41 replies to this topic

[Murchad]

You can specify if you have read them many times or just once in a reply.

[Sveinar]

Have read The Hobbit several times, The Lord of the Rings two times, just started to read Silmarillion, if that counts in this thread, it isnt in the poll.

[fede_histpop]

I've read LotR four times: the first in italian, the always in english
Then, I read twice the Hobbit in italian.. haven't found it in english yet

[Enarwaen]

hmmm i lost count on how many times i've read LotR. I first stumbled upon the Hobbit when i was twelve (devoured it in 3 days i think ... was on vacation in Italy then ... and reread it again the same week )
aged 13 i finally (after much begging and coaxing my parents) i got a nice 3-volume edition of LotR (in German though ... but atleast the old translation ... not the new one which is ghastly). then half a year later i got the Silmarillion, followed by Unfinished Tales, Historical Atlas of ME aged 15.

but back on topic ... i think over the years i've read LotR something between 20 and 30 times , Hobbit about 10 times, Silmarillion over 10 times, Unfinished Tales also about 10 times.

Nowadays i only read Tolkien in English (as its intended to be read) and i'm working myself through the HoME-Series now ... i'm just short of finishing Vol.10 (Morgoth's Ring) and i think i owe the site atleast one essay about the Origin of the Orcs. or maybe some stuff about the motives and doings of Morgoth during the Shaping of Arda, the motives of Sauron ... ah ... well ... you'll just have to wait

so asking question like this will likely produce answers like these from us Tolkienites

suilad
-Bernd

[Black Op]

Let's see, I read The Hobbit about three years ago in 7th grade. A few months before the summer of 2001, my family managed to conjure up old copies of all three LOTR books. However, I had a bad attention span and never fully read them. Sometime after the FOTR movie came out, I started getting fully interested in Tolkien's works so I read FOTR. However, I failed to get far in TTT once again due to my short attention span, but I did read the Appendixes. That will all change however. Currently, I'm reading all of LOTR almost finished with Book III and after LORT, I'll reread the Hobbit again now that I have my own illustrated version (same with LOTR).

[Murchad]

I have only read the Series a couple times all the way through, but I do read parts of it quite often. I also like to listen to it on cd's and tapes narrated by Rob Ingles.
I listened to the whole book of The Return of the King in 2 days last week.

I have only read the Hobbit a few times and don't read it as often. But I have listened to a couple versions of it on tape several times.

[ElfTheHunter]

The Hobbit -Read it 2 times, was read to me 1 (3 total)
Lord of the Rings -Read it 3 times.
Silmarillion -Read it 2 times.
Unfinshed Tales -Read it 1 time.
HoME: I -Half way, then got tired.

[Khazun]

I read all 3, The Hobbit, Silmarion, Unfinished Tales, Adventures of Tom Bombadil, all the other tolkein books (yes each one, all with the ORIGINAL leather covers etc) *rubs hands* these are gunna be worth millions


Oh, and the info on those little cheesy nibbly packet things.

[Frumpus]

Wow, Enarwaen, you rock! I hope I'll get there someday. (And yes, I'd agree that you "owe the site at least one essay about the Origin of the Orcs"! **taps foot and glances at watch.**)



Quick question: do you think orcs could be "immortal" or long-lived if they originally had been elves?



Anyway... for me:
The Hobbit - read to me 1 or 2x as a child, then I read it once in 7th grade, then 2x in the last 4 years
LotR - started in high school - never finished FotR. Read series 2x in the last 4 years, now "studied" continuously
The Silmarillion - read 2 years ago, now "studied" continuously
Unfinished Tales - read 1 year ago, now "studied" continuously

Tales From the Perilous Realm: - all read within the last year
Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Sir Farmer Giles of Ham - hilarious!!
Smith of Wooton Major
Leaf by Niggle
Sir Orfeo (translated by J.R.R.)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (translation of a 1400's author by J.R.R.) - I REALLY liked this one!

