Tolkien Transactions XIII
Troels Forchhammer
Good thing that I do not believe in unlucky numbers . . . ;)
This is, of course, actually the fourteenth or fifteenth issue of my
extract of the most interesting Tolkien-related occurrences on the
internet over the past period -- it just happens to be the
thirteenth bearing this particular name ;-)
May has come, and May has gone, and now I've collected what I think
was the most interesting stuff for a Tolkien enthusiast to read in
May. You should of course take as read all the usual disclaimers
about newness, completeness and relevance (or any other implication
of responsibility) :-)
= = = = News = = = =
JDR, Friday, 6 May 2011, "Run-up to Kalamazoo"
<http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2011/05/run-up-to-kalamazoo.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/44wycbe>
And
JF, Monday, 9 May 2011, "More Tolkien at Kalamazoo"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-tolkien-at-kalamazoo.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3ph3rx3>
And an update
JDR, Tuesday, 10 May 2011, "Tolkien at Kalamazoo 2011 (revised
schedule)"
<http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2011/05/tolkien-at-kalamazoo-2011-revised.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3htd8v9>
John Rateliff and Jason Fisher supplement each other in pointing out
all the Tolkien-related presentations, round-tables, panels,
discussions and other events at this year's Kalamazoo Medieval
Congress. Attending the congress is likely to remain forever just a
dream (and I suspect that I would be like a fish out of the water if
I ever did manage to go), but the list of events is certainly always
intriguing.
Ben Yakas, _gothamist_, Sunday, 8 May 2011, "Is This The Greatest NY
Times Correction Of All Time?"
<http://gothamist.com/2011/05/08/is_this_the_greatest_ny_times_corre.php>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3ttzq98>
Linked to by David Bratman on his Calimac blog under the title,
"They'll know better than to %&!* with Tolkien fans next time.",
this is the story of the NY Times running afoul of some basic
Tolkieniana and having to correct.
Co.Design, Tuesday, 10 May 2011, "Infographic Of The Day: The Lord
Of The Rings Trilogy, Plotted"
<http://www.fastcodesign.com/1663803/infographic-of-the-day-the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy-plotted>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3cyomj9>
A nice plot, and though it is based on the Peter Jackson films, I
think that, at this level of portrayal, they follow the plot of the
books close enough for us to ignore the differences if we will (yes,
it would be nice to have the minutes run-time translated to dates in
the Shire Reckoning of the book, and to remove Aragorn's small
private detour in the middle of Two Towers, but I have no problem
living with these).
Mythopoeic Society, Tuesday, 17 May 2011, "Mythopoeic Awards: 2011
Finalists Announced"
<http://www.mythsoc.org/news/awards-finalists-2011/>
Of particular interest in this special context is that four of the
five finalists for the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings
Studies are on Tolkien, while the last is on C.S. Lewis _Narnia_
books. I also see that I lack two of the four Tolkien-related
finalists, so I had better free up some room in my Tolkien budget
;)
JF, Tuesday, 17 May 2011, "2011 Mythopoeic Award Finalists"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/2011-mythopoeic-award-finalists.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3v3r4vb>
Jason Fisher follows up on the announcement of the finalists here.
Associated Press, Wednesday, 18 May 2011, "Hobbits beware! To test
emergency broadcast system, Hungary says severe floods in
Middle-earth"
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hobbits-beware-to-test-emergency-broadcast-system-hungary-says-severe-floods-in-middle-earth/2011/05/18/AFLgPP6G_story.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/67mfcua>
Belonging in the light section of this month's news is the story
that the Hungarian authorities have been using Middle-earth
locations when testing their emergency broadcast system.
Josh Vogt, Monday, 23 May 2011, "Families celebrate Middle Earth
Weekend in Birmingham, UK"
<http://www.examiner.com/tolkien-in-national/families-celebrate-middle-earth-weekend-birmingham-uk>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6doeyaa>
A brief report from the Middle-earth Weekend in Birmingham.
