#FellowshipOfTolkien

Happy Birthday, prof. Tolkien.

You words always inspire and confort me.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Just finished and lived it as usual.
Always makes me sad that last melancholy letter. Tolkien wrote Christmas letters to his children for more than 20 years! It must have been sad, and kind of hard, stopping.

All the same, this is such a warming book. I'm always happy to read it in this season ☺️

#FellowshipOfTolkien

The way Tolkien describes Sam and Frodo's bond in this last leg of the journey, the most harrowing, makes me think he must have had a real-life example in mind. It's so realistic and involving that he can't have made it up.
I wonder if he saw this kind of comradery in the trenches of WWI. Soldiers developed a very peculiar, uncommon bond in those terrible circumstances. May Tolkien have had that in mind when he wrote this?

#FellowshipOfTolkien

The crossing of Golgoroth is terrible. Frodo and Sam are losing everything. Including hope, for Frodo. In the end, even Sam falters. And yet, somehow, Tolkien manages to keep hope alive.
The episode where Sam sees the star high above, between the clouds (could it be Eärendil?) is one of my very favourite passages in the book.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

This is one of my favourite chapters. Sam coming into his 'power'. I love it!
And my favourite moment in the chapter is when Sam sings and Frodo answers his song.
Something like this happens in the Silmarillion too, when Fingon is looking for Maedhros. Tolkien didn't know whether readers would ever read the Silmarillion, so I wonder whether he included this episode because he loved the concept so much. It is very touching.

#FellowshipOfTolkien #TolkienChristmas

Read three years today and caught up on Letters from Father Christmas.

Both the story and the drawings are so lovely.
Every time l read them l imagine how magical it must have been for Tolkien's children to keep this correspondence with Father Christmas 🥰

#FellowshipOfTolkien.#TolkienChristmas

Even in his children's stories Tolkien uses such poetic imagery.

Hi everyone!

Recently, I teamed up with a group of fantastic writers who all write stories set in the 1920s, like me. We created a Gift Guide with a collection of stories that will be the ruin of your TBR pile, as someone told me 😆
But we readers' mission is to ruin our TBR pile, right? 😂

Here the link to download it free.
Have fun and share as much as you want!
https://theoldshelter.com/historical-fiction-gift-guide/

#FellowshipOfTolkien #TolkienChristmas

Late as usual, today l star this cutie 🥰

#FellowshipOfTolkien

I won't try to write a review of the Silmarillion. But l'd like to say something to those who are thinking about reading it and feel intimidated.

It is a beautiful, deeply thought-provoking and emotional book. It's a story to be absorbed. Don't try to keep track of anything when you read it the first time. Just follow the story, enjoy the journey. And maybe be willing to read it again.

On rereads that the magic happens 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien

It Is amazing to read a single chapter on the Third Age and realise how small part of that story The Lord of the Rings covers.

What l hate about the texts of the Silmarillion Is that you can breath the air if Middle-earth and you feel there is so much more there that you will never know.

I sometime wonder how many other stories Tolkien had in his head and never came round to write down 🥺

#FellowshipOfTolkien

I fell in love with the Akallaneth the first time l read the Silmarillion and It Is still one of my favourite stories in this book.

It's an epic tale of rise and fall, of loyalty and betrayal, of greed and belief. But it is also a very human tale of vulnerability, and the way we humans handle that vulnerability.

It is beautiful and touching

#FellowshipOfTolkien #TolkienChristmas

Thanks to @Daisey for the schedule of our traditional Christmas readalong 😁

I hope lots of you will join.
This is such a beautiful, heartwarming book, so perfect for this season.

Sorry guys, for not being present as l should, considering the readalong #FellowshipOfTolkien.
Thing is, I'm leaving my job and it is proving to be harder and more confusing than l anticipated.
But l hope that once this is all done and in the past, I'll be back (really back) here.

But you keep reading and sharing. I'll dive right back as soon as l can ☺️

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Loved the narrative way in which Garth I troduces this group of young men.
I already care abou them.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Starting now 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MecievalTolkien

All in all, l enjoyed Sir Gawain and these other poems.
I found Sir Gawain a little difficult to read, but l liked the story and l liked Sir Gawain as a character.
Pearl was my least favourite of the three, though l appreciated how it may have inspired places in Middle-earth.
And l really enjoyed Sir Orfeo, the lightest of the three in so many respects

Now, who has already started Tolkien and the Great War?

