Hello! I’m joining from Baltimore, MD. This is probably my 4th re-read, with the most recent being a couple of years ago when the Rings of Power first aired. Looking forward to reading along with a group and the discussion. 😀
Just joined this past week but been getting caught up. First time I ready the Silmarillion was during covid in 2020 and I discovered the Prancing Pony Podcast. Helped get me through it and understand it better! I have since listened to the audiobook too. Now I decided to do a combination, listen through the chapters but then pause and work through it with you :-) I enjoy your instagram posts and feel I might "fit in" to this group.
I’m a little late to this read-through but will continue in my own pace.
I’m “new” to Tolkien. Well, I’ve read The Lord of the Rings at the age of 14 for the first time and then again at 21. Since then I’ve almost got rid of my copy.
Last year I was browsing my bookshelves and I don’t know what happened but somehow my eyes fell on my old and yellowed copy of The Lord of the Rings. So I grabbed the first volume.
I finished the books about 2 months ago and they are refusing to leave my head. It seems that I hadn’t understood the novel AT ALL 40 years ago.
My copy is a German translation so I got an English copy and started reading it again because I want the full experience.
Seriously. I don’t know what happened. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings are consuming my thoughts.
If someone wonders how it’s possible to get emotional about a sentence in an APPENDIX then watch me getting teary eyed. I lost it when I read that Merry and Pippin were buried in Gondor TOGETHER next to Aragorn.
I literally CRIED.
These two characters in particular have such great character development omg.
My old German copy has no appendix so I’m enjoying the new (for me) add-on in my English copy immensely.
I'm also reading magazine articles, browsing lists of non-fiction books about Tolkien's work, about the inspiration he took from mythology, philosophy, catholicism and college papers and I'm learning SO MUCH.
I'm kicking myself for letting so much time slip between reading it for the first time at the age of 14 and not being impressed at all and today. I'm trying to recall how it was like in 1979. The first German translation had just been published 10 years prior and it seemed that everyone my age was reading it.
And not to forget the music lyrics by Led Zeppelin, Rush, Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep that I've known my whole life but that suddenly make sense
I’m guessing that my journey to middle earth has only just begun. Happy to be here with you.
I have two copies of the Silmarillion. My English copy seems to be a bit daunting so I also got a German translation.
Hello! My name is Kellan, and I’m joining from Denver. First time reader here as well. I’ve loved LOTR since I saw the films in theater as a kid, but my most recent re-read really sparked something new in my older age! Looking forward to diving headlong into the legendarium!
Hi! I'm joining from the smallest US state of Rhode Island, though I originally hail from Wisconsin. I've always been an adventurer, and have both listened to and read Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit on my journeys. This is my first read through of the Silmarillion, though it's been on my list for ages. Thank you for this space!
Hi! I'm Nerea, from Spain. I read LOTR when i was a teenager and now im re-discovering Tolkien again. It's my first Silmarillion read so, im happy to do it together and with a "guide" through it :)
This will be a reread or rather relisten. I've read the Silmarillion several times and listened to the Martin Shaw version multiple times but have yet to listen to the Andy Serkis recording so looking forward to enjoying his interpretation and your blog posts and this discussion.
Hello! I’m Lara, some call me Lo, and I’m joining in from Austin, TX. Though originally from and always consider myself a PNW girl!
I started reading the Silmarillion for the first time a few months ago and have gotten about 1/4 through it, really enjoying it, but though it would be even more fun to join the read-a-along 🖤
UPDATE! I’m so excited to have my wife (Sheila) joining us on our read-through. She has asked me to read it aloud and it has been AWESOME. I honestly cannot recall the last time I read a book aloud outside of an elementary school. She’s not on this app and is more of a crime drama girl in her book selections, but she’s loved all the LOTR and Hobbit movies. Maybe I will be able to convince her to join our future read-throughs here (fingers crossed). 😀
As an enthusiast with novice level knowledge of the Tolkien universe but with an intermediate knowledge of literature, especially difficult to read works, my recommendation is to read, if available to you, the Foreward, Preface to the Second Edition, the except from Tolkien's letter to Milton Waldman and the Note on Illustrations found at the front of most deluxe editions of The Silmarillion. For me, these provide context and some understanding of the difficult labor of editing and publishing such a work as this posthumously.
I appreciate the recommendation. I had checked out tthe 2nd ed.from the local library last year. I was able to read the preface, etc. and that was as far as I got.
This time I went straight past these and jumped into the narrative. So on your recommendation I will now take the time and read these again.
