Sunday 1 December 2013

Tolkien Transactions XLIII

November 2013

November has been a Scouting month — first our association's AGM, electing a new board and voting on various changes to our by-laws, and since then my on-site participation in the 1st World Scout Education Congress. As a consequence of all this, I have not had time to read all the Tolkien-related stuff that I would normally have read, and I do not have the time to catch up, and as a consequence, this issue of my transactions are going to be rather different.

I am sorry about the reduced format, but I am sure you will understand, and I will try to do better in December.


These transactions are posted to the usenet newsgroups rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien, and alt.books.inklings, and the usenet version can be accessed at
http://www.webuse.net/frameset.php?su=newsgroup.php&ng=rec.arts.books.tolkien
These transactions are also posted on my blog, Parma-kenta (Enquiry into the books): http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com


Since there is only a very limited number of items this month, I have chosen not to divide it into various categories.

MD, Friday, 1 November 2013, ‘"How to Read Tolkien’ lecture from Carnegie Mellon now on line"
http://wormtalk.blogspot.dk/2013/11/how-to-read-tolkien-lecture-from.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/oa8rwey
Michael Drout's lecture, on ‘How to Read Tolkien’ is now available on YouTube

Lynn Forest-Hill, Thursday, 8 November 2013, ‘First Meeting in November’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/first-meeting-in-october/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q9bgu44
The Southampton Tolkien Reading Group continue their reading of Tolkien's The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. As usual the ensuing discussions are much too far-ranging to summarize, but very much worth reading. Also take a look at the later ‘Last Meeting in November’.

JDR, Friday, 8 November 2013, ‘The Shippey Festschrift’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-shippey-festschrift.html
On the long-awaited festschrift for Tom Shippey now appearing for pre-order from McFarland, listed for publication in spring/summer next year.

BBC, Friday, 22 November 2013, ‘JRR Tolkien film biopic in the pipeline’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-25049475
Here the BBC version of the story, which has been on a great many news outlets. I cannot say that I am thrilled.


Blogs and feeds with Tolkien-related posts this month

Mythgard Institute
http://www.mythgard.org/

Jonathan McIntosh, ‘The Flame Imperishable’
http://jonathansmcintosh.wordpress.com/

Joe Gilronan Tolkien Art
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.com/

Ilverai, ‘Wandering Paths’
http://ilverai.wordpress.com/

Also, there have been a number of interesting-looking articles on Medievalist.net with topics that are relevant for Tolkien studies
http://www.medievalists.net/



= = = = The Blog Roll = = = =



These are blogs you really should be following yourself if you're interested in Tolkien ...
Contents from these blogs will only be reported here if there is something that I find particularly interesting, or posts that fit with a monthly theme, but I will here note the number of Tolkien-related posts in the month covered by these transactions (while the number of posts with a vaguer relation — e.g. by being about other Inklings — are given in parentheses).

Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (S&H), ‘Too Many Books and Never Enough’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/
Tolkien Notes 10 posted in November

Jason Fisher (JF) — ‘Lingwë — Musings of a Fish’
http://lingwe.blogspot.com
No posts in November

Pieter Collier (PC), ‘The Tolkien Library’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/
Pieter has posted a lot in November — go check it all out!

Douglas A. Anderson (DAA), ‘Tolkien and Fantasy’
http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/
Doug Anderson has a post on C.S. Lewis in November.

John D. Rateliff (JDR) — ‘Sacnoth's Scriptorium’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com
A lot of posts in November — many of them related to Tolkien or other Inklings (and some that are related to Peter Jackson or other non-Tolkienian matters).

Marcel Aubron-Bülles (MB), ‘The Tolkienist’
http://thetolkienist.com/
Nine posts in November, most of which deal with Tolkien fandom more than Tolkien and his work.

David Bratman (DB), ‘Kalimac’
http://kalimac.blogspot.com/
and the old home:
http://calimac.livejournal.com/
A single Tolkien-related posts in November — the ‘Tolkien headdesk’ of the 24th.

Jenny Dolfen (JD), ‘Jenny's Sketchbook’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/
A single Hannibal posting in November

Holly Rodgers (HR), ‘Teaching Tolkien’
http://teachingtolkien.com/
A single post in November

Anna Smol (AS), ‘A Single Leaf’
http://annasmol.net/
Four posts in November, about Tolkien on various conferences next year and a call for papers.

Various, The Mythopoeic Society
http://www.mythsoc.org
A call for papers and a call for nominations posted in November.

Morgan Thomsen (MT), ‘Mythoi’
http://mythoi.tolkienindex.net
No posts in November

Emil Johansson (EJ), ‘LotR Project Blog’
http://lotrproject.com/blog/
No Tolkien-related posts in November

Michael Martinez (MM), ‘Middle-earth’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/
A lot of Tolkien-related posts in November, mostly story-internal / Ardalogical in outlook.

Bruce Charlton (BC), ‘Tolkien's The Notion Club Papers’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/
Three Tolkien-related posts in November



= = = = Sources = = = =



No new sources in November

For older sources, see http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com/p/sources.html

Friday 1 November 2013

Tolkien Transactions XLII

October 2013

A couple of days ago I vividly remembered composing the January transactions and being happy because it helped me remember writing the year right ... it felt like it was just a month or two ago, and yet here we are, it's November: we've had a bit of an autumn storm this week and there is now just two months to the new year.

