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N.E. Brigand
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 2:10am
Post #1 of 26
(2201 views)
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LOTR Free Discussion: The End.
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This is the end of the Reading Room’s fourth discussion of The Lord of the Rings, which began way back in October 2007. Please join me in thanking our discussion leaders:
a.s., Altaira, Ataahua, batik, Beren IV, Canto, Child of Manwe, dernwyn, Dreamdeer, drogo, ElanorTX, Elenedhel, elentari3018, Elizabeth, elostirion74, Entmaiden, Entwife Wandlimb, FarFromHome, Finding Frodo, Humbert, Isis, Kelvarhin, Kethry, Laerasëa, Menelwyn, Milady, Modtheow, Morthoron, Nerdanel, One Ringer, sador, Saelind, squire, Tolkien Forever, visualweasel, Voronwë the Faithful, and weaver.
They posted some 546 threads chock full of questions and insights to keep us talking for eighteen months -- bravo!
The folks whose names are italicized led two weeks each; names in boldface indicate people who led three discussions. A special thanks to Saelind, who led an astonishing six weeks of discussion. Thanks also to Modtheow, Curious, and a.s. –who stepped up to post threads on “The Mirror of Galadriel” for a few days when Altaira took sick– and to those who posted “free discussions” this week: Curious, Elizabeth, sador, and squire.
Please also thank the discussion leaders for “On Fairy-stories”, the short series (32 threads over six weeks) that ran concurrently with the LOTR discussion last fall: Curious, dna, Menelwyn, visualweasel, and weaver. Great job with a difficult text!
Further responses will of course continue to trickle in over the next several days, so this number isn't final, but as of 6:00 p.m. today (EDT), there had been 11,117 responses to the threads in those two discussion series, posted by 161 participants. My thanks to all of the contributors (there is some overlap with the lists above):
Aelfwine, Eledhwen, Elven, erevando, Ettelewen, Firiel, Galadriel1a, Ghan-Buri-Ghan, Lacrimae Rerum, Ltlberr, Lumpkin, mawguy, mike616, Mmatmuor, morganlyfe, mwirkk, Nogrod, NottaSackville, OhioHobbit, paleostone, PipeWeedEnthusiast, PrincessWhat, Silent Watcher, SmeagoloftheStoors, Stanislaus B., Sunflower, the argonath, Tweezers of Thu, Urambo Tauro, V, 5 by 5, AinurOlorin, Alcarcalime, artaheri elv, Ashkan1984, Atlas, Celeborn, Collatine, Cynesstra, Daeorn Aldalómë, Dwana, grammaboodawg, Gurgie, Lady Eowyn, Larewen, lohanmonkey, Nienna, NoseOfSauron, Octaviannah, palantiriel, pandemonium, sherlock, Tyler, Valandil, Altaira, Barahli of Rohan, Bladorthin, Daughter of Nienna, dorwinion, Henoluin Elsilim, Jazmine, Lily Fairbairn, overlithe64, Pryderi, Starling, Ufthak, Compa Mighty, Gollum2008, hobbitlove, Luthien Rising, silneldor, xy, Hyarmendacil, Jerene, Jettorex, Kirei, Loresilme, monkeysee, Patty, Radhruin, WhiteLadyEowyn, cloudland, Elberbeth, Farawyn, Magpie, sevilodorf, Woodyend, 7ofEowyn, Phibbus, Salty Coqui, Vaemyr Arandur, vtboyarc, dna, Harper, bookgirl13, Child of Manwe, mae govannen, Pukel-man, GaladrielTX, White Gull, Jameson, Solicitr, acheron, Millican, Ghills, Isis, Cyberia, Kelvarhin, hanne, Ainu Laire, Riel, Humbert, Owlyross, One Ringer, orcbane, Cactus Wren, ElanorTX, Elenedhel, Morthoron, Nerdanel, drogo, Penthe, Canto, Kdgard, Morwen, Eowyn of Penns Woods, Entwife Wandlimb, SirDennisC, elentari3018, Milady, Kethry, ArathornJax, Laerasëa, entmaiden, Menelwyn, Modtheow, SilentLion, Ataahua, Elros, Saelind, elostirion74, Kimi, Voronwë the Faithful, simplyaven, Finding Frodo, Aunt Dora Baggins, weaver, Tolkien Forever, batik, squire, visualweasel, Elizabeth, dernwyn, a.s., Darkstone, sador, Beren IV, FarFromHome, Dreamdeer, and Curious.
If anyone’s interested, these were the average number of posts per week for each section: Book I (incl. Prologue) – 236; Book II – 178; Book III – 146; Book IV – 111; Book V – 118; Book VI – 128; Appendices (incl. free discussion) – 189; “On Fairy-stories” – 60. These include only activity in the scheduled discussions, and not other fascinating threads like visualweasel’s “Do Tolkien’s elves have free will?” and Dreamdeer’s “Reading Room Culture” that were posted over the past eighteen months.