JDR, Tuesday, 24 May 2011, "Doug's New Tolkien Blog"
<http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2011/05/dougs-new-tolkien-blog.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6zmwzvf>
Doug Anderson's new blog <http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com>.
PC, Thursday, 26 May 2011, "The Hobbit Facsimile First Edition to
celebrate its 75th Anniversary"
<http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/997-The_Hobbit_Facsimile_Edition.php>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/5rvf52p>
It appears that HarperCollins is serious about publishing a
facsimile of the first edition of _The Hobbit_ on the occasion of
the 75th anniversary of the book.
DAA, Monday, 30 May 2011, "News and Notes"
<http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/05/news-and-notes.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6hec7tp>
Doug Anderson comments a bit on some of the comments about _Tolkien
Studies_ vol. 8 (including the length of one of the reviews), and
adds a few news, at least one of which has a clear Tolkien
interest.
JF, Tuesday, 31 May 2011, "My book is moving forward"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-book-is-moving-forward.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6ylww3f>
Some news on the progress of Jason's forthcoming collection (as
editor and contributor), _Tolkien and the Study of His Sources:
Critical Essays_. The book deals with source criticism in a Tolkien
context, and I am looking forward to having some of my
preconceptions challenged. In general I see little or no use for
source criticism that does nothing more than note a plausible source
-- but when source criticism goes on to explore what it might mean
for our understanding of Tolkien's text, then my mood tends to
change (in some ways one of my favourite books of Tolkien criticism,
Verlyn Flieger's _Splintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkien's
World_, can be seen as an extended exploration of the source
critical point that Tolkien was inspired by Owen Barfield's ideas,
particularly those expressed in _Poetic Diction_).
= = = = Essays and Scholarship = = = =
BC, Sunday, 1 May 2011, "An Experiment with Time by J.W Dunne and
the Inklings"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/experiment-with-time-by-jw-dunne-and.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/42yyd4l>
Bruce Charlton raises the interesting idea that Lewis, Tolkien and
other of the Inklings were so fascinated by Dunne's basic idea
(regarding foresight in dreams, not regarding the nature of Time)
that they tried it out themselves and found similar effects that
satisfied them that it worked. I am fascinated with this idea,
though I also remain rather sceptical (too much of the physicist, I
suppose): I would like to see some better evidence that could
suggest that the Inklings, both as a group and / or as individuals,
had experimented with Dunne's ideas -- I cannot think of any
evidence with respect to Tolkien in particular that would, in my
opinion, necessarily suggest more than fascination with the idea
(i.e. evidence that cannot be fully and satisfyingly explained by
the claim that Tolkien was fascinated with the idea at a literary
level).
Charlton follows up on the idea with a later blog post here:
BC, Wednesday, 25 May 2011, "C.S Lewis as dreamer"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/cs-lewis-as-dreamer.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6kctszt>
Not being a Lewis expert, I find it hard to comment either way. The
timing of the episode mentioned could be important: would this be
before or after Charlton thinks Lewis experimented with Dunne's
ideas -- if after, I think the omission of that in this context
would be important.
BC, Friday, 6 May 2011, "Anti-dwarf prejudice - justified?"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/anti-dwarf-prejudice-justified.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/44tyx44>
I was rather surprised to find Bruce Charlton arguing that general
prejudice against Dwarves should be justified: this really does go
against my reading of _The Lord of the Rings_, but that is precisely
one of the things that I enjoy about Charlton's blog -- whether I
agree or not, his posts usually do force me to think at least twice,
and I generally learn something from that.
BC, Sunday, 15 May 2011, "Dom Jonathan Markison OSB = Gervase Mathew
OSB"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/dom-jonathan-markison-osb-gervase.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3evm5hz>
Just a brief note from Charlton that he agrees with the
identification of the character Dom Jonathan Markison in _The Notion
Club Papers_ with Gervase Mathew. The evidence is, I think,
compelling, but I can't help ask if this can tell us more about the
fictional character and his role in the Notion Club, or if it can
possibly tell us more about the role of Mathews in the real club,
the Inklings.