How the time flies! (“with winged speed”) ;-)

All the usual disclaimers apply about newness, completeness and relevance — all of this is chosen from things that I have come across and chosen to suit my preferences ...

These transactions are posted to the usenet newsgroups rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien, and alt.books.inklings, and the usenet version can be accessed at http://www.webuse.net/frameset.php?su=newsgroup.php&ng=rec.arts.books.tolkien
They are also posted on my blog, Parma-kenta (Enquiry into the books): http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com
and on LotR Fanatics Plaza in the books forum: http://www.lotrplaza.com/forumdisplay.php?14-The-Books

This month it has suited my purposes to sort the contents under the following headlines:
1: News
2: Essays and Scholarship
3: Commentary
4: Reviews and Book News
5: Interviews
6: Tolkienian Artwork
7: Other Stuff
8: Web Sites
9: The Blog Roll
10: Sources
"The Pumpkin Seller" by Joe Gilronan
The Pumpkin Seller
by Joe Gilronan

= = = = News = = = =

xkcd, Wednesday, 2 October 2013, ‘Shadowfacts’
http://xkcd.com/1272/
Just for fun ... ;) (don't miss the Jackson reference in the mouse-over)

Trish, Thursday, 24 October 2013, ‘Mythmoot II Agenda Now Available in PDF Format’
http://www.mythgard.org/2013/10/mythmoot-ii-agenda-now-available-in-pdf-format/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/py5ndlc
If you want to know what you'll miss ... or perhaps what you will be looking forward to ...

John Garth, Thursday, 24 October 2013
http://johngarth.co.uk/
John Garth has been interviewed for a BBC TV documentary at Thiepval Wood about Tolkien in the Great War. The documentary is scheduled to be aired in 2014.

AS, Sunday, 27 October 2013, ‘Popular Culture Association: Tolkien Studies — deadline Nov. 1st’
http://annasmol.net/2013/10/27/popular-culture-association-tolkien-studies-deadline-nov-1st/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pwjyyrr
It will be too late to submit an abstract when this is posted, but this might also help garner a bit of interest in the conference itself ...

PC, Monday, 28 October 2013, ‘Do you have information on the BBC documentary Tolkien in Oxford?’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1116-who-assisted-for-bbc-tolkien-in-oxford.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/op5syc5
"Researchers at Oxford University are interested in hearing from any member of staff who may have worked on a BBC production from March 1968 entitled ‘Tolkien in Oxford’, presented by John Izzard." For details see the post at the Tolkien Library — I just hope they succeed as I think it would be interesting to get to know the stories of these people.

Matt Wilson, Tuesday, 29 October 2013, ‘New York transit official decries fake, 'Lord of the Rings'-inspired signs in subway’
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/15509.aspx
Can he really not see the fun? Does he really mean that a pop-art project like this is not worth a single person missing a train? On the other hand it is of course unforgivable that they have misspelled Dol Baran (they spelt it "Dol Barad"!) ;-) Nah, it's a good joke and well worth missing a train for ... in my opinion.

= = = = Essays and Scholarship = = = =

Medievalist.net
"Gandalf" by Jenny Dolfen
Gandalf
by Jenny Dolfen

http://www.medievalists.net/category/articles/
As I did for September, I will cut down a bit on my coverage of the scholarship from Medievalist.net and merely list headlines (in many cases I will not have time to read much beyond the headline in any case).
‘Why Cats were hated in Medieval Europe’ (1 Oct) — Tevildo, Berúthiel anyone?
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/02/why-cats-were-hated-in-medieval-europe/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/obgz6hs
‘Trial by Battle’ (4 Oct) — can anyone recall an instance of this practice in Tolkien's writings?
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/04/trial-by-battle-2/
‘The meaning, practice and context of private prayer in late Anglo-Saxon England’ (5 Oct) — a Ph.D. dissertation with a focus on ‘three eleventh-century monastic codices’ including Ælfwine’s Prayerbook ...
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/05/the-meaning-practice-and-context-of-private-prayer-in-late-anglo-saxon-england/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nc9qxhy
‘Looming Danger and Dangerous Looms: Violence and Weaving in Exeter Book Riddle 56’ (10 Oct) — Riddles and the Exeter book, how could I not be intrigued? An article from Leeds Studies in English from 2011.
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/10/looming-danger-and-dangerous-looms-violence-and-weaving-in-exeter-book-riddle-56/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q38qurc
‘Top Ten Monsters of the Middle Ages’ (13 Oct) — Naturally with dragons at the top. Nothing about the critics, though.
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/13/top-ten-monsters-of-the-middle-ages/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pvztu7o
‘The millennium King Arthur: the commodification of the Arthurian legend in the 20th century’ (15 Oct) — A Master's thesis about the appearance of King Arthur in twentieth century (mostly American) pop-culture. From 2008, but it probably wouldn't consider Tolkien's The Fall of Arthur even if it had been possible.
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/15/the-millennium-king-arthur-the-commodification-of-the-arthurian-legend-in-the-20th-century/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/p8f4lyq
‘Alfonso the Slobberer and Ivar the Boneless: Worst Nicknames for Medieval Rulers’ (22 Oct) — No Danish kings in the list, but a good assortment of undesirable nicknames. No Renewer or Elfstone on this list, though.
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/22/alfonso-the-slobberer-and-ivar-the-boneless-worst-nicknames-for-medieval-rulers/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/l2sfvle

Kristine Larsen, ‘The Astronomy of Middle-earth: Astronomical Motifs and Motivations in the Work of J.R.R. Tolkien’
http://www.physics.ccsu.edu/larsen/tolkien.html
A recent picture showing an artist's impression of the Solar System with names in Quenya for the planets has attracted some attention. Unfortunately the research behind the naming is not as sound as that of the foremost Tolkienian astronomer, Dr. Kristine Larsen, and so I will point people to her web-site rather than the flawed picture. A number of her papers are available on-line and form a true treasure hoard of Tolkien scholarship.