A bit late to start. I tried to read this years ago, but struggled a bit and never finished it. Hoping for a better outcome this time around. Reading Northern NJ.
Hi! Finally remembered to join and comment! Reading from Savannah, GA. My hubster, Matt, is joining me in the read along, got us each our own copies 😁 (We even had some LOTR accents at our wedding in September.) We’re excited to read The Silmarillion (he’s attempted us once before) and make it through this group project, with your support! Lol! Our 4 cats, BleuCat, George Carlin, Tortellini, and Gandalf (or Gandy-Elf) are also along for the ride!
Yay book Pets!!! 🥰 he says Meow and purrrrr, and would like you to know that his full name is Gandalf “the Grey” Greybeard James Gandolfini Szynaka-Tozer. 🥰 His name is bigger than he is.
We call our Gandalf, Gandalf Greyhame or the Grey Wanderer when he leaves the yard. He’s more like Gandalf at Bilbo’s bday party (mischievous and silly) vs Gandalf fighting the Balrog.
Reading along from Washington State! This is my first time reading The Silmarillion. I am a little late to this comment section gathering so I am already through the first couple chapters, and I am so excited to hear other’s impressions and pick your Tolkien brain for connections and context.
I’m reading in Indiana, U.S. I think I’ve probably read most of the Silmarillion in bits and pieces. I love the audio version read by Martin Shaw but I have a habit of dozing off every time. I’ve made attempts to read it, but the drawback of owning a fancy illustrated hardcover is portability. I picked up a paperback for this read through and am hoping with encouragement I’ll make it straight through this time!
Hi! I’m Mallory from rural northern Minnesota, up near Hibbing. I have read the LOTR and the Hobbit in the past but was always very overwhelmed with the prospect of this book. I look forward to reading it with others and getting some outside perspective as we work through it!
Hello! I’m joining from Baltimore, MD. This is probably my 4th re-read, with the most recent being a couple of years ago when the Rings of Power first aired. Looking forward to reading along with a group and the discussion. 😀
Just joined this past week but been getting caught up. First time I ready the Silmarillion was during covid in 2020 and I discovered the Prancing Pony Podcast. Helped get me through it and understand it better! I have since listened to the audiobook too. Now I decided to do a combination, listen through the chapters but then pause and work through it with you :-) I enjoy your instagram posts and feel I might "fit in" to this group.
Oh, and my husband and I live full time in an RV so we travel all over the US!
I forgot to mention (we don't have pets to name) our RV is named Barandir (Brown Wanderer) our jeep is Bill & our motorcycle is Hasufel :-)
I’m a little late to this read-through but will continue in my own pace.
I’m “new” to Tolkien. Well, I’ve read The Lord of the Rings at the age of 14 for the first time and then again at 21. Since then I’ve almost got rid of my copy.
Last year I was browsing my bookshelves and I don’t know what happened but somehow my eyes fell on my old and yellowed copy of The Lord of the Rings. So I grabbed the first volume.
I finished the books about 2 months ago and they are refusing to leave my head. It seems that I hadn’t understood the novel AT ALL 40 years ago.
My copy is a German translation so I got an English copy and started reading it again because I want the full experience.
Seriously. I don’t know what happened. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings are consuming my thoughts.
If someone wonders how it’s possible to get emotional about a sentence in an APPENDIX then watch me getting teary eyed. I lost it when I read that Merry and Pippin were buried in Gondor TOGETHER next to Aragorn.
I literally CRIED.
These two characters in particular have such great character development omg.
My old German copy has no appendix so I’m enjoying the new (for me) add-on in my English copy immensely.
I'm also reading magazine articles, browsing lists of non-fiction books about Tolkien's work, about the inspiration he took from mythology, philosophy, catholicism and college papers and I'm learning SO MUCH.
I'm kicking myself for letting so much time slip between reading it for the first time at the age of 14 and not being impressed at all and today. I'm trying to recall how it was like in 1979. The first German translation had just been published 10 years prior and it seemed that everyone my age was reading it.
And not to forget the music lyrics by Led Zeppelin, Rush, Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep that I've known my whole life but that suddenly make sense
I’m guessing that my journey to middle earth has only just begun. Happy to be here with you.
I have two copies of the Silmarillion. My English copy seems to be a bit daunting so I also got a German translation.
Hello! My name is Kellan, and I’m joining from Denver. First time reader here as well. I’ve loved LOTR since I saw the films in theater as a kid, but my most recent re-read really sparked something new in my older age! Looking forward to diving headlong into the legendarium!
