Frank, aka PCGuy, has published another one of his Truthful Tuesday posts, and this week Frank wants to know…
What pop culture phenomenon have you bought into?
It’s been a long, long time since I “bought into” any pop culture phenomenon. But when I was in college, I was very into the whole Tolkien thing: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I had a large poster of the Middle Earth on my wall, and eagerly followed the adventures of the fellowship.
Were you hooked right away, or did it grow on you over time?
I was hooked right away and have reread The Hobbit and the trilogy three times over the years, the last time being when The Lord of the Rings movies were released. I may now give it a fourth reread.
Did you initially get into it because it seemed interesting to you, or did someone recommend it?
I honestly don’t remember if someone recommended Tolkien to me, if I read about it somewhere, or how I discovered it.
Was it just a passing fancy, or are you still a fan?
I’m still a fan.
This, That, and the Other 
I’m a fan too. But I’ve read them just once. But saw the movies multiple times.
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I find it “interesting” that there are people who have been told to like Tolkien because he was Christian, but then they don’t seem to grasp any portrayals in the storylines; such as the environmentally decimating and clearly dehumanized toil where the evil one/people are centered. I haven’t read the books, so I’m not sure that previous sentence adds up as a whole. I see the his writing as a major contribution our understanding of western (our own) culture.
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He was a very talented, imaginative, creative, and vividly descriptive writer and his works transported me to a whole different time and place.
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Yes, I think so too (although I haven’t read a lot of his writing but have seen the movies and studied, slightly, his relationship with C.S. Lewis and others). I read Lewis’ writing (not all of it) and have studied him more so. I understand the feeling of being transported. It’s wonderful.
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I loved the hobbit! Its good! ❤
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I think the only thing I was ever “into” was Disney.
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How sweet! Do you still have that Map?
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No, that was when I was still in college, decades ago.
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I was a fan too, discovered “The Hobbit” when I was in my mid-20s. I read them all including the ‘last’ Simarillion (sp?). That one was a bit harder to digest though and clearly written after the original Middle Earth books. I still have all the paperbacks of the original four, Hobbit + the trilogy in a bound book set too. Amazing writing.
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Fellow Tolkienite… ❤️
I have read LOTR on average 3 times a year since 1995 🤦🏼♀️ (both in French and English), read the Hobbit maybe 10 times and the Silmarillion probably 6 or 7 times, as well as Book of Unfinished Tales twice… I have yet to find a fantasy author who speaks to me the way Tolkien did; but I was a teenager and the book expanded my world in ways I couldn’t even articulate.
I have loved Guy Gavriel Kay, Sharon Shinn and am discovering Le Guin (I know late), MacAffrey and recently S. Tahir’s work. But nothing ever quite compares – even though I’m very aware of some things lacking in the books 😜.
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Harry Potter… read it with my daughter and we made it to opening night midnight release of the final movie. Movies were good but the books were so much better!
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Most of the time when movies are made from books, the books are better.
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