Coventry University, Thursday, 3 October 2013, ‘Vikings: More social than savage?’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/10/03/vikings-more-social-than-savage/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nusndob
OK, so this is the exception that proves the rule ;-) I am enchanted by this study not just because it studies the Icelandic Sagas or because it refers in passim to Tolkien, but also because it is another example of how statistical studies are entering the realm of literary studies (and of course it was first published in a physics journal which just adds to the ‘coolness’ ;-) ). We have the lexicometry that studies the frequencies with which certain words occur in a text, and which has been used to settle certain long-standing author disputes (Michael Drout's ‘Lexiomics’ is essentially a lexicometry project), and of course various scientific methods have long been used to place ancient manuscripts in time and place, but the statistical study of networks is a quite recent invention (or at least it has grown big with the growth of on-line social networking sites) that is now creeping into literary studies where it aims to study the social networks described in literature. In this case it is the networks from Icelandic Sagas that are being studied and found on some parameters to be more alike to real social networks than to the networks usually described in medieval heroic fiction.

John Garth, The Telegraph, Friday, 4 October 2013, ‘Battle of the Somme: the ‘animal horror’ that inspired JRR Tolkien’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/inside-first-world-war/part-two/10356085/jrr-tolkien-war.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pwasllr
John Garth's articles about Tolkien's WWI experiences are always worth reading — well researched and engagingly written this is an excellent introduction to the importance of the Great War.

Nick, Mythgard Institute, Monday, 21 October 2013, ‘Lord of the Rings III’
http://www.mythgard.org/2013/10/lord-of-the-rings-iii/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qgapjjh
Mythgard Institute is offering a free course on The Return of the Ring that can both be followed in live sessions and as podcasts (e.g. for those in timezones where the timing is unfortunate). It has already started, but you can still catch up on the podcasts. I just hope that I can get into some of the live sessions ...

AS, Monday, 21 October 2013, ‘Year's Work in Medievalism becomes open access’
http://annasmol.net/2013/10/21/years-work-in-medievalism-becomes-open-access/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/px5lyfy
As the title says ... Year's Work in Medievalism is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal on ... surprise! ... medievalist subjects ;-)

= = = = Commentary = = = =

Lynn Forest-Hill, Wednesday, 2 October 2013, ‘Last Meeting in September’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/last-meeting-in-september/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pesom7w
Reporting the reading group's discussions nn the last chapters of John Garth's Tolkien and the Great War. I've said this before, but it bears repeating: if you have read Garth's book, you will certainly find the discussions of the Southfarthing Smial's reading group well worth reading.

Gibbelins, Wednesday, 2 October 2013, ‘Why Tolkien works for readers of all faiths’
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2013/10/02/79943-why-tolkien-works-for-readers-of-all-faiths/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/osb75hs
I rather like the point Gibbelins makes here when (s)he emphasizes how we need to distinguish between the less specific underlying spirituality of (particularly) The Lord of the Rings and the more specific Catholicism that is actually very rare. Estel, in this view, is a trust, and belief, in some spiritual reality that is greater than and above us, but it is not necessarily in the God of the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand, I think it is important also to realize that there are some elements that are specifically Roman Catholic — it is just that they are fewer and further between than it is at times claimed.

"The Last Ring of Power" by Jef Murray
The Last Ring of Power
by Jef Murray
Fr. Dwight Longenecker, Tuesday, 8 October 2013, ‘My Conversation With Tolkien's Daughter’
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2013/10/my-conversation-with-tolkiens-daughter.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/omccpxp
Perhaps as a bit of counter-weight to the article by Gibbelins above. While Gibbelins is probably making the error of ignoring the Catholic elements of The Lord of the Rings too much, I think that Fr. Longenecker makes the opposite error of seeing Catholicism everywhere, ignoring the non-Catholic elements and seeing anything that is not actually un-Catholic as Catholic. I think a more useful path for understanding the spiritual element of Tolkien's writings would lie in a synthesis / compromise between these two views.

