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**Upcoming Two Towers read-through - consultation: how to do it (but it's also not too early to volunteer!)**

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noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 23 2015, 4:16pm

Post #1 of 38 (1811 views)
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Upcoming Two Towers read-through - consultation: how to do it (but it's also not too early to volunteer!)	Can't Post

A while ago, I was rash enough to say I'd organize the schedule for a read-through of the first book of Two Towers (Book III of LOTR). I thought I'd consult about how to do this.

Questions for you:

1) When to start? We had a vague plan of waiting until the autumn, as reading room participation often drops off in the (Northern Hemisphere) summer. So maybe September? How about a 13 September start to be after the Labor Day holiday in the USA (September 7th)?. It looks like this would get us to the end of Book III just in time for the USA Thanksgiving holiday (Chapter XI discussion would start 22 November; USA Thanksgiving holiday is 26 November 2015).

But, do we want to stick to a chapter a week? - was progress through FOTR too fast, too slow, or about right overall?

2) Should arrangements be as they were for the read-through of FOTR we've just finished, or should we make changes? (see below for some thoughts of mine on that.)

3 ) It is not too early to volunteer to lead a chapter,so if doing this appeals to you, please say. (Any volunteering for now is on the assumption that we'd make a September start & that the process is much as before. Everybody gets a chance to reconsider if we end up deciding to change the timings or what we are asking chapter leaders to do).

The eleven chapters in the first book of Two Towers (Book III of LOTR) are as follows (I've shown a schedule assuming a September start and based on the idea that none of the chapters are long or complex enough to need two weeks: but all that is provisional as yet.):

THE TWO TOWERS
BOOK THREE
week beginning Chapter # Chapter name
13-Sep-15 # I # The Departure of Boromir
20-Sep-15 # II # The Riders of Rohan
27-Sep-15 # III # The Uruk-hai
04-Oct-15 # IV # Treebeard
11-Oct-15 # V # The White Rider
18-Oct-15 # VI # The King of the Golden Hall
25-Oct-15 # VII # Helm's Deep
01-Nov-15 # VIII # The Road to Isengard
08-Nov-15 # IX # Flotsam and Jetsam
15-Nov-15 # X # The Voice of Saruman
22-Nov-15 # XI # The Palantir

Same system as before, or make changes?
In brief, what we usually done is that the chapter leader provides a chapter summary perhaps a few points of analysis and some questions to get the discussion going. The chapter leader might also be on hand during the week to reply to posts. But sometimes this isn't necessary because the discussion has taken off and people are answering each others' posts and raising plenty of new things to discuss.

That's been the chapter leader's role in brief - it's up to the individual leader to decide whether to post just one post on the first day, or to break the chapter up into several discussions (e.g. chronologically or thematically). It's also up to the chapter leader to decide how much they themselves want to write. Some of us have liked to provide plenty of detailed analysis and many questions or discussion starters. Others have chosen to write a lot less. Personally, I think either can work well.

The whole exercise clearly is only going to work well if:
(a) we have enough volunteers to lead chapters (otherwise either the whole thing stops, or people have to lead more chapters than they really wanted, & eventually they'll tire of that and read-through's won't be possible any more.)
(b) Enough people contribute replies. Replies are important! When I lead a chapter I'm very pleased to get replies, & a bit downcast if I don't. I'm hoping to start a discussion in which other people are going to say interesting or amusing things I'd not have thought of for myself. So if I post something & don't get much back, I feel it hasn't gone well, somehow or another.

So - if changes would make you (yes you ) more likely either to lead a chapter or to post replies, please speak up now, & let's discuss possible changes!

I have a feeling that the amount of writing being done by chapter leaders has been going up. In the FOTR read-through we certainly had some complicated starter posts, which offered a lot of analysis and/or many thought-provoking questions. But I was slightly wondering whether this was putting of either potential chapter leaders ("I couldn't write so much, so learnedly") or responders ("I haven't time to read all this, or to think about all these questions very interesting though they are"). I've never come to a conclusion, when leading chapters myself, about whether it is better to write more, or less, or whether "it depends" or it doesn't matter all that much. What do you think?