On to The Hobbit!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
We're discussing The Lord of the Rings in the Reading Room, Oct. 15, 2007 - Mar. 22, 2009!
Join us Mar. 16-22 for a free discussion on the entire book.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
How to find old Reading Room discussions.
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squire
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 2:25am
Post #2 of 26
(1839 views)
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It's a little tattered, but I see you're still wearing the Attaboy we had to give you last time, because you refused to mention your own contributions to that round of the grand tradition. I think you led six discussions in 2005-06, plus plenty of other stuff.
This time around I'm sure there's even more that you did, that we should be thanking you for -- not to mention the remarkable Tour-de-RR you've provided in the last 24 hours. Done with a time-doubling potion, no doubt (oops, wrong book).
In any case, whether or not you own up to the exact number of posts you made, your discussions, or your unflagging efforts to organize us, keep the peace, and "find that post for you",
THANK YOU, N.E. BRIGAND!!!
squire online:
RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'.
Footeramas: The 3rd TORn Reading Room LotR Discussion; and "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
squiretalk introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary
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Kelvarhin
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 2:48am
Post #3 of 26
(1780 views)
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THANK YOU NEB
from me, for taking care of my threads whilst I was injured.
 {{{{{NEB}}}}}
Kel x
Warning - over washing may cause colour to fade
Kelvarhin's Universe~~~~~~~Laerasea's Travelling TORn Journal
One book to rule them all
One book to find them
One book to bring them all
And in TORn bind them
In the land of TORnadoes...where the brilliant play
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a.s.
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 2:54am
Post #4 of 26
(1785 views)
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to NEB!
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME was rejected 29 times. Just a thought, when feeling discouraged.
Call Her Emily
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weaver
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 3:09am
Post #6 of 26
(1804 views)
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Adds gold star to Attaboy ribbon...
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N.E.B. also forgot to mention he said "yes" when I asked him to help me with the hardest part of the section I worked on for the On Fairy Stories discussion. So I would like to add "great collaborator" to the tally of all the good stuff he does around here!
I'm glad to join the "squire choir" on this one -- Thanks NEB!
Weaver
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 3:30am
Post #7 of 26
(1730 views)
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Well done, N.E.B., and Everyone! //
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'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
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Dreamdeer
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 3:42am
Post #8 of 26
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Thank you, all of you, for making my life much more interesting, and thank you especially, Brigand, for your caring dedication and hard work!
Life is beautiful and dangerous! Beware! Enjoy!
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Aunt Dora Baggins
Elvenhome
Mar 23 2009, 3:56am
Post #9 of 26
(1769 views)
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I lurked more than I posted, but I enjoyed the discussion. Great job, everyone! Cookies for all:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"For DORA BAGGINS in memory of a LONG correspondence, with love from Bilbo; on a large wastebasket. Dora was Drogo's sister, and the eldest surviving female relative of Bilbo and Frodo; she was ninety-nine, and had written reams of good advice for more than half a century."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"A Chance Meeting at Rivendell" and other stories
leleni at hotmail dot com
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(This post was edited by Aunt Dora Baggins on Mar 23 2009, 3:57am)
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sador
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 7:21am
Post #10 of 26
(1793 views)
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The list of contributors is according to number of posts, is it not?
Very interesting statistics!
So Dreamdeer has passed FarFromHome, did she? (probably during the appendices weeks.) And Elizabeth made it to the top ten, while squire and visualweasel didn't? (I know are somewhere near the top!)
It's quite a pity, you know, to see some of these names which haven't posted here in a while - where are Kethry, elostirion 1974 and Morwen? I had the privilege of sharing the room with them for too short a time! But those who took their places were truly worthy successors. And Entwife Wandlimb is back!
It is quite sad, you know, to see how bravely the discussion started, with so many people declaring their intention to participate - and then how the numbers sadly dwindled; but I expect that's inevitable in any discussion taking eighteen months.
By the way, you deserve another golden star - for the most questions asked in one thread (the final one of the Riders of Rohan, of course); I'm afraid my summary of 'The Land of Shadow' has the most words in it; squire's discussion of 'A Knife in the Dark' was probably the longest in number of threads (we're weaklings - nobody came near twenty threads this time!).
Anyway, it was great fun. A massive thank-you to all those who have led discussions, and to those who have participated in them!
And, as it seems nobody has mentioned them yet - a thundering applause to those who created, and to those who run, these boards!
"Let us join the throng!" - Kili
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sador
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 7:59am
Post #11 of 26
(1836 views)
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I misprinted the last post. In brackets, there should have been: "I know you are somewhere near the top yourself" - which was why I concluded visualweasel was probably not the tenth most active member of the boards, but actually the eleventh.