HR, Tuesday, 8 October 2013, ‘The Results Are In’
http://teachingtolkien.com/2013/10/08/the-results-are-in/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/na3vmjc
Holly Rodgers has been adminstering reading assessments to her students, including the dwarves of her Teaching Tolkien class, and the latter have done quite well, a fact that Rodgers attributes in part to their reading of challenging, but good, literature. The Tolkienist in me is cheering loudly, completely drowning out the scientist in the back of my mind mumbling about sample sizes and controls ;-)

BC, Thursday, 10 October 2013, ‘"I name you Elf-Friend - the blessing of Frodo by Gildor Inglorion’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/i-name-you-elf-friend-blessing-of-frodo.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ozfvbbm
Bruce Charlton fastens on the two facts that the idea of the ‘Elf-friend’ is extremely important in Tolkien's writings and that Gildor Inglorion in LotR I,3 is the first to call Frodo an Elf-friend. I am not sure about the causality here (i.e. whether Gildor is the active agent blessing Frodo, or if he detects and points out a pre-existing condition — both seem to me equally likely), but the moment is nonetheless important for the reader e.g. in understanding Goldberry's reaction to Frodo. A re-reading of some of Flieger's writings on the issue of the Elf-friend may be called for ;-)

Lynn Forest-Hill, Monday, 14 October 2013, ‘First Meeting in October’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/first-meeting-in-october/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q9bgu44
The Southampton Tolkien Reading Group of the Southfarthing Smial (are those actually identical? I suddenly realize that I do not know ...) finished John Garth's Tolkien and the Great War in September (if you start out on that book, I'd recommend to include the southerners' discussions in your readings) and have turned to Tolkien's own The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. As usual the discussion is much too far-ranging to summarize, but very much worth reading.
See also the continuation, in which discussions move on to the first part of the poem, the ‘Upphaf’:
Lynn Forest-Hill, Saturday, 26 October 2013, ‘Last Meeting in October’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/last-meeting-in-october/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ojaeae9

BC, Friday, 18 October 2013, ‘Was JRR Tolkien a pessimist? No, not really’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/was-jrr-tolkien-pessimist-no-not-really.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pkfm4gu
Charlton points out that Tolkien obviously was optimistic about the prospect of the ‘next world’, but I disagree with him on two counts. First I think that people such as Tom Shippey and Verlyn Flieger have already pointed this out, but they do not overemphasize it, which is what I believe Charlton does in his analysis of the ending of the Silmarillion (which is my other point of disagreement). It is very important that we keep Tolkien's Catholic faith in mind, but also that we do not assign it too much importance. Tolkien was a rather complex author, and while his faith was very important to him, so were many other things that also inform his work. I would say that Tolkien's faith is more often the source for giving other elements a twist rather than being the original source of the element itself.

BC, Tuesday, 22 October 2013, ‘The wind siezes them and drives them away... Failing to get to Faery: Tolkien's strangely lame recurrent plot idea’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/the-wind-siezes-them-and-drives-them.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ndhdmwc
First, Bruce Charlton seems to forget that the adverse weather (mists, winds, etc.) was always a part of the protection of Faery / Blessed Realm / Valinor / Undying Lands in Tolkien's mythology — what is special about the cases that he lists is that these sailors were allowed even a glimpse of the Lonely Isle, Tol Eressëa, before being blown back. This basic idea also seems to me both very believable and very powerful for any sea-faring people as the peoples on the north-western shores of Europe. The suggestion of Tolkien knowing ‘vivid visionary dreams’ the ‘Lands of the Gods and Elves’ is one that I would reject on the basis of the present evidence (i.e. there is no evidence and the burden of proof is entirely on anyone making such an unusual claim).

SH, Wednesday, 23 October 2013, ‘Chronological List of works by Charles Williams’
http://theoddestinkling.mymiddleearth.com/2013/10/23/chronological-list/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nw8co4t
‘What is the best way to get to know a writer?’ asks Sørina Higgins rhetorically, answering her own question with the advice to ‘Read through his or her works in the order in which they were written’. She then proceeds to create a chronological list of the works of Williams by the order of writing, which made me wonder if there is any similar (and readily available) list for Tolkien except by extracting the information from Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond's ineluctable J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology. Åke Bertenstam has collected a chronological bibliography in order of publication:
http://www.forodrim.org/bibliography/tbchron.html
and the Forodrim's Mellonath Daeron has also a list of the contents of The History of Middle-earth ordered (roughly) by time of writing:
http://www.forodrim.org/daeron/md_hmch.html
but that obviously doesn't include anything besides the thirteen volumes of the History (and Unfinished Tales). Creating the list and then reading it all ... now there's a project to embark upon ... :-)

Beachcombing, Thursday, 24 October 2013, ‘Tolkien, a Poppy and the Death of Traditional Fairies’
http://www.strangehistory.net/2013/10/24/tolkien-a-poppy-and-the-death-of-traditional-fairies/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nluydby
A reaction to John Garth's article ‘Tolkien and the boy who didn’t believe in fairies’ (see last month). Sometimes it is good to be reminded that Tolkien's dislike of the diminutive Victorian flower fairies is so well known that it is surprising to many that this is where he started.

SH, Sunday, 27 October 2013, "Abstract: ‘King Arthur Was an Elf!"’
http://theoddestinkling.mymiddleearth.com/2013/10/27/abstract-king-arthur-was-an-elf/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pytg8ky
An intriguing idea, but I think Sørina Higgins means it more as a slightly provocative appetizer for a more traditional comparitive study of the Arthurian writings of the Inklings — a very good idea!

"Smaug" by Jef Murray
Smaug
by Jef Murray
BC, Monday, 28 October 2013, "Lord of the Rings: ‘Deeply sad, almost without hope...’ True - but only in a literary sense"
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/lord-of-rings-deeply-sad-almost-without.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kpm264l
A curious post where I find myself more or less agreeing with nearly all of the points that Charlton bases his argument upon and yet find myself unable to agree with the overall conclusion. A part of the problem may (I am not sure) be that Bruce Charlton seems to me to base his argument partly on his own presumption of what Tolkien's religious feelings should be and then he interprets the texts to suit that presumption. This feels to me too much as affirming the consequent — or ‘begging the question’.