I do, however, have a suggestion for any potential chapter-leaders who would like to lead a chapter, but only if it didn't mean so much writing. I have found that some book groups have a generic set of questions that apply to each thing read. So the members of the read the text and come prepared to contribute ideas on the evergreen subjects of, say "your emotional response to the book, characterisation, themes, most memorable parts (descriptions/dialogue), strengths and weaknesses" [urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/book-club/running-a-club/. A leader will introduce the work, then give his or her reactions to get things started. If there's a general feeling that chapter-leading is too onerous, doing chapters like this would reduce the labour: if it is difficult to start a chapter by thinking of very interesting questions to ask others then not to worry - the chapter leader working this way starts a process of sharing each person's own readerly reactions.

~~~~~~

"nowim� I am in the West, Furincurunir to the Dwarves (or at least, to their best friend) and by other names in other lands. Mostly they just say 'Oh no it's him - look busy!' "
Or "Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!"

My avatar image s looking a bit blue, following the rumbling of my 2 "secrets" Wink

: http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=855358#855358

This year LOTR turns 60. The following image is my LOTR 60th anniversary party footer! You can get yours here: http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=762154#762154

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 23 2015, 7:19pm

Post #2 of 38 (1741 views)
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I love the ideas you have here [In reply to]	Can't Post

I would like to see a discussion style that is both not so trying - in terms of writing and researching - for chapter leaders, and that will also open the doors for discussion on various levels. I think the presentation should be a gateway, and doesn't have to be an end-all summary nor a very closely guided one. I think that puts more stress and responsibility on the leader in terms of the work needed to present, as well as limiting the responses in a way that potentially dead-ends things.

Size too, can be an issue as I found myself this past summer with a back injury which gave me a new perspective on responding to chapters. A large wall of text can be fascinating to read and I applaud the knowledge behind it...but once you get to the over-an-hour to wade through, find a thread idea to respond to and then have to research it as well... in my case, sitting upright at a laptop hasn't been possible and thus that kind of response is just out. That's just one specific example but I think it applies to many readers-along in general, just busy with life (hey, maybe a sore back too here and there) and other things.

I suppose the issue raised will be that reducing size/scope and opening wider options for discussion will equal a 'dumbing-down' of sorts. But I really don't think it is. Anyone is welcome, as a matter of course, to respond in great detail and we have numerous brilliant regularly contributing forum members to do this - but welcoming the converse, either in less detailed responses or more reader-reaction responses - may make the RR a richer place for discussion overall. Discussion and conversation on both levels has happened in the past, and I think* can happily co-exist. A personal goal of mine, (so take it as such) is to have members new to the texts be able to participate in these postings, and open and then share the chest of riches that IS the written word to those readers.

*: OTOH, this may be received as wholly unwelcome. In which case, from a functional and dynamic standpoint of wanting life and energy and perhaps a flow of new people and ideas in the RR, I'm not sure what else may help us continue to thrive.

I look forward to your ideas and how they work out, dear Furincurunir. Cool

Elizabeth
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 2:28am

Post #3 of 38 (1725 views)
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Some thoughts [In reply to]	Can't Post

My first TORn read-thru was in 2003. I think that was the second one. I didn't lead any then, but since have led about 20 discussions here over time (about half on LotR, the rest on other Tolkien-related topics ranging from art to animals to critical & analytical books).

There has always been a considerable diversity of style. In 2003-4, discussion leaders did one question per post, and several per day M-F. The end of the week, the leader would post a summary and thank major contributors. There is no way that would work today! At the other extreme, a few times when leaders had to cancel at the last minute, Curious (the original, not our CG) did one post at the beginning of the week announcing the chapter and inviting questions and comments. There was good activity. I do not think leaders are writing more than they used to. Leaders write exactly as much as they want to, to paraphrase Gandalf!