BC, Monday, 16 May 2011, "John Wain versus C.S. Lewis and the nature
of The Inklings"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/john-wain-versus-cs-lewis-wrt-inklings.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3t79n9u>
Very interesting piece on the cultural agenda of the Inklings and
whether they, as a group, were conscious of this agenda.
JF, Friday, 20 May 2011, "A new collective plural?"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-collective-plural.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3grwe7b>
A discussion of Tolkien's use of the word _valour_ in the sentence
'leading a great valour of the folk of Lebennin and Lamedon and the
fiefs of the South' from the arrival of Aragorn with the Dúnedain
and the people from the lower Anduin to the Battle of the Pelennor
Fields. Remember to read also the comments, which provide new angles
and possibilities.
JF, Monday, 23 May 2011, "An apocryphal anecdote?"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/apocryphal-anecdote.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3ej4cag>
The minutiae of Tolkien's life are also of interest to Tolkien
scholars, so the question of whether Tolkien actually did take the
time to show around an American visitor, and once student, to Merton
during a very busy period in 1953 is relevant -- did he even treat
these American visitors, Stanley Vestal and friend, to Danish lager
in his own room? The last bit is even more interesting -- unless the
quality of Danish lager has degenerated considerably in the past six
decades, it would say nothing good about Tolkien's taste in beers if
he kept Danish lager in his room . . . ;-)
JF, Thursday, 26 May 2011, "The ends of worms -- and their
beginnings"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/ends-of-worms-and-their-beginnings.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/67fvyoq>
A curious observation on the ends and beginnings of worms in _The
Hobbit_ and _The Lord of the Rings_. Good catch, I say, though I am
otherwise completely with N.E. Brigand in asking 'what does it
mean?' I think that I am, personally, more inclined than many others
to accept coincidence as at least a partial explanation (Tolkien
being Tolkien would, as the rest of us are, be inclined to reproduce
certain thought-patterns without conscious thought or connection),
but I would still prefer a good explanation that could convince me
that it was deliberate.
LS, Saturday, 28 May 2011, "And now for something completely
different...."
<http://theruminate.blogspot.com/2011/05/and-now-for-something-completely.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6h7roaj>
The title might make one expect something reminiscent of Monty
Python, but if such is your expectations, you will be disappointed.
Instead we are treated to a piece of _Beowulf_ scholarship: the
paper that Larry read at this year's Kalamazoo. I do realize that
there are more serious aspects of the discussion (I strongly suspect
that the correct glossing of a single word in _Beowulf_ would by
itself be considered a worthy subject for a paper at Kalamazoo), but
ultimately the paper discusses 'where Grendel's hand is displayed
after Beowulf's victory.' A good and worthy story-internal question
that differs from a discussion of Balrog Wings mostly by the age of
the English upon which the reading hinges ;-) Oh, and do go and
read the paper, it's actually quite interesting and of course it is
written by a _stapol_ of AFT & RABT; though I won't pretend to get
every single hint and detail, I certainly have no problem following
the discussion.
BC, Monday, 30 May 2011, "Tolkien speaks from the past to us now?"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/tolkien-speaks-from-past-to-us-now.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6gbcc5g>
I am not sure that I can quite unravel all the multi-dimensional
time-threads, both fictional, perceived, dreamed and real, that are
involved here -- or maybe I am trying too hard to think about it.
There is something both attractive and repelling about the idea of
Tolkien encoding a 'message' to the reader in this way. I remain
intrigued, attracted even, but unconvinced.
= = = = Reviews and Announcements = = = =
Bethany Waugh, _Mythprint_, Tuesday, 10 May 2011, "The Music of The
Lord of the Rings Films"
<http://www.mythsoc.org/reviews/music-lotr-films/>
This review originally appeared in _Mythprint_ vol. 48 no. 2 (whole
no. 343) in February 2011.
Edward J. Kloczko, Monday, 16 May 2011, "Parma Eldalamberon 18"
<http://www.mythsoc.org/reviews/parma-eldalamberon-18/>
This review originally appeared in _Mythprint_ vol. 48 no. 2 (whole
no. 343) in February 2011.