HoME Vol.I (Book of Lost Tales 1) - just started
HoME Vol.IV (The Shaping of Middle Earth)


On my Agenda:
Roverandom
Tree and Leaf
The Pearl
The Homecoming of Beorhnoth
HoME volumes
&
Beowulf

[Enarwaen]

@Frumpus

the orc issue is an interesting topic ... i'll give you a "short" summary on my findings in HoME vol.10 "Morgoth's Ring".

In the earliest drafts the "Orkor" were based off animals - with enough "Black Will" transfered from Morgoth (thus weakening him amongst other reasons) ... so it deems at first they were mortal and "mutated" from common animal into cruel beings that were used by the Dark Lord

Later the idea of twisted Eldar (mostly taken from the surrounding of Lake Cuiviénen - the place of awakening ... cf. the dark legends of the "Hunter" told to Orome upon his arrival) was shaped (which survived into the Silmarillion). There is much discussion about the mortality of such twisted elves. The most plausible explanation would be that Morgoth was capable of twisting elves into something hideous but altering the Fea to be mortal would exceed even his abilities.

Parallel to that the professor developed the idea that some of the lesser spirits that were drawn to Morgoth were given a shape and posed as commanding Orcs (there is a orc-commander called Burgâsh mentioned several times in his early Quenta Silmarillion)

Later still he abandoned the idea of twisted elves and settled instead on early men, which again poses a problem concerning the time-table which he set up for the Quenta Silmarillion, where Orcs already appeared before the Rising of the Moon which would be before the Awakening of Men, when the Sun rose for the first time.

I'll write up an essay as promised, but since i'm currently figuratively swamped w/ work you'll have to be patient a bit longer

suilad
-Bernd

[Valahiru]

Since I am a literary consultant on this project I assume you can inagine that I've done alot of reading on these books...Actually I have read the trilogy twice, the hobbit once, the 12 book History of M-E once, the unfinished tales three times, and the Hobbit once. However, in writing the histories for various races I have to read over various secvtions of his writings also, not to mention the Atlas of M-E, and The illustrated Encyclopedia if M-E a few times also.....wow i've read them alot....

[Sam]

i read the series 3 times
silmarillion 2 times
lost tales 1
history of middle earth 1
and the hobbit 3 times

[Curufinwe]

I read :
HoME 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 (English) read from 1995 to 1999
Silmarillion (French and English) bought and read in 1994
The Hobbit (French and English) bought in 1987 - read in 1993 ...
LotR (French and English) bought in 1993 and read in 1993

Adventures of Tom Bombadil (French and English)
Farmer Giles of Ham (English)
Smith of Wooton Major (French and English)
Leaf by Niggle (English)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (English)
Roverandom (English)
Tree and Leaf (French and English)

[av_nefardec]

Wow, that's a nice list of books.

You should read UT!

[SizedIsildur2]

I read all 3 LOTR Books and the Hobbit...where can I get the Silmarillion in English?

[Night Hawk]

LOTR 2 times (in 1 year )
the hobbit 2 times in 1 year to

[Black Op]

Well, I'm in the process of re-reading The Hobbit again, now thaat I finished Silmarillion.

[Caedus]

Started, when I was twelve (Hobbit) and thirteen (LotR). That was in 1998/1999 (Fortunately before the movies, so I'm a "original" fan )

* Hobbit: Dutch about 3/4 times, English 1 time
* LotR (whole): Dutch 3 times, English 2 times
* Silmarillion: Dutch 2/3 times (I really don't count the times so well), English 1 time (Just finished it, I really luv the use of language ).

I also read 'Smith of Wootton Major', 'Farmer Giles of Ham' (hilarious!) and 'Leaf by Niggle' a few times, though in Dutch only.

Planning to order: Unfinished Tales.

Eventually I want to read all his work, but then I need more $$$ . But I will get there though .

[av_nefardec]

Unfinished Tales is great. That and you might say I have a serious relationship with The Lost Road (HoME V)

[Black Knight]

I own (all in paperback though:( ) and have read:

The Hobbit
LotR
Unfinished Tales
Silmarillien (sp?)
Lost Tales 1&2
THe Lost Road