Ryan Jacobs, The Atlantic, Tuesday, 29 October 2013, ‘Why So Many Icelanders Still Believe in Invisible Elves’
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/10/why-so-many-icelanders-still-believe-in-invisible-elves/280783/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o75kf2r
If we accept at face value the assertations in this, apparently quite well-researched, article, the Icelandic nation seems even more perfectly poised between believing and not believing in the Primary World reality of Elves than Tolkien's early versions of his essay ‘On Fairy-stories’, in which he also points out that
‘At the heart of many man-made stories of the elves lies, open or concealed, pure or alloyed, the desire for a living, realised sub-creative art, which (however much it may outwardly resemble it) is inwardly wholly different from the greed for self-centred power which is the mark of the mere Magician.’
See also
NMB, Wednesday, 30 October 2013, ‘Icelandic Witchcraft’
http://nancymariebrown.blogspot.dk/2013/10/icelandic-witchcraft.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/or4gxch
Which deals with another, and more human, aspect of what a properly enlightened scientist probably ought to call Icelandic superstition ...

BC, Wednesday, 30 October 2013, ‘Numenor as a nation of Elf-Friends’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/numenor-as-nation-of-elf-friends.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/la2vdk3
I am uncomfortable with Bruce Charlton's ideas about Elf-friends, but I cannot put my finger on it exactly. But whether one subscribes to that idea or not, the thoughts about Númenor and the Númenóreans as a middle ground between Faërie and Middle-earth and between Elves and Men are interesting. As so often before — including in posts this month — I find that agreeing or disagreeing with Charlton is not what it is about: for me it is about being challenged in my reading in a good way — a way that makes me think and re-think my position, which inevitably leaves me wiser even if I end up in the same place where I started.

= = = = Reviews and Book News = = = =

Alex Mueller, Thursday, 3 October 2013, ‘Tolkien: The Fall of Arthur’
http://medievallyspeaking.blogspot.ca/2013/10/tolkien-fall-of-arthur.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/oke6awq
A review of The Fall of Arthur from a medievalist. Mueller does not just have praise for the book, and whether one agrees or disagrees, his criticisms are worth pondering, not just because they are well argued, but he makes it easier by delivering them with a great deal of respect for the poem and the book.

PC, Saturday, 5 October 2013, ‘Tolkien: the Forest and the City’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1108-tolkien-the-forest-and-the-city.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/odzjrvk
Announcing a new collection, presumably the proceedings of the homonymous conference last year, Tolkien: The Forest and the City, to be published on 30 November. With contributions from a wide range of Tolkien scholars including the four keynote speakers, Michael Drout, Tom Shippey, Verlyn Flieger and Alison Milbanks this collection does sound promising — anyone in need of a review? ;-)

Sørina Higgins, Saturday, 12 October 2013, ‘Call For Papers: The Inklings and King Arthur’
http://theoddestinkling.mymiddleearth.com/2013/10/12/inklings-and-arthur/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kttnh86
Sørina Higgins has put out a call for papers for a book on the Inklings and King Arthur that will be edited by herself and will probably appear some time in 2015. Though I think the comparison of Lancelot and Eärendel is rather missing the point, I do hope and expect that this volume will contribute valuable scholarship for putting Tolkien's Arthurian poem in context.

MT, Tuesday, 15 October 2013, ‘The Riddles of The Hobbit by Adam Roberts’
http://mythoi.tolkienindex.net/#post11
A review of Adam Roberts' book, The Riddles of The Hobbit, which still seems an intriguing work. Morgan Thomsen adds a bit of detail on the use of e.g. the Exeter riddles (see also the article from Medievalist.net on one of these), but otherwise this review doesn't change what I said based on Pieter Collier's review last month: ‘Though somewhat surprised not to find any mention of the Saga of King Heidrik the Wise, I am intrigued by the review here.’

JF, Tuesday, 22 October 2013, ‘In the new volume of Tolkien Studies ...’
http://lingwe.blogspot.dk/2013/10/in-new-volume-of-tolkien-studies.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pqqpqem
Jason Fisher has posted again :-) This time he comments on his own appearances in the latest issue of Tolkien Studies including reviews of his work, citations and of course the double review he did himself of the two Hobbit books by Mark Atherton and Corey Olsen.

= = = = Interviews = = = =

PC, Sunday, 6 October 2013, ‘Interview with Jemima Catlin about the new illustrated edition of The Hobbit’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1109-interview-jemima-catlin-illustrated-the-hobbit.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/p9gkxa8
Another interview with Jemima Catlin, Pieter Collier has of course had the benefit of both the book and the interview in The Big Issue when preparing the questions, and since Pieter is also a keen Tolkienist, the interview covers some angles of particular interest to fellow Tolkienists such as e.g. the degree of inspiration from previous works to illustrate The Hobbit.

PC, Sunday, 27 October 2013, ‘Interview with Adam Roberts about The Riddles of The Hobbit’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1115-interview-adam-roberts-the-riddles-of-the-hobbit.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/obrkpyo
There are some quite interesting answers by Adam Roberts in the middle of this on the more general role of the riddle in The Hobbit (not just in ‘Riddles in the Dark’). These answers have certainly helped put Roberts' book a little higher on my wish-list.