#FellowshipOgTolkien #MexievalTolmien

I really enjoyed Sir Orfeo. I also found it the easiest to read of these three poems. In fact, l appreciated it's simplicity.
I also enjoyed that echo of classic Greek mythology, not just in the story of Orfeo, but also that very gentle hint of Ulysses's homecoming.
Really liked it 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

Can't say Pearl was my cup of tea. But in the last part, when the beautiful city is described, it reminded me of the seven gates of Gondolin, on the one hand, a d of the city of the Valar when Earendil arrived on the other.

#DraculaDaily

Seriously, I'm so impressed by the clever structure of this story!
I loved how we are given all the details through the characters' personal writing and how all these documents come into Prof. Van Helsing's hands. And whe they do, the story start to build... I want to say in a new direction, though of course, it is not so.

Everything is do coherent and cohesive. And gripping!
I'm hook. I care deeply fir all the characters.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Sorry for the delay! Here's the schedule for “Tolkien and the Great War“.
It's about 10-15 pages a day, so hopefully is a manageable pace even in this busy season.

I read it during the pandemic, and it is one of the best books I've read about Tolkien. Full of information I haven't read anywhere else. I think it will also be great to discuss.

Hope to see many of you join! 😊

Happy Hobbit Day!!!! #FellowsipOfTolkien

I celebrate today with this quote because it resonates so deeply with my life in this moment.

Tolkien's words, as usual, guide and comfort me.

#DraculaDaily is back where l left off last year.
Let's see whether l can finish it.

#FellowshipofTolkien

So much is packed into this last chapter that could be easily many different stories.

Earendil and his story is one of the most meaningful if the legendarium. It's where Tolkien's deepest belief have found a story form, in my opinion.

I always find the end of the Sons of Feanor story so very sad.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

I decided to take a break from #MedievalTolkien to finish the Silmarillion proper today.
The last chapters of the story are always so melancholy.
Having read longer versions of The Fall of Gondolin, so much seems to be missing here. Yet, the sense of an epic story is there, even in this short summary.

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

I'm happy that my edition includes an essay by Tolkien on the poem, because this opened to me scenarios that went totally lost on me.
I'm not surprised Tolkien was fascinated with this story considering his read of it as about temptation.
Not easy to read (at least for me, who know basically nothing about English literature), but fascinating.

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

I really quite like the end of the story. I ended up caring a lot for Gawain. He seemed so very human to me, especially ent the end, when he shows his vulnerability.

But the story remained mostly obscured to me. I couldn't read the symbols or the themes. It's a poem that needs some form of education to read.

I still enjoyed it 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

So, l suppose there is a parallel between the hunt and Gawain resisting the lady's temptation

I was quite surprised by the lady forthcoming. I wonder whether ther is some historical truth to it or if it was only the author's fantasy.

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

A softly rainy day, a blanket, a good book and my sweet Demonia.
Life is good, today ☺️

#FellowshipIfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

Just finished reading Sir Gawain part II.
If this is not ominous, l don't know what is 🥶

I'm not very familiar with this kind of poems firm. Antibody knows what's the deal with such long and detailed descriptions?

#SaturdayChattersay

Actually writing this on Sunday, but yesterday...

☑️ Had a great day about town with two friends
☑️ Having a great day yesterday, today I'm going to catch up with the #FellowshipOfTolkien reads
☑️ I'm at home. No plan to go out
☑️ Try to sort out what l want to do with my day job 😶
☑️ Read Dracula! I'm going to pick it up soon #DraculaDaily

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

Well. Took me three days to read the first part (l find it a bit difficult to read, English being my second language and all), but l enjoyed it
I didn't expect it to be such a rich narration.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

So much packed in just one short chapter.
Like so many times before, l have this strong feeling that Tolkien knew a lot more about these stories than he managed to commit on paper.

I'm always fascinated di Melian's story. I wish we knew so much more about her.

#FellowshipOfTolkien #MedievalTolkien

So, l have started... And I'm already falling behind 😅
Sorry, but today l thought, 'I'll read only a few pages of the Silmarillion first.'
Errrrr...🤭

Only read the intro, but I'm quite intrigued by this story. And by the story of its author.