I really like one chapter per week. That has always worked, although on some occasions the length of the chapter (e.g. Council of Elrond) has required 2 weeks & 2 leaders). Often we get comments on into the following week, which is ok, but most will follow in the primary week. And sometimes things pick up unexpectedly: one week I was terribly discouraged at the responses I was getting, and over the trailing weekend a hot discussion broke out in a couple of my threads and ran to over 100 posts!

But within that week, I vote to let the leader do whatever feels good. The diversity of styles I've seen here is great, and are mostly successfull. I'm personally not fond of the style of having only one mammoth thread with multiple topics starting sub-threads. It's much too hard to follow (for me). But, hey, it worked for a lot of you, so enjoy!

I totally agree with to desire to attract new readers. Various methods have been tried in the past, including promotional notices in other rooms or even in folks' footers. Both new readers and new TORn participants are a delight!

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 12:52pm

Post #4 of 38 (1690 views)
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Thanks Elizabeth - interesting to hear how things change over time [In reply to]	Can't Post

I think it might be worth emphasising periodically that the chapter leader is to choose a style of starting things that he/she personally feels comfortable with, & can do in the available time. Otherwise, I worry, people might feel unequal to leading a chapter, when that's quite unnecessary.

I recall agreeing to read some Silmarilion chapters last time we did that. I was reading the book for the first time, and so had lots of questions. I was the opposite of learned about it, & this worked pretty well (as far as I can tell): people responded very generously with many answers to my questions. So that started discussions pretty effectively.

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 1:36pm

Post #5 of 38 (1687 views)
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I ended up doing...A Tale of Two Chapters [In reply to]	Can't Post

I led 2 chapters in the Book II read-through - Council of Elrond, and Farewell to Lorien. I did them in contrasting ways, & so maybe they make a good pair of presentations to compare?

I very much wanted to do Council of Elrond, because I wanted to have a chance to think in detail about what is a particularly audacious piece of writing. I believe I wrote about 10,000 words in my Original Posts, which is a large amount, even given that 2 weeks had been scheduled for this chapter. It took, of course, a fair amount of time, all of which I was lucky enough to have just then, & I really enjoyed doing it. As I expected, however, the most interesting things in the discussion came from the replies that came back over the 2 weeks this was Chapter of the Week, and later too. In fact, I thought I'd learned so much from the discussion that I added an unplanned summing up of a further 2,000 words or so to capture some of the themes I found particularly memorable from others' posts ( http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=850066#850066 )

So I had a great time - though possibly a little self-indulgently, giving everyone else a pile to read, and with quite a lot of emphasis on "how does this done as a piece of writing" which isn't perhaps everyone's interest. And I happened to have some free time in which to write a lot about a chapter that was of great personal interest to me at the time: not a combination of circumstances that we can expect chapter leaders to be in routinely.

Something I did do - and it would be interesting to know whether it was a food feature - was to give a shorter header post, (e.g. http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=848520#848520 ) After which someone could perfectly well stop reading & post their own personal reader's reactions to the chapter, if that's what they wanted to do. Then there was a longer subpost (e.g. http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=848522#848522 for anyone who was either finding my analysis interesting, or wanted specific questions to answer.