= = = = Tolkienian Artwork = = = =

"Treasure Bearer" by Jef Murray
Treasure Bearer
by Jef Murray
JD, Tuesday, 8 October 2013, ‘Gandalf walkthrough’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/gandalf-walkthrough/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/k8pa5n9
A very nice Gandalf there, in the midst of much Hannibal ...

JG, Sunday, 13 October 2013, ‘Coming soon Tolkien inspired Art exhibition’
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.dk/2013/10/coming-soon-tolkien-inspired-art.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ovzesqn
Announcing an exhibition in Aberdeen on November 11-18th with several Tolkien-inspired artists.

PC, Wednesday, 23 October 2013, ‘The Ascent of Orodruin, a missing Cor Blok painting, resurfaces’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1114-the-ascent-of-orodruin-cor-blok.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qeo6ps9
Another of the missing Cor Blok paintings has been found. Now the list of Cor Blok paintings which location is unkown is down to a dozen or so.

= = = = Other Stuff = = = =

Ian Spittlehouse, Tuesday, 1 October 2013, ‘Happy Anniversary!’
http://blueplaque-tolkien-in-leeds.blogspot.dk/2013/10/happy-anniversary.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nrbp6k8
Celebrating the first anniversary of the blue plaque and listing a number of resources (including some charming old photographs).

S&H, Thursday, 3 October 2013, ‘Every Inch Is Needed’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/every-inch-is-needed/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nlcpcz9
Christina Scull writes about the problem that will inevitably face any dedicated collector: lack of space. If one is furthermore a dedicated collector that desires to keep a degree of order in one's collection, the task will just become even more difficult. I admit that I occasionally lost track of books and shelves, but it is heartening to know that there is at least one place where all these editions are kept in order. A warm expression of gratitude to Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond for their dedication and hard work!

MB, Friday, 4 October 2013, ‘Why did you call this blog 'The Tolkienist'?’
http://www.thetolkienist.com/2013/10/04/why-did-you-call-this-blog-the-tolkienist/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ozoex53
Well ... it seems like a perfectly natural thing to do, doesn't it? ;-) Another way to put it would be to ask ‘what is in a name?’ — a question that is seen very often in Tolkienian discussions where names are considered important. Marcel here tries to tell us what is in the name of ‘Tolkienist’.

BC, Saturday, 5 October 2013, ‘A previously unpublished letter from JRR Tolkien - 14 June 1973’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/10/a-previously-unpublished-letter-from.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ndfzwb8
Bruce Charlton received a kindly note from Tolkien written by Tolkien's secretary, Margaret Joy Hill — ‘MJH’ less than three months before Tolkien's death. Joy Hill handled much of Tolkien's fan mail from the offices of George Allen & Unwin, but she often visited Tolkien, the last time in August 1973 (see more details in Scull & Hammond, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader's Guide pp.366-7).

Damien Walter, Friday, 11 October 2013, ‘There's more to fantasy than the elves and orcs of Tolkien’
http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/oct/11/fantasy-novel-elves-orcs-tolkien
http://preview.tinyurl.com/logrgl7
I might add that there's more to Tolkien (and particularly his portrayal of good and evil) than the Elves and Orcs. When faced with this kind of oversimplifying misrepresentation of Tolkien, it is common among Tolkien enthusiasts to dismiss it as just ‘more of the same’ instead of engaging in a dialogue with it. But is it not true that the portrayal of Elves and Orcs in The Lord of the Rings gives an unsophisticated picture of good an evil? The sophistication is only added when you realise that these are in many ways embodiments of certain distillations of human nature — the Elves embodying the artistic, wise and generally good sides of humans (at least in LotR — the picture is more complex in The Silmarillion) and the Orcs the violent and hateful sides, but the human races of Tolkien's mythology, the Big Folk and the Little Folk (as they said in Bree), comprise all the various sides of humans and shows the sophisticated pictures of good and evil — with good being the extremely difficult choice that is nonetheless portrayed as possible.

PC, Tuesday, 15 October 2013, ‘J.R.R. Tolkien interest slowly rising again according to Google Trends’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1112-tolkien-interest-according-to-google.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qzxuc95
Pieter Collier has been looking at the trends of some Tolkien-related search terms in Google Trends, and he gets what we might say is the expected answer. Speaking as a scientist with some knowledge of statistics and data analysis, I am a bit dubious about how these things are used — there are some traps for the unwary (e.g. ‘correlation is NOT causation’), and there is the question of what lies behind a search term — what is it combined with, what is generating the interest (what is, for instance, the two or three searches from that computer before and after the one we're looking at), etc. etc. All in all I would warn against trying to interpret the data beyond the obvious (media coverage causes search interest ... that much is pretty obvious).
Update: The article has been updated with data from Google Books Ngram viewer stretching further back.

Noble Smith, Huffington Post, Tuesday, 29 October 2013, ‘The Hidden Hobbit: 10 Secrets from Tolkien's Classic’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/noble-smith/the-hidden-hobbit-10-secr_b_4174846.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ojcf87f
I may regret the sensationalist presentation of these well-known bits of information about The Hobbit, and I may detest the unsuccessful attempts at hearty humour, but at least it is not exactly _mis_information ...