DAA, Tuesday, 17 May 2011, "Tolkien Studies volume 8 at the Printer"
<http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/2011/05/tolkien-studies-volume-8-at-printer.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3uj58uf>
Along with the news implied in the headline, Doug Anderson also
lists the contents of the eigth volume of _Tolkien Studies_. The
essay section is dominated by names that I do not immediately
recognize, which doesn't necessarily mean anything except that I am
incredibly dense at times ;) On the other hand I am tempted to take
it as a sign that the editors of _Tolkien Studies_ are deliberately
trying to promote a new generation of Tolkien scholars -- a practice
that I would agree strongly with.
This year it seems that the main body (if not all) of the previously
unpublished source material is in John Garth's contribution, 'Robert
Quilter Gilson, T.C.B.S.: A Brief Life in Letters' which focuses on
a person in Tolkien's early life (a period that was also in focus in
Verlyn Flieger's edition of Tolkien's retelling of the story of
Kullervo and his Kalevala essays from volume 7). The 'Notes and
Documents' section also includes a contribution by Janet Brennan
Croft titled 'The Hen that Laid the Eggs: Tolkien and the Officers
Training Corps' which I look forward to get a closer look at.
JF, Wednesday, 18 may 2011, "Tolkien Studies 8"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/tolkien-studies-8.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/43vj786>
Jason Fisher follow up on Doug Anderson's announcement on his own
blog.
TF, Thursday, 19 May 2011, "Thoughts on Reading about Ents"
<http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com/2011/05/thoughts-on-reading-about-ents.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6dnpyzo>
My review of an article in the recent _Mythprint_.
JDR, Monday, 23 May 2011, "MY LATEST PUBLICATION: Clyde Kilby Memoir"
<http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-latest-publication-clyde-kilby.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/6f46ue3>
John Rateliff announces the publication, edited by himself, of Clyde
Kilby's speech at the 1983 Marquette Tolkien Conference (where Kilby
was the guest of honour) in the latest volume of _VII_ -- the Wade
Center's journal on their special-focus authors (Lewis, Tolkien,
Williams, Sayers, Barfield, Chesterton, & MacDonald).
JF, Wednesday, 25 May 2011, "The first peek into Tolkien Studies 8"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/first-peak-into-tolkien-studies-8.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3rnz3y3>
Having had time only to peek into the contents of the latest volume
of _Tolkien Studies_ we can hardly call Jason's report a review yet
(though I hope that one is forthcoming). I am not sure that I am
entirely happy with the idea that others can get the book in hand
(or on screen) a month or two before I do, but it's nonetheless
interesting to see what is being written. In this case the focus,
both of the blog entry itself and of the comments, is mainly on the
variations in the lengths of the reviews.
Edward J. Kloczko, Thursday, 26 May 2011, "Parma Eldalamberon 19"
<http://www.mythsoc.org/reviews/parma-eldalamberon-19/>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/3h8wyhw>
This review originally appeared in _Mythprint_ vol. 48 no. 2 (whole
no. 343) in February 2011.
= = = = Other Stuff = = = =
Philip Normal, _NY Times_, Sunday, 15 January 1967, "The Prevalence
of Hobbits"
<http://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/15/books/tolkien-interview.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/69tz6km>
This interview was pointed out here:
Trotter, Sunday, 22 May 2011, "Tolkien Interview"
<http://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1528&forum=7>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/5wvwra5>
Where this is thought to be the 'full text of an interview that
Tolkien gave to Philip Norman for _The Sunday Times_ on the 9th
August 1966'.