My treatment of Farewell to Lorien was perforce rather different. I confess to agreeing to do it largely because it seemed to be difficult to get a full slate of volunteers together (and nearly all of those volunteers were on their second or third chapter in this read-through). So I didn't have the time to work on it that I had available at the time I wrote Council. The format I chose, which you might call 'close reading and questions' looks a bit formulaic, I think, reading it back. I think it reads a bit wearily (when I read it back to myself). I think it was OK in the end - I certainly got back some interesting answers, some of them after 'my' week. But then I had still given folks 3,000 words of OP to read, in which I'd embedded what I hoped would be original & thought-provoking questions. Perhaps in hindsight I should have chosen a different format that time.

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 2:28pm

Post #6 of 38 (1686 views)
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out of interest - a different 'Lorien' treatment [In reply to]	Can't Post

I thought I'd try re-writing my 'Farewell to Lorien' OP in the "book club" style I was talking about. I think it comes out rather like the below, which is half the length of the treatment I did choose.

So I guess the question is - which is more appealing to reply to, my original method of treating the chapter (http://newboards.theonering.net/...i?post=857078#857078 ) , or THIS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The chapter starts with the Fellowship meeting with Celeborn and Galadriel. It�s clear the Fellowship aren�t sure of their next destination - Minas Tirith (at least temporarily) or Mordor? Celeborn gives them boats, which will enable them to delay this decision. But he reminds them that they cannot postpone a decision for too long. Galadriel says �Maybe the paths that you each shall tread are already laid before your feet, though you do not see them.� (I�m not sure what this means.)

The fellowship then try to decide the Minas Tirith/Mordor question. We hear that Aragorn is conflicted - he wants to go to Minas Tirith and his kingdom, but feels that he is Gandalf�s surrogate and should go with Frodo to Mordor. Frodo says nothing, and I wonder what he�s thinking. A comment of Boromir�s worries Frodo - Boromir seems to make a Freudian slip, returning to the idea that the Ring should not be thrown away. This works for me as a warning that Boromir IS thinking like that, and so it begins to prepare me for Boromir�s attempt to seize the Ring. But I suppose other theories are that Frodo is becoming paranoid (perhaps the effect of the Ring?), or that Frodo is sane but growing more perceptive of others (perhaps to do with the Ring or just his experiences since leaving The Shire?)

The next morning the Fellowship pack. Elves bring them gifts including lembas and cloaks. Pippin asks whether the cloaks are magic, and this seems to be regarded as a confusing (perhaps ignorant or impolite?) question. I get the feeling that Tolkien wants us to be a little confused about what �magic� is - and maybe the elves are finding the hobbits charmingly (or irritatingly) rustic? The Fellowship moves out, sad to leave their camping place, and are taken to their waiting boats. Sam reveals an interest in ropes - alas, too late to be taught some elven craft secrets. The Fellowship do a test paddle in their boats (which are perhaps canoes? or coracles?).

The Fellowship is met by the Royal Barge, upon which Galadriel is singing �I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew.� The song seems to me to almost be an �aria� - by which I mean the action of the chapter seems to stand still while it is performed, rather than it being part of the action (e.g. Sam�s Troll song). Compared with the permanence of Eldamar (Galadriel sings), Lorien is fading. She has stayed �too long� but �what ship would come to me / What ship would bear me back across so wide a sea?� Galadriel's song seems somehow autobiographical. Maybe it reflects her situation after her decision not to take the One RIng from Frodo: one way or another her days in Middle Earth are drawing to a close.

The Fellowship are invited to a parting feast. Galadriel seems to have changed �She seemed no longer perilous or terrible, nor filled with hidden power.� This seems to go with the idea of Galadriel being resigned to leaving Middle-earth, but maybe the change is in Frodo, and Galadriel is less mysterious to him after their dealings, last chapter with the rings?

Celeborn gives them some navigational advice, and warns them against going to Fangorn. I�m not sure this warning makes massive sense as a thing Celeborn might say - but it certainly makes us readers nervous when Merry and Pippin are forced into Fangorn later. Maybe that�s the effect Tolkien wanted?

There is a parting drink, and Galadriel gives the Fellowship gifts (in addition to the substantial and practical aid of boats, food, clothing and other items they�ve already had).