= = = = Web Sites = = = =

Jef Murray: Artist, Author, Illustrator
http://www.jefmurray.com
Jef Murray has kindly given me permission to use his artwork for this blog (as you will have noticed). Personally I am completely enchanted by his sketch-work (as with Alan Lee, I tend to prefer their pencil-work). But don't let that deceive you — a work such as Tuor and the Swans is too good to miss (as you can see below).
"Tuor and the Swans" by Jef Murray
Tuor and the Swans
by Jef Murray


Joe Gilronan Tolkien Art
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.com/
As you can see above Joe Gilronan has also allowed me to use his work for this blog. He paints some evocative paintings that at first sight seem to define the scene completely, but when you look closely, they still leave the viewer to define crucial details from their own mind's eye. As with some other recent artists, Gilronan cannot wholly escape the imagery of the Jackson films even where they contradict Tolkien.

Jenny Dolfen — Jenny's Sketchbook
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/
Like Jef and Joe, Jenny has kindly allowed me to use her work. Unlike Jef and Joe, however, Jenny's work is mainly character studies, and she tends to define her characters in detail. Her Tolkien work is, however, based on very close readings of Tolkien's writings, and I her paintings always manage to remind me acutely of Tolkien's texts, making me react to the painting as if to Tolkien's words.

= = = = The Blog Roll = = = =

These are blogs you really should be following yourself if you're interested in Tolkien ...
Contents from these blogs will only be reported here if there is something that I find particularly interesting, or posts that fit with a monthly theme, but I will here note the number of Tolkien-related posts in the month covered by these transactions (while the number of posts with a vaguer relation — e.g. by being about other Inklings — are given in parentheses).

Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (S&H), ‘Too Many Books and Never Enough’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/
1 Tolkien-related posts in October 2013 which is listed above.

Jason Fisher (JF) — ‘Lingwë — Musings of a Fish’
http://lingwe.blogspot.com
1 Tolkien-related posts in October 2013, listed above

Pieter Collier (PC), ‘The Tolkien Library’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/
13 Tolkien-related (and a couple of posts at further remove) posts in October 2013. Besides those listed above, there are a couple of posts on comic-book adaptations of Tolkien's works, a new deluxe edition of Unfinished Tales and a new boxed collector's hardcover set, as well as a short (and IMO somewhat exaggerated) guest post on Tolkien's influence.

Douglas A. Anderson (DAA), ‘Tolkien and Fantasy’
http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/
No posts in October 2013

John D. Rateliff (JDR) — ‘Sacnoth's Scriptorium’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com
No Tolkien-related posts in October 2013

Marcel Aubron-Bülles (MB), ‘The Tolkienist’
http://thetolkienist.com/
In addition to the post listed above, there are a couple of other posts about Tolkien fans.

David Bratman (DB), ‘Kalimac’
http://kalimac.blogspot.com/
and the old home:
http://calimac.livejournal.com/
No Tolkien-related posts in October 2013

Jenny Dolfen (JD), ‘Jenny's Sketchbook’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/
1 Tolkien-related post in October 2013, but the Hannibal paintings are definitely also worth your while (a word of warning, though — if you are not careful, you might learn something there!)

Holly Rodgers (HR), ‘Teaching Tolkien’
http://teachingtolkien.com/
2 Tolkien-related posts in October 2013. In addition to the post listed above, there is the 10 October post describing an outrageous critique at a teachers' training session.

Anna Smol (AS), ‘A Single Leaf’
http://annasmol.net/
1 Tolkien-related post in October 2013 and one of medievalist interest. Both listed above.

Various, The Mythopoeic Society
http://www.mythsoc.org
No posts in October 2013

Morgan Thomsen (MT), ‘Mythoi’
http://mythoi.tolkienindex.net
1 Tolkien-related posts in October 2013 — the review listed above.

Emil Johansson (EJ), ‘LotR Project Blog’
http://lotrproject.com/blog/
2 posts with Tolkien-related humour in October 2013

Michael Martinez (MM), ‘Middle-earth’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/
23 Tolkien-related, mostly story-internal posts in October 2013

Bruce Charlton (BC), ‘Tolkien's The Notion Club Papers’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/
12 Tolkien-related posts in October 2013. The posts I've listed are supplemented by a post on alliterative poetry (linking to another blog of Charlton's), another on Tolkien's poems in general, a brief praise of Paul Kocher's Master of Middle-earth, a short comment on Tolkien's Lay of of Aotrou and Itroun, and the lay itself (which I should think is under copyright?)

= = = = Sources = = = =

No new sources in October 2013

For older sources, see http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com/p/sources.html

Sunday 6 October 2013

Tolkien Transactions XLI

September 2013

This has been a great month! I've been as busy as never before, first with trying (and failing) to finish all my various projects before starting the new job and then getting into speed at the new job. I do hope that the lateness of my transactions is not going to be a standard fixture, but it has been very difficult to find the time to finish them this month — actually I am not sure that they are finished, but I need to get them out today, or it will be at least another week before I can finish them ...

All the usual disclaimers apply about newness, completeness and relevance (or any other implication of responsibility) :-) but this time the disclaimer about completeness should be stressed a bit more — this is what I have at this time, and I need to get it out today: if you know of other stuff, then please share in answers.

