[bookshare-discuss] Fw: we've got more than 22 Tolkien books

  • From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:02:07 -0400


----- Original Message ----- From: "Estelnalissi" <airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 5:01 PM
Subject: we've got more than 22 Tolkien books


Dear Ann, and Booksharian Tolkien and Poetry Fans,

March 25th approaches. In Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, it's the date the One Ring was destroyed by Gollum in the fiery eruption of Mount Doom. This is a wonderful time for Tolkien fans to revisit The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. It's also a time to learn more about Tolkien and Middle-earth and we have over 18 more volumes devoted to work by and about Tolkien.

Yep, Ann, we have the newest Tolkien book, The Children of Húron, edited by his son, Christopher and scanned and validated right when it came out by Carrie.

In case anyone missed it when it was on the new books list, we also have Volume Three of the History of Middle Earth, The Lays of Beleriand.

Now we have the Silmarillion and Volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the History of Middle Earth with the accents in tact. And, since the braille tools don't always distinguish between different accents, those books have a list of accented words with an easy key so the braille reader will know whether the accents are acute, circumflex, umlaut or AE diphthong.

I've validated 9 of the 22 books you find if you search under Tolkien, though we have a few more Books which require different search words to find.

Evan, Carrie, Jim Baugh, Katie, and Pratik, have worked so skillfully on the Tolkien Project which has so enriched the collection. Before we started, we already had some Tolkien books and I admit I haven't read all of them. For example, I have no idea what the quality is like for audio and braille readers of the Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy. If you've read Bookshare's version of any of them and have helpful comments, please pass them along to me off list at

airadil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We have 4 Tolkien Biographies including two of the very best by Carpenter and Shippey. We also have the fascinating and often quoted collection of Tolkien's letters by Shippey.

4 of the volumes in the 12 volume history of middle-earth, starting with volume 6, focus on Tolkien's writing of The Lord of the Rings. Scanning and validating these books is a slow process using voice and braille, but volume 6 is underway and Tolkien fans have plenty to read until it's completed and approved. When we've finished with Volume nine of the History, then we'll think about what to tackle next.

About volume 3, it's sole subject matter showcases Tolkien's beautiful epic poetry with commentaries by Christopher and C. S. Lewis.

If you aren't an avid Tolkien fan, the commentaries can be taxing and, I admit it, boring.

If you want to read the poems and enjoy their stories, just read them and skip the notes.

The poetry has beautiful sections describing nature, romance, activities of Elves and Men, Battles, and a most noble hearted dog. Whether you are a fan of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings or not, if you love poetry, you'll find The Lays of Beleriand is a treasure.

I can't recommend better examples of rhyming couplets and alliterative verse. Before working on this book, I'd never paid attention to alliterative verse as a poetic form. Now I love it.

Here's a sample. The poems are thousands of lines long and the language is lush and mythic. The sample below tells about How after Turin's father is presumed dead, he is sent away by his mother to be fostered by an Elvish king. The lad is heart broken but makes the difficult journey bravely with two of his mother's most trusted followers.

The farewells are taken:...their footsteps are turned

to the dark forest:...the dwelling fadeth

in the tangled trees....Then in Túrin leapt

his awakened heart,...and he wept blindly, 165

calling 'I cannot,...I cannot leave thee.

O Morwin, my mother,...why makest me go?

Hateful are the hills...where hope is lost.

O Morwin, my mother,...I am meshed in tears.

Grim are the hills,...and my home is gone.' 170

And there came his cries...calling faintly

down the dark alleys...of the dreary trees,

and one who wept...weary on the threshold

heard how the hills said...'my home is gone.'

*

The ways were weary...and woven with deceit 175

o'er the hills of Hithlum...to the hidden kingdom

deep in the darkness...of Doriath's forest;

and never ere now...for need or wonder

had children of Men...chosen that pathway,

and few of the folk...have followed it since. 180

There Túrin and the twain...knew torment of thirst,

and hunger and fear...and hideous nights,

for wolfriders...and wandering Orcs

and the Things of Morgoth...thronged the woodland.

Magics were about them,...that they missed their ways 185

and strayed steerless,...and the stars were hid.

Thus they passed the mountains,...but the mazes of Doriath

wildered and wayworn...in wanhope bound them.

They had nor bread nor water,...and bled of strength

their death they deemed it...to die forewandered, 190

when they heard a horn...that hooted afar,

and baying dogs....It was Beleg the hunter,



Several colleges offer entire courses on Tolkien. Should we ever get students who need to research Tolkien for class, they'll find tons of material in the Bookshare collection.

In advance, Happy anniversary of the destruction of the ring and of Sauron's plan to subjugate the free people of Middle-earth.



Always with love,



Lissi


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