On my first reading, I was expecting each gift to turn out to be something essential to the upcoming plot (e.g. like the gifts Father Christmas gives each Pevensie child in C.S Lewis� The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe http://wiki.narniaweb.com/...php/Father_Christmas ). But as I see it, Frodo is the only one given a gift that proves essential to him completing his quest. Next most essential is Sam�s gift, perhaps: enabling him to speed up the restoration of the Shire. Legolas gets a bow upgrade (useful loot, but not plot-essential?) Galadriel gives Boromir, Merry and Pippin each a belt.

�What does Galadriel give Aragorn?� is a bit of a trick question - nope, not the elfstone, technically (see below): Galadriel gives him an Excalibur-like scabbard (with magical blade-preserving properties). That does look like proper D&D or World of Warcraft L00t: but then Aragorn decides to leave his sword unsheathed after the Battle of the Pellenor Fields. So I�m not sure what, if any, significance to put upon Aragorn�s grandmother-in-law-elect giving him this.

HoME fun fact - originally, Gimli was to get the green jewel, which after further revisions goes to Aragorn. So Aragorn also gets the green stone in the published book - something that will link to a future event (he gets the name �elfstone� because of it). It also links back to various older stories (I believe Tolkien couldn�t quite decide what the history of this stone was?) The stone is however, not technically from Galadriel: it�s a present from Arwen, left in Galadriel�s keeping to hand over �should you [i.e. Aragorn] pass through this land�. I haven�t been able to decide why Arwen might make this arrangement: for example - has Aragorn passed some kind of test by getting this far? Is it a way of showing Aragorn that Arwen�s powerful grandmother is in favour of their marriage plans? Did Arwen foresee that Aragorn would come to Lorien, & if so has she rather romantically left him this encouragement? (Perhaps a bit like the tradition whereby Apollo astronauts would find, when they unpacked their moon-landing kit, that letters and other loving, morale-boosting items from their families had been packed in with it?)

Gimli�s gift is given special treatment. Galadriel has not prepared (or pretends that she has not prepared) anything for him. With unexpected audacity and courtliness, Gimli requests and gets a lady�s favour (three of Galadriel�s hairs). Galadriel does not appear at all displeased, and makes Gimli�s courtesy an object lesson for the court. And so Dwarf-Elf rapprochement advances.
Whether or not we�re supposed to grin at this (I�m not sure, myself), Gimli later takes his relationship with Galadriel very seriously (for example nearly getting into a duel with Eomer). Galadriel also takes it seriously (the Appendix-writer assumes that it is her petitioning that ultimately allows Gimli to set off into the West on an elven boat with Legolas).

The Fellowship depart, with another of Galadriel�s songs to send them on their way. This one �Ai! lauri� lantar lassi s�rinen� is given in Elvish, with a prose translation. The second song gives us (I think) the longest burst of elvish to date, and then a prose translation (and here is Professor Tolkien reciting it in elvish https://youtu.be/6de_SbVUVfA )The song says that �all paths are drowned deep in shadow� and laments the difficulty of finding Valimar. I don�t feel I understand it.

The Fellowship speed away. Gimli is heartbroken and is reassured by Legolas - maybe not something Legolas would have done so kindly before the Lorien stay?
Gimli�s self-pity is a bit surprising (when was Gimli self-pitying before: I don�t recall a time?) But it�s also quite charming; Dwarf-Elf rapprochement has indeed advanced a long way. And Gimli is a big softie really. Then Legolas and Gimli are called back to reality by the practical need to handle their boat. It�s tough to be adventuring again: in contrast to the Lorien they have left behind, the scenery is dreary and cold. They travel on into the night, still going as the chapter ends with Frodo falling asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 4:18pm

Post #7 of 38 (1670 views)
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I find both your examples have merit [In reply to]	Can't Post

which relates back to Elizabeth's point of people choosing personal styles. Neither of these is overwhelming, and both the short start post with questions followed by more detailed analysis and the 'book club' style are fun reads, and get the mind working.

I like breaking up things into multiple, manageable posts on related ideas, only because then someone can deal with one at a time - in the very Real World way that we are all posting between lunch breaks, kids needing rides and cooking meals. Laugh

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 4:46pm

Post #8 of 38 (1666 views)
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Thank you, though... [In reply to]	Can't Post

...I think the Uruk-hai have just abducted both Merrit and Pippit, and it will take many chapters of Eng.Lit. Before Gimlit, Leglit and Aragit catch up with them.

