Earth really depressed me for a bit, particularly since I knew the Professor had died.

***Mithadan*** · 06-17-2021, 05:15 PM

... and then I was born, twenty years later, in 1995....

Morthoron · 06-17-2021, 07:01 PM

That's the thing about Tolkien -- or at least in the early 70s when I first started reading his works as an adolescent -- he sends you down rabbit holes (or perhaps hobbit holes would be more appropriate), and you willingly go without hesitation.

I started with The Hobbit, and after reading it, you started asking questions. Who is this Necromancer down south? And where did Gandalf come from? And why is that half-elven guy the leader of actual elves? Shapeshifters? Vampire bats? Goblins? Where did they come from, what is the history beyond Bag-end?

Then you get to The Lord of the Rings, but reading the trilogy only makes matters worse, because you find out there are literally tens of thousands of years unaccounted for, or given mention in a short sentence snippet in an appendix. Gah!

I still have my first edition Silmarillion (actually two now, one an American copy and the other an original British edition). I think I savored that read in 1977 more so than The Hobbit or LotR. It was very biblical. Very otherworldly, like when I first got a copy of Bulfinch's Mythology for Christmas in 6th grade. Of course, The Sil didn't answer everything either. So you kept going down the hobbit holes, and bought the Unfinished Tales, the Letters, and then each of the 12 books of the HoMe series, and all the rest.

And confound Tolkien! There is still the unanswered, still the unfathomable, still the enigmas.

Estelyn Telcontar · 06-18-2021, 04:34 AM

I first read Hobbit and LotR in 1973 and was very disappointed to hear that Tolkien died just a few months later. In the fall of the same year I moved to Germany, had my Ballantine's box and reread them without knowing when a German translation was published and without contact with other Tolkien readers. This forum was instrumental in introducing me to his other works, including the Silmarillion.

Galin · 06-18-2021, 10:35 AM

I pre-ordered my Silmarillion and ate it up when it came out.

I also own the (to me) very interesting A Guide To Middle Earth by Robert Foster -- first printing 1974, cover art Tim Kirk (Galadriel is of the House of Finarphir) -- includes an ad for a boxed set of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for five dollars.

To order by mail, send one dollar and fifty cents per book plus twenty five cents per order for handling.

I'm ordering today

06-17-2021, 08:50 AM	#1
William Cloud Hicklin Loremaster of Annúminas Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 2,321	Are there any pre-1977 readers here? Just a thought that came to me a few days ago: the difference of experience between people who read The Lord of the Rings before the Silmarillion came out, and those a bit younger. The experience, I suppose, of trying to piece together something, anything, about the Elder Days from the tantalizing scraps in print, and which was about as accurate as myths of Hy Brasil were before the discovery of the New World. __________________ 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.

06-17-2021, 05:05 PM	#2
*Mithadan* Spirit of Mist Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Tol Eressea Posts: 3,381	I first read The Hobbit in 1971 0r 72, quickly followed by LoTR, with several quick rereads of both. Around 1975, I read LoTR carefully with a notebook at the ready, and wrote down every single "work" referred to in the story and in the appendices. Then, I went to a bookstore and sat down with a very patient clerk and went through Books in Print in the hope that I could order a copy of "books" like The Fall of Gondolin that clearly had to exist. I, of course, learned that the only books by JRRT in print at that time were The Hobbit, LoTR, The Tolkien Reader and (my memory is less than clear about this and I do not have patience to research it) possibly The Road Goes Ever On (which I tracked down a few years later), The Monsters and the Critics, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The lack of more stories of the history of Middle Earth really depressed me for a bit, particularly since I knew the Professor had died. __________________ Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land.

06-17-2021, 05:15 PM	#3
*Mithadan* Spirit of Mist Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Tol Eressea Posts: 3,381	... and then I was born, twenty years later, in 1995.... __________________ Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land.

06-17-2021, 07:01 PM	#4
Morthoron Curmudgeonly Wordwraith Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ensconced in curmudgeonly pursuits Posts: 2,509	That's the thing about Tolkien -- or at least in the early 70s when I first started reading his works as an adolescent -- he sends you down rabbit holes (or perhaps hobbit holes would be more appropriate), and you willingly go without hesitation. I started with The Hobbit, and after reading it, you started asking questions. Who is this Necromancer down south? And where did Gandalf come from? And why is that half-elven guy the leader of actual elves? Shapeshifters? Vampire bats? Goblins? Where did they come from, what is the history beyond Bag-end? Then you get to The Lord of the Rings, but reading the trilogy only makes matters worse, because you find out there are literally tens of thousands of years unaccounted for, or given mention in a short sentence snippet in an appendix. Gah! I still have my first edition Silmarillion (actually two now, one an American copy and the other an original British edition). I think I savored that read in 1977 more so than The Hobbit or LotR. It was very biblical. Very otherworldly, like when I first got a copy of Bulfinch's Mythology for Christmas in 6th grade. Of course, The Sil didn't answer everything either. So you kept going down the hobbit holes, and bought the Unfinished Tales, the Letters, and then each of the 12 books of the HoMe series, and all the rest. And confound Tolkien! There is still the unanswered, still the unfathomable, still the enigmas. __________________ And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision.

06-18-2021, 04:34 AM	#5
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	I first read Hobbit and LotR in 1973 and was very disappointed to hear that Tolkien died just a few months later. In the fall of the same year I moved to Germany, had my Ballantine's box and reread them without knowing when a German translation was published and without contact with other Tolkien readers. This forum was instrumental in introducing me to his other works, including the Silmarillion. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

06-18-2021, 10:35 AM	#6
Galin Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,034	I pre-ordered my Silmarillion and ate it up when it came out. I also own the (to me) very interesting A Guide To Middle Earth by Robert Foster -- first printing 1974, cover art Tim Kirk (Galadriel is of the House of Finarphir) -- includes an ad for a boxed set of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings for five dollars. To order by mail, send one dollar and fifty cents per book plus twenty five cents per order for handling. I'm ordering today