http://stagingpoint.com/2003/12/09/on-tolkien-and-the-writing-of-the-tale/ a microscopic cog in the catastrophic plan Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:25:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://stagingpoint.com/2003/12/09/on-tolkien-and-the-writing-of-the-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-3211 jrau Sun, 14 Dec 2003 16:08:22 +0000 http://stagingpoint.com/2003/12/09/on-tolkien-and-the-writing-of-the-tale/#comment-3211 I feel the same way about Tolkien. It's interesting--I read a <i>lot</i> of books when I was growing up, and I considered quite a few of them to be spectacularly good. However, with only a handful of exceptions, anytime I've gone back to re-read one of my favorites from my youth, I end up slightly disappointed; they never quite seem to live up to my nostalgia-tinted memory of them. Some books not only fail to live up to my memories, but turn out to be actually disappointing, as I realize that they are not the great works of literature that I once thought they were. Tolkien, however, is the exception. He's possibly the only author that I read when very young who has stood up to repeated re-readings throughout my adult life. In fact, my opinion of his works has skyrocketed since I hit adulthood and started grasping some of the true depth behind his writing. (Books like Shippey's fascinating <i>Author of the Century</i>, which you recommended to me, have helped clue me in to a lot of what Tolkien was getting at behind the scenes.) Tolkien is even <i>better</i> in my estimation now than he was when I was a kid, and that's saying something. When I was young, I used to think that it didn't get much better than Tolkien. Now that I've grown up, I <i>know</i> it doesn't get much better. There isn't an author alive today with the patience or education to pen something like <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. That's not to rip on contemporary authors, some of whom I would consider literary equals with Tolkien (Umberto Eco springs to mind); but <i>LotR</i> is a work of truly unique depth, and I doubt we'll see anything quite like it anytime in the near future. I feel the same way about Tolkien. It’s interesting–I read a lot of books when I was growing up, and I considered quite a few of them to be spectacularly good. However, with only a handful of exceptions, anytime I’ve gone back to re-read one of my favorites from my youth, I end up slightly disappointed; they never quite seem to live up to my nostalgia-tinted memory of them. Some books not only fail to live up to my memories, but turn out to be actually disappointing, as I realize that they are not the great works of literature that I once thought they were.
Tolkien, however, is the exception. He’s possibly the only author that I read when very young who has stood up to repeated re-readings throughout my adult life. In fact, my opinion of his works has skyrocketed since I hit adulthood and started grasping some of the true depth behind his writing. (Books like Shippey’s fascinating Author of the Century, which you recommended to me, have helped clue me in to a lot of what Tolkien was getting at behind the scenes.) Tolkien is even better in my estimation now than he was when I was a kid, and that’s saying something.
When I was young, I used to think that it didn’t get much better than Tolkien. Now that I’ve grown up, I know it doesn’t get much better. There isn’t an author alive today with the patience or education to pen something like The Lord of the Rings. That’s not to rip on contemporary authors, some of whom I would consider literary equals with Tolkien (Umberto Eco springs to mind); but LotR is a work of truly unique depth, and I doubt we’ll see anything quite like it anytime in the near future.

]]> http://stagingpoint.com/2003/12/09/on-tolkien-and-the-writing-of-the-tale/comment-page-1/#comment-3210 MM Thu, 11 Dec 2003 10:46:34 +0000 http://stagingpoint.com/2003/12/09/on-tolkien-and-the-writing-of-the-tale/#comment-3210 Isn't it slightly disappointing to pour your heart into a long post, and then wonder if anyone's read it? I haven't read the Christopher Tolkien series, but it sounds awesome. The more I read about J.R.R's creative process, the more I'm blown away by the depth of knowledge and meticulous craftsmanship of his writing. Others have said this, but considering the fact that NOBODY anymore studies the things Tolkien did, we may never see his equal. Isn’t it slightly disappointing to pour your heart into a long post, and then wonder if anyone’s read it?
I haven’t read the Christopher Tolkien series, but it sounds awesome. The more I read about J.R.R’s creative process, the more I’m blown away by the depth of knowledge and meticulous craftsmanship of his writing. Others have said this, but considering the fact that NOBODY anymore studies the things Tolkien did, we may never see his equal.

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