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 7:25pm

Post #9 of 38 (1648 views)
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Most welcome. Its a shame that Saurit got left out [In reply to]	Can't Post

as a conjugation of 'saw': see it, seen it, saurit.

Elizabeth
Half-elven

Jul 24 2015, 10:10pm

Post #10 of 38 (1634 views)
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Surely it's fair to assume... [In reply to]	Can't Post

...that people have the chapter, have read it at least once, and can go back and review as necessary? That isn't always possible with some book clubs, but I really do think it's true here. We do particularly love first-time readers, because they often give fresh insights and good questions. But it's always good to examine the motives of characters in the selections, symmetries with other aspects of the tale, etc.

It's fun when someone has a different take on things. Curious, for example, loved to associate wind directions with good and evil; he contended (without any direct evidence) that the winds were controlled by Valar, who were doing what they could from afar to help things along. The obvious instance, of course, is the rolling away of the "darkness" during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but he found some significance in virtually every mention of wind direction!

Mikah
Lorien

Jul 25 2015, 1:56am

Post #11 of 38 (1609 views)
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Hmmm... [In reply to]	Can't Post

I do believe that I will join in this one! I am hoping Cats will join in as well! I remember when I led the chapter discussion on Celeborn and Galadriel in Unfinished Tales, I had more questions than answers. I really believe that with the help of all of those involved (Brethil, Curious George, Rem, and Cats) it really was not a problem. I personally love the insights of new readers and encourage them! It is not a contest of who knows the most, it is simply perspective and I love that. Let us please not create an intimidating atmosphere for them. Sounds like fun! Smile

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 2:46am

Post #12 of 38 (1600 views)
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Bit OT, but UT really had some great discussions [In reply to]	Can't Post

Its definitely one of my favorite books for chatting. Cool

CuriousG
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 2:56am

Post #13 of 38 (1591 views)
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I'm worried about what rhymes with "Samit" [In reply to]	Can't Post

and how this unseemly diversion into humor is way off course. Swagger it, swagger it, my cockawhoops!

Well, if we could actually *have fun* in the Reading Room again, without people feeling the need to correct each other and intimidating new people, or harping on the past about how old discussions were better than present ones, we might encourage new voices to join in again. Otherwise we're doomed to be in the same old rut, and an ever narrowing rut.

CuriousG
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 3:06am

Post #14 of 38 (1580 views)
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Amen to that! // [In reply to]	Can't Post

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 3:09am

Post #15 of 38 (1579 views)
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'Hamit?' [In reply to]	Can't Post

As in, 'smile, and Hamit up for the camera!'

Agreed. New voices and a bigger crowd would be good. The literature deserves it.

CuriousG
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 3:15am

Post #16 of 38 (1577 views)
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Oh, that Hamit's from Shakespeare [In reply to]	Can't Post

We talk Tolkien here, honey, and nothing but it!

Best you try one o' dem sites with sonnits and McBethits all over it.

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 3:19am

Post #17 of 38 (1569 views)
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My fatal Bard habit... [In reply to]	Can't Post

No not THAT Bard, though he could become a habit, easily. Wink

Its like when I always say, OUT! Damned Spot! when letting the dog out. Hubby patiently reminds me his name is Chip.

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 8:59am

Post #18 of 38 (1524 views)
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If you "saurit" does that make you a Sauron? // [In reply to]	Can't Post

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 9:01am

Post #19 of 38 (1525 views)
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Yes that's true: quite likely, chapter-leaders who want to write less could do less chapter summarising (than I have tended to do lately)// [In reply to]	Can't Post

noWizardme
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 9:16am

Post #20 of 38 (1531 views)
