LOTR Fanatics Plaza Reading Group discussion

" So, I've realized it's been a horrifically long time since I've read the series. I used to read them once a summer, I think; but at this point I have no idea when I last did so. I plan on starting a re-read once I'm moved (and can figure out which box all of my Tolkien books ended up in).

How long has it been since you last read them?


P.S. My first post was totally going to be spam, but then I saw rule #2, and stopped myself out of respect for Frost.

P.P.S. It deleted my first post. GAH

P.P.P.S. This is now my third attempt, because apparently I don't understand Goodreads.

Too long - at least 5 or 6 years. I used to read them each year (and even read the series in a week once with TTT read in a day). Yeah, I didn't have a life in high school.

I think the last time I read the series was about 5 or 6 years ago. Though I recently re-discovered the audiobooks on my computer, so I once I finish listening to The Hobbit, I'll dive into LOTR.

It looks like I last re-read in fall 2016! I guess that's not too bad. Because there are so many books I want to read, I don't re-read books now as much as I used to otherwise I'd probably re-read more often. But yes I used to read them annually.

I did read the Children of Hurin when it came out, though I didn't read the other two.

we could read them together

Heya! Just joined up and roaming around a bit. I read all sorts of books I get my hands on. I landed up in writing stories, poems and essays about ten years ago and still doing that.

I do a yearly re-read of LOTR during my summer vacation, and have done so for ... oh gosh, much too long LOL. I've been getting into re-reading the Hobbit as well, so for those two, I generally read them once per year (maybe twice, I chewed my way through my native language translation towards the end of 2019 because I wanted to torture myself). For the rest, I haven't read all the newer publications yet, but I'm faithful enough to the "main book" re-reads. It could be fun to read them together with others!

I'm embarrassed to say it's been close to a decade since I read them. I used to read them every other year or so but as I started growing up I found more and more books I wanted to read and the idea of going back and rereading older books sort of grew out of fashion. Right now my TBR list is so massive it will take years of dedicated, 100 books a year type dedication, to get through it before I can think about rereading anything

Jennifer wrote: "we could read them together"

I'm thinking of starting soon- I'd love to "read together", though knowing me, and my various projects-- I'd make no promises of pace, and either fall behind or ahead. XD Which, I guess is somewhat less of a problem since we've all (likely) read them at some point. But a casual re-read with wee discussions would be fun. Though I suppose that could also go in a thread en Plaza as well.

@bjorn - makes sense! It may have been near as long for me. Part of that was probably the need as a performer to be constantly reading plays, etc. or other books related to my craft-- the book a play was based on, and so on.

I think a read a long or a book club would be great idea. Given how busy we all are with other things it'd have to a bi monthly thing, maybe we could poll to see what books we'd read and whatnot.

@E the most recent play I read was one from the 70s or 80s based on The Haunting of Hill House... don't ever that adaptation if you want a play to be good

I'm actually working slowly through TTT right now but I'm always down for a group reread!

I used to read annually also, but it’s been a few years. A group re-read sounds like a fantastic idea!

What say you all to a group read starting in July?

I think that's doable. And have some form of regular discussion in the discord voice chat?

July is good for me!

July sounds good!

Majorie: Sounds good. I'll be there if I can.

we could always pick and choose some chapters

I'm in for July or select chapters, too!

@Bjorn Thanks for the warning, hahaha I feel like I need to hear about this.


July sounds good. Though of course I got excited and started reading today, but it'll be a good chance to reflect back and I can always re-read again. (got to make up for lost time, right)