Hi! I'm joining from the smallest US state of Rhode Island, though I originally hail from Wisconsin. I've always been an adventurer, and have both listened to and read Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit on my journeys. This is my first read through of the Silmarillion, though it's been on my list for ages. Thank you for this space!
Hi! I'm Nerea, from Spain. I read LOTR when i was a teenager and now im re-discovering Tolkien again. It's my first Silmarillion read so, im happy to do it together and with a "guide" through it :)
This will be a reread or rather relisten. I've read the Silmarillion several times and listened to the Martin Shaw version multiple times but have yet to listen to the Andy Serkis recording so looking forward to enjoying his interpretation and your blog posts and this discussion.
Hello! I’m Lara, some call me Lo, and I’m joining in from Austin, TX. Though originally from and always consider myself a PNW girl!
I started reading the Silmarillion for the first time a few months ago and have gotten about 1/4 through it, really enjoying it, but though it would be even more fun to join the read-a-along 🖤
UPDATE! I’m so excited to have my wife (Sheila) joining us on our read-through. She has asked me to read it aloud and it has been AWESOME. I honestly cannot recall the last time I read a book aloud outside of an elementary school. She’s not on this app and is more of a crime drama girl in her book selections, but she’s loved all the LOTR and Hobbit movies. Maybe I will be able to convince her to join our future read-throughs here (fingers crossed). 😀
As an enthusiast with novice level knowledge of the Tolkien universe but with an intermediate knowledge of literature, especially difficult to read works, my recommendation is to read, if available to you, the Foreward, Preface to the Second Edition, the except from Tolkien's letter to Milton Waldman and the Note on Illustrations found at the front of most deluxe editions of The Silmarillion. For me, these provide context and some understanding of the difficult labor of editing and publishing such a work as this posthumously.
Thanks Rabon,
I appreciate the recommendation. I had checked out tthe 2nd ed.from the local library last year. I was able to read the preface, etc. and that was as far as I got.
This time I went straight past these and jumped into the narrative. So on your recommendation I will now take the time and read these again.
Already, this group is great. Thanks again!
A bit late to start. I tried to read this years ago, but struggled a bit and never finished it. Hoping for a better outcome this time around. Reading Northern NJ.
Hi! Finally remembered to join and comment! Reading from Savannah, GA. My hubster, Matt, is joining me in the read along, got us each our own copies 😁 (We even had some LOTR accents at our wedding in September.) We’re excited to read The Silmarillion (he’s attempted us once before) and make it through this group project, with your support! Lol! Our 4 cats, BleuCat, George Carlin, Tortellini, and Gandalf (or Gandy-Elf) are also along for the ride!
My dog is named Gandalf! Say hi to your Gandalf for me!
Yay book Pets!!! 🥰 he says Meow and purrrrr, and would like you to know that his full name is Gandalf “the Grey” Greybeard James Gandolfini Szynaka-Tozer. 🥰 His name is bigger than he is.
We also named our guinea pig Rosie Cotton Rainbow Head (the kids helped 🤣)!
We call our Gandalf, Gandalf Greyhame or the Grey Wanderer when he leaves the yard. He’s more like Gandalf at Bilbo’s bday party (mischievous and silly) vs Gandalf fighting the Balrog.
Reading along from Washington State! This is my first time reading The Silmarillion. I am a little late to this comment section gathering so I am already through the first couple chapters, and I am so excited to hear other’s impressions and pick your Tolkien brain for connections and context.
I’m reading in Indiana, U.S. I think I’ve probably read most of the Silmarillion in bits and pieces. I love the audio version read by Martin Shaw but I have a habit of dozing off every time. I’ve made attempts to read it, but the drawback of owning a fancy illustrated hardcover is portability. I picked up a paperback for this read through and am hoping with encouragement I’ll make it straight through this time!
And I just discovered the paperback I received goes from page 20 to page 85, so I guess I'll be reading in the hardcover anyway! LOL
Will you post a reading schedule for us to use? :)
I was disappointed (but not surprised) yesterday when doing the Spelling Bee in NYT that MORDOR is "Not in word list". ;-)
But I always try just to make sure! Btw hobbit works :)
Excellent! I'll keep that one in mind!
Hi! I’m Mallory from rural northern Minnesota, up near Hibbing. I have read the LOTR and the Hobbit in the past but was always very overwhelmed with the prospect of this book. I look forward to reading it with others and getting some outside perspective as we work through it!