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UT isn't all that OT in this context [In reply to]	Can't Post

(Discussing what can be done to keep people engaged in read-throughs).

I mean UT is not as OT as ET in an AT-AT, for example. Smile

CuriousG
Half-elven

Jul 25 2015, 1:18pm

Post #21 of 38 (1512 views)
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OMG, IKR [In reply to]	Can't Post

Maybe we should migrate to Twitter for our chapter discussions: short, snappy, and we might wind up trending too.

But if we could summon the RR masses to TORN for a read-thru of Sil, UT, & COH, y not LOTR, the MO (magnus opus)? #frodolives

Maciliel
Valinor

Jul 27 2015, 12:34am

Post #22 of 38 (1421 views)
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a general suggestion for all the book's chapter discussion threads... [In reply to]	Can't Post

first -- i'm so sorry not to have been able to have participated as i anticipated. (which rhymes, btw.)

i still would like to participate, even though the threads are old.

here is a suggestion that i would find helpful, and i hope others will as well....

if each book's threads could be captured and linked in a sticky thread at the top of the reading room, that would be a great way for folks to easily find threads and jump into the discussion.

and it would keep the fire going a bit until autumn, or whenever the two towers discussion launches.

i would very much like to comment on the previous threads, but i find the thought of clicking back through previous paginations of all reading room discussions just to get to the fellowship ones a little discouraging.

what say you all?

cheers --

.

aka. fili orc-enshield
+++++++++++++++++++
the scene, as i understand it, is exceptionally well-written. fili (in sort of a callback to the scene with the eagles), calls out "thorRIIIIIIN!!!" just as he sees the pale orc veer in for the kill. he picks up the severed arm of an orc which is lying on the ground, swings it up in desperation, effectively blocking the pale orc's blow. and thus, forever after, fili is known as "fili orc-enshield."

this earns him deep respect from his hard-to-please uncle. as well as a hug. kili wipes his boots on the pale orc's glory box. -- maciliel telpemairo

Brethil
Half-elven

Jul 27 2015, 12:42am

Post #23 of 38 (1412 views)
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That may be a good way to keep people in the loop 'til TTT [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

if each book's threads could be captured and linked in a sticky thread at the top of the reading room, that would be a great way for folks to easily find threads and jump into the discussion.

and it would keep the fire going a bit until autumn, or whenever the two towers discussion launches.

.

I could collate them all this week.

squire
Half-elven

Jul 27 2015, 1:36am

Post #24 of 38 (1415 views)
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Finding the earlier RR discussion threads [In reply to]	Can't Post

You can find the latest discussion threads under the "Sixth RR LotR DIscussion" section of my 'Footerama" site.

The problem isn't adding your comments - which we'll look out for! - as much as being sure they'll get noticed, which depends on the vagaries of our settings. When I see there are three new posts to the Reading Room since I last checked, and only two show up on the top page, I try to go back and find the missing one on some previous page; but if it's quite far back, I generally assume I won't be able to find it. I could be certain of nailing it by taking the time to resort my page by most recently active threads rather than thread date order, but I admit I don't always do that.

However, if you are just trying to keep up with the most recent LotR Fellowship discussion, most of your comments will be on just the most recent four or five pages, and we will almost certainly find them and see what you have to say. So dive right in, I say, and welcome!

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 & 4th TORn Reading Room LotR Discussion and NOW the 1st BotR Discussion too! and "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
squiretalk introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary

= Forum has no new posts. Forum needs no new posts.

Maciliel
Valinor

Jul 27 2015, 1:46am

Post #25 of 38 (1403 views)
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hullo, squire :) [In reply to]	Can't Post

hullo, squire :)

yes, you do point out the vexingist problem --- notifications.

my settings notify me when someone replies to a post.... and if one clicks on the email notification from torn, it takes the user straight to the post.

maybe if i put out a tray of freshly baked cookies, every time i posted to a thread, people would smell the yummy aroma, and go straight to the thread?

cheers --

.

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