Also, for the interests of those who will look at this thread for further use - while N.E.Brigand has actually led four discussion (making him the second after Saelind in this respect), the posts of five and a half discussions are under his name - as he posted in lieu of Kelvarhin, and also most of Entwife Wandlimb's discussion of the Great River.
"Let us join the throng!" - Kili
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Mar 23 2009, 10:41am
Post #12 of 26
(1780 views)
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The "squire choir"? I'll join in, too!
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 ! I handed a gold star to him also, but it's it a post that's 'way back a few pages, so I'll add another gold star here with yours.
NEB, you are the sahib of statistics and commander of correlations and collaborations! Thank you!
(*needs a.s.'s bowing smiley*)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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a.s.
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 10:56am
Post #13 of 26
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you rang for smilies in a post to SQUIRE??!!
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My you are brave!
LOL
Here ya go: The RR bows to squire:
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME was rejected 29 times. Just a thought, when feeling discouraged.
Call Her Emily
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sador
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 11:13am
Post #14 of 26
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More intimidating than anything you will ever meet, unless you are brought before the seat of Curious. (source)
"Let us join the throng!" - Kili
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Laerasëa
Dor-Lomin
Mar 23 2009, 11:31am
Post #16 of 26
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It's fun to see all the stats! I don't see your name, though; it should be there, too!
Thank you!!
********************************
Traveling Journal Official Site
The journal is in Canada!!!
Kurmudginz of the wrld unite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Starling
Innocence is precious. Trees are precious. Families are precious. Clean water is precious. Light is precious. Rulers and Rules and Rings of Power are not precious.
-Curious
It’s always amazing how utterly stupid Evil can be.
-Darkstone
Honest, Altaira! I was just telling Auntie D how to make a possessive out of the name 'a.s.'! Really, truly!
-a.s.
I got to teach contrasts of LOTR elves vs. Santa Claus and Harry Potter elves in class this week. People were forgetting that Dobby was an elf. Probably a good thing.
-Menelwyn
Beware of geeks, for they are testy and articulate!
-gramma
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simplyaven
Hithlum
Mar 23 2009, 3:02pm
Post #17 of 26
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And for the summary/links you always offer to new ones like me. I've found your references priceless and very helpful! It was my first LOTR discussion to read and participate, very enriching experience. 
Culinary journey through Middle Earth continues! Join us on the Main board!
I believe
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a.s.
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 3:42pm
Post #18 of 26
(1757 views)
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I can't send the smilies from work, will have to send a RR kowtow to NEB when I get home unless someone else has a bowing mass of smilies, perchance?
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME was rejected 29 times. Just a thought, when feeling discouraged.
Call Her Emily
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Curious
Gondolin
Mar 23 2009, 3:45pm
Post #19 of 26
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Thank you N.E.B., thank you everyone, and a question. Have we
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posted notices on the other boards that the discussion of The Hobbit has officially begun? I don't want to do so if someone already has, and I don't want to do so without admin permission.
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Mar 23 2009, 4:36pm
Post #21 of 26
(1728 views)
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(But it's fun to embarass squire as well... )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
"It struck me last night that you might write a fearfully good romantic drama, with as much of the 'supernatural' as you cared to introduce. Have you ever thought of it?"
-Geoffrey B. Smith, letter to JRR Tolkien, 1915
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a.s.
Doriath
Mar 23 2009, 7:29pm
Post #22 of 26
(1722 views)
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right. rectifying my error here, attention NEB:
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The RR bows to NEB.
(that's me on the bottom right corner, in case you don't recognize me...)
a.s.
"an seileachan"
Madeleine L'Engle's A WRINKLE IN TIME was rejected 29 times. Just a thought, when feeling discouraged.
Call Her Emily
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visualweasel
Nargothrond
Mar 27 2009, 9:36pm
Post #23 of 26
(1694 views)
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Thanks to you, and to everyone!
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It's been a very rewarding (and sometimes even a rewording) discussion! I'm going to try to post on The Hobbit as often as I can, but I've got a busy few months ahead of me — hence, why I didn't volunteer to lead a chapter.
I am definitely reading along, though, in the Palantír at Lurkburz. 
Jason Fisher
Lingwë - Musings of a Fish
The Lord of the Rings discussion 2007-2008 – The Two Towers – III.4 “Treebeard” – Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
“On Fairy-stories” discussion 2008 – “Origins” – Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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FarFromHome
Doriath
Apr 2 2009, 9:12pm
Post #24 of 26
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I've been away for a few weeks and came back to find over 2000 new posts in the RR! I hope to find the time at least to go back and get the gist of everything I've missed, including those 400+ new posts of yours that I've seen mentioned!
Thanks to everyone, and especially to you, NEB, for a wonderfully organized and very rich discussion of LotR over the last year and a half.
Now I'd better go and start trying to catch up with Bilbo....
Farewell, friends! I hear the call.
The ship’s beside the stony wall.
Foam is white and waves are grey;
beyond the sunset leads my way.
Bilbo's Last Song
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