BC, Sunday, 22 May 2011, "The Inklings were historians"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/2011/05/inklings-were-historians.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/5skh8hf>
This post is presented more in the nature of stating an opinion than
as a careful analysis (such analysis may of course nonetheless
underlie it). The concluding paragraph states that the Inklings
'were engaged in trying to reconnect the modern mind with an
historical mode of thought, a mythic mode of thought'. My own
knowledge of the Inklings as a group is certainly insufficient to
comment on that perspective, but though I essentially agree that
this also applies with respect to Tolkien in particular, I can't
help but think that this, while it certainly hits the target, still
is not in the bull's eye. My problems is that at the moment this is
a mere 'feeling' I've got -- I have nothing to show in the way of
suggesting what is missing and even less when it comes to actual
evidence.
JF, Tuesday, 24 May 2011, "Lingwë is four years old today!"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com/2011/05/lingwe-is-four-years-old-today.html>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/65d9wev>
Congratulations to Jason Fisher!
= = = = Rewarding Discussions = = = =
Frodo's Illness (rec.arts.books.tolkien & alt.fan.tolkien)
<news:i-SdnccWactiRTXQ...@giganews.com>
<https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rec.arts.books.tolkien/yUDT3mL4vgs/discussion>
<http://preview.tinyurl.com/5w6yw7r>
Having started in April, this discussion was re-invigorated in May
by getting side-tracked into a discussion of when Frodo actually put
on the One Ring for the first time.
= = = = Web Sites = = = =
I will try to present a couple of sites every month -- if I've found
a new site (of any kind) that I have found interesting, then I will
add that, and then I'll throw in some oldies to keep things rolling
;-)
Douglas A. Anderson (DAA) -- "Tolkien and Fantasy"
<http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com>
The top new 'site' is of course Douglas A. Anderson's new blog that
focuses on Tolkien in particular and the fantasy genre in general.
O. Sharp, "The Tolkien Sarcasm Page"
<http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/tolksarc.htm>
Probably well known to all regulars of the Tolkien Usenet
Newsgroups, this page nonetheless still deserves to be promoted.
This is the home of many wierd things that have originated on AFT
and RABT, including the E-text and a number of 'crackpot theories'.
Enjoy!
= = = = Sources = = = =
John D. Rateliff (JDR) -- "Sacnoth's Scriptorium"
<http://sacnoths.blogspot.com>
Jason Fisher (JF) -- "Lingwë -- Musings of a Fish"
<http://lingwe.blogspot.com>
Michael Drout (MD) -- "Wormtalk and Slugspeak"
<http://wormtalk.blogspot.com/>
Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull (H&S) -- "Too Many Books and
Never Enough"
<http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/>
Pieter Collier (PC) -- "The Tolkien Library"
<http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/>
Douglas A. Anderson (DAA) et Al. -- "Wormwoodiana"
<http://wormwoodiana.blogspot.com>
Douglas A. Anderson (DAA) -- "Tolkien and Fantasy"
<http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com>
Corey Olsen (CO), "The Tolkien Professor"
<http://www.tolkienprofessor.com>
David Bratman (DB), "Calimac"
<http://calimac.livejournal.com/>
Larry Swain (LS), "The Ruminate"
<http://theruminate.blogspot.com>
'Wellinghall', "Musings of an Aging Fan"
<http://wellinghall.livejournal.com>
Various, 'The Northeast Tolkien Society' (NETS), "Heren Istarion"
<http://herenistarionnets.blogspot.com>
Bruce Charlton (BC), "Tolkien's The Notion Club Papers"
<http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/>
Andrew Higgins (AH), "Wotan's Musings"
<http://wotanselvishmusings.blogspot.com>
Various, The Mythopoeic Society
<http://www.mythsoc.org>
Troels Forchhammer (TF), "Parmar-kenta"
<http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com>
_Mythprint_ -- 'The Monthly Bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society'
<http://www.mythsoc.org>
_Amon Hen_ -- the Bulletin of the Tolkien Society
<http://www.tolkiensociety.org/>
- and others
--
Troels Forchhammer <troelsfo(a)googlewave.com>
Valid e-mail is <troelsfo(a)gmail.com>
Please put [AFT], [RABT] or 'Tolkien' in subject.
Smile
a while
ere day
is done
and all
your gall
will soon
be gone.
- Piet Hein, /Advice at Nightfall/