@Daisey I suspect l have a different edition than yours. I only have one intro and after the actual story, l have one Tolkien's lecture on il 🤔

#FellowshipOfTolkien

In the meantime! We start this new adventure tomorrow! 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Took me four days to read this chapter!
It is a beautiful story, but so hard to read, even after reading it so many times and in so many different versions.
I would have probably finished the book sooner if l hadn't stopped on this chapter.
Let's see what l can do now 😁

#FellowshipOfTolkien

Just arrived! 🤩🤩🤩🤩

You know, l found all three for a good price and thought, why not? 😜

#FellowshipOfTolkien

So let's go back to reading!

I stalled on this chapter and l think it did prevent me to keep reading, to some extent. It has always be a tough one to read.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

You know when they ask, what would you wish Tolkien had wrote more about?
Nirnaeth Arnoediad forever!
I know Tolkien said that some episodes were never going to be more complete than they are. Still, l can't help but feeling there is a complete trilogy in this short chapter. It is that strong and meaningful.

#FelliwshipOfTolkien

What can one say about Beren and Luthien at this point?
This is an incredible story of courage and love. Of loyalty and betrayal. Of fear and fearlessness.
I love that these two complete each other as man and woman, as Elf and Man, as warrior and healer, as wielder of strength and wielder of magic.
They are different, and this is exactly why they may complete each other.
One of Tolkien's higher themes, in my opinion.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

I mean! I MEAN!!
There are so many epic episodes in this extremely epic tale. Yet Fingolfin and his lonely challenge to Morgoth always gets me.
Of course, nobody is suppose to be alone in this battle, yet Fingolfin doesn't hesitate to take it upon himself.
It's an epic challenge, ad yet, l feel to be there, beside Fingolfin. He is not an epic character. He's a living, brave being.

#FellowshipOfTolkien

This is quite a short chapter, but l've always found it so poetic. Finrod is one of the best, of course, but after reading all of Tolkien's work, l better understand the importance of this meeting between Men and one of the High Elves. It's as if Iluvatar had thought, ok, let's bring things back on track.
This is Arda as it was meant to be.

There was a moment l though the heat and dump were never going to end.
Fortunately, they did. Today is the second day this summer that the temperature is bearable, so I'm planning to start reading again.

But I've just realised l never posted about the last chapters l read in the Silmarillion. Let's fix that!

So, before we start our new reads with the #FellowshipOfTolkien l want to try and finish at least the Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. With both books, I'm not so far from the end, so...

And soon, the #DraculaDaily will pick up again where l left off last year, and I'd like to finish that too.

It's disgracefully hot here in Italy. Let's see what l manage.

Here we are!!! 😁

@Daisey and l have been thinking what to read next with the #FellowshipOfTolkien.

There are a few option we'd like to explore.
Here is what we have come up with for a Fall reading.
1. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
2. The Fall of Numenor
3. Tolkien and the Great War

These are really three different path we might thread.
1. Tolkien's medieval work (so much to read!)
2. New publications
3. Books about Tolkien

What you fancy?😁

I really liked it!
I'll admit that the prose was very dense and l had difficulties following it in places, but the story was very involving. Emotions were so strong.
The three women who are at the core of the story are absolutely fantastic... Whether you like them or not. With their actions, they speak loudly of how society tends to handle mental health.

This is a children's Tory, actually, but l loved it. Especially in the beginning.

It's set in China at the time when the Russian nobility found refuge from the Revolution there. The protagonists are two girl friends, one Russian and one Chinese... And l loved their friendship.

The story seamlessly merges true history facts with both Russian and Chinese folklore sardo' n a dreamy atmosphere that makes the story more precious.

Loved it!

#WhatsNewWednesday

I am reading!!!

I know, this shouldn't be news on this app. But it's been so hard to find time to read in the last period.
But I'm making a point to read more often now. I want to get back having conversation about books and authors on this app. I've missed it.

What I'm reading now.
I didn't mean to, but l found myself on the train, with my book finished. Emergency!!!
I chose a story for m Serial Reader... And I'm hooked!

Do you know this story or this author?

This is the third book l read in this series, and I'm enjoying it.
Khavari is very good with characters. She can put them in very thorny situation and let them show what stuff they are really made of.
The setting is also very good and unique.
This said, the mystery is not as strong. In this book in particular, it was so confused that even now I'm not sure what happened.
Yet, the characters kept me in there 😜