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Twenty-First Century Tolkien
Twenty-First Century Tolkien | PROFESSOR NICK. GROOM
4 posts | 1 read | 4 to read
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review
Bookwomble
Twenty-First Century Tolkien | PROFESSOR NICK. GROOM
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I thoroughly enjoyed that!
If I say it's 5⭐ then that's from a Tolkienista perspective, so you'll need to judge for yourself how trustworthy you find my rating 😏
Groom has interesting perspectives on Tolkien's process, intent & legacy. I found it must engaging when dealing with Tolkien's life & works, the chapters on adaptations, principally Peter Jackson's films, marginally less so, though I'll return to the Hobbit films more open-mindedly.

vivastory I've yet to watch any of the Hobbit films 2y
Bookwomble I was dubious about a relatively slim book being spun out to 3 movies, and while I liked the inclusion of what Tolkien later revealed was going on outside the Hobbit narrative, inclusion of non-canonical characters and a love-triangle was 🙄🤬! Also, in making deliberate prequels to LotR, Jackson lost much of the character and charm of the book. However, perhaps enough time has passed for me to be able to watch them on their own merits 🙂 2y
vivastory I do plan on watching them but will probably wait until this season of Rings of Power is over when I am in need of a Tolkien adaptation 😂 2y
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Bookwomble @vivastory How are you finding it? Groom references the show, but hadn't seen them at the time of publication. He was seemingly ready to enjoy it, though. 2y
vivastory Honestly? I am thoroughly enjoying it! It is about halfway through & I have been really surprised by it. I am also watching the Game of Thrones spin-off & I am actually much more pleased with Rings of Power than House of Dragons 2y
Bookwomble @vivastory Sounds good 😊👍🏻 2y
Alora Ouhhhh this looks interesting!!! 2y
Bookwomble @Alora It was! Having nothing better to do, I read it in one day 😄 2y
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Bookwomble
Twenty-First Century Tolkien | PROFESSOR NICK. GROOM
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"The word [Middle-earth] also appears in E.R. Eddison's 1922 fantasy novel "The Worm Ouroboros", which Tolkien knew well."

A lovely bit of literary crossover, as I'm co-incidentally reading the magnificent Worm ?

Daisey @tpixie Yes, I‘ve seen these posts and this book has been added to my Tolkien TBR! Thanks! (edited) 2y
tpixie @Daisey 💖💖 2y
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tpixie @Bookwomble happy reading 📖 2y
Bookwomble @tpixie Thank you - it was 😊 2y
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Bookwomble
Twenty-First Century Tolkien | PROFESSOR NICK. GROOM
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Groom mentions that when Tolkien was serving in the WWI trenches, reproductions of a painting by Estella Canziani, "The Piper of Dreams", was widely circulated to soldiers on the Front, as an evocation of a peaceful woodland idyll, depicting a Tom Bombadil-esque child, charming the robin perched on his shoe, while gauzy fairies flitter about his head. Searching for the image, I found a short audio essay about the painting on Radio 3, link below...

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blurb
Bookwomble
Twenty-First Century Tolkien | PROFESSOR NICK. GROOM
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Nick Groom is apparently known as "The Prof of Goth", though as that's in the author bio at the front of the book, I do wonder whether it's what he's "known as", or what he "wants to be known as" ? (I'm known as Kid Kool, just in case you were wondering ?).
So, I guess what the book's about is right there on the cover, and I'm feeling quite excited to read it ?‍♂️??‍♂️?

Bookwomble Ok, so the introductory Notes on the Text, explains the author's use of the term "Race" as here to mean species, of his preference for "Humankind" to distance himself from the patriarchal "Mankind", and "Anglo-Saxon" rather than "Old English" to 'highlight the hybrid nature of English identities... and to resist the appropriation of the term by far-right groups.' He can call himself the Emperor of the Eldar as far as I'm concerned ✊? 2y
rwmg Who are "us"? 2y
Bookwomble @rwmg Humankind 😊 2y
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