These transactions are posted to the usenet newsgroups rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien, and alt.books.inklings, and the usenet version can be accessed at http://www.webuse.net/frameset.php?su=newsgroup.php&ng=rec.arts.books.tolkien
These transactions are also posted on my blog, Parma-kenta (Enquiry into the books): http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com
and on LotR Fanatics Plaza in the books forum: http://www.lotrplaza.com/forumdisplay.php?14-The-Books

This month it has suited my purposes to sort the contents under the following headlines:
1: News
2: Essays and Scholarship
3: Commentary
4: Reviews and Book News
5: Interviews
6: Tolkienian Artwork
7: Other Stuff
8: Web Sites
9: The Blog Roll
10: Sources

"Bilbo's Eleventy-First Birthday (The Party Tree)" by Joe Gilronan
Bilbo's Eleventy-First Birthday (The Party Tree)
by Joe Gilronan

= = = = News = = = =

Hungarian Tolkien Society, Sunday, 1 September 2013, ‘TLV Goes International!’
http://tolkien.hu/index.php?option=com_thcm&categoryId=205&contentType=NEWS&contentId=2905&Itemid=205
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o9kewnu
The Hungarian Tolkien Society, Magyar Tolkien Társaság, has, for the past seven years, held an annual mail-based competition on Tolkien topics, the TLV, Tolkien Levelezo Verseny. This year, they have decided to add an international category open for contestants between 15 and 35. So, if you have managed to sign up in time, it will be an excellent opportunity to test your Tolkien mettle.
See also MB, Tuesday, 10 September 2013, ‘Tolkien Mailing Competition goes international’
http://www.thetolkienist.com/2013/09/10/tolkien-mailing-competition-goes-international/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pkn4xe2

Zoe Hinchliffe, Brisbane Times, Monday, 2 September 2013, ‘Tolkien fans invited to Middle Earth [sic]’
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/tolkien-fans-invited-to-middle-earth-20130901-2sygb.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o5d74el
The Brisbane Tolkien Fellowship, with coordinator Fortinbras Proudfoot, Esq. (a.k.a. Peter Kenny) is inviting Tolkien enthusiasts and fans and other interested parties to an evening in Middle-earth in favour of the Pyjama Foundation charity. Good luck with the fund-raising!

The Telegraph, Monday, 2 September 2013, ‘On the Tolkien trail’
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/10280630/On-the-Tolkien-trail.html?frame=2659282
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pyuhaen
A very nice picture gallery of Tolkien-related places including many of the places where Tolkien lived (though it also includes some of the more dubious ‘usual suspects’ such as Perrot's Folly and the Edgbaston Waterworks' Victorian chimney).

MB, Monday, 16 September 2013, ‘'There's an eye opener, and no mistake' — Greisinger Museum opened’
http://www.thetolkienist.com/2013/09/16/theres-an-eye-opener-and-no-mistake-greisinger-museum-eroffnet/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nnfx74g
Congratulations to the Greisinger Musem!
The Greisinger Museum opened in the weekend of the 7-8 September in Jenins, Switzerland, with a great gathering of Tolkien enthusiasts. I would have loved to join the festivities, but will have to do with Marcel's report and putting Jenins on my list of places to visit before too long.
See also John di Bartholo, ‘Greisinger Museum Opening Ceremony’
http://legendarium.mymiddleearth.com/2013/09/11/greisinger-museum-opening-ceremony-part-1/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pgq8zvs

MB, Tuesday, 24 September 2013, ‘Readings and radio plays & rumours of an unpublished Tolkien speech’
http://www.thetolkienist.com/2013/09/24/readings-and-radio-plays-rumours-of-an-unpublished-tolkien-speech/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ntmb3wx
Marcel Aubron-Bülles announces a new series on his Tolkienist blog that will review various audio dramatizations (including readings) of Tolkien's works, and incidentally also mentions the existence of recordings of the Tolkiens and the possibility of hitherto unknown recordings ...

Tunggul Wirajuda, Friday, 27 September 2013, ‘Tolkien Society Brings Middle Earth to Life at Jakarta Event’
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/features/tolkien-society-brings-middle-earth-to-life-at-jakarta-event/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pabmyjx
A report from the tenth anniversary party, of course named ‘A Long Expected Party’, of the Eorlingas — the Indonesian Tolkien Society. Congratulations to the Eorlingas!

= = = = Essays and Scholarship = = = =

Michael McCaughan, Material History Review, Tuesday, 3 September 2013, ‘Voyagers in the Vault of Heaven: The Phenomenon of Ships in the Sky in Medieval Ireland and Beyond’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/09/03/voyagers-in-the-vault-of-heaven-the-phenomenon-of-ships-in-the-sky-in-medieval-ireland-and-beyond/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/n75hdk3
Though I am NOT suggesting any source relations, I could certainly not help but think ‘Éala Éarendel engla beorhtast ofer middangeard monnum sended’ when reading this bit from the abstract: ‘This paper explores the phenomenon of ships voyaging in the sky. Such fantastical sightings are considered primarily in an early medieval Irish context, but evidence from places as widely separated in time and place as thirteenth-century England and eighteenth-century Canada is also addressed.’

Ayesha Raza, Friday, 6 September 2013, ‘Bodies, Saracen giants, and the medieval romance : transgression, difference, and assimilation’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/09/06/bodies-saracen-giants-and-the-medieval-romance-transgression-difference-and-assimilation/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/plmwsny
The giants and the medieval romances in the title of this 2012 Master's thesis from the Université de Montréal caught my eye (it has been said that Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in genre terms in many ways is closer to the medieval romance than to the modern fantastic novel). I have scanned the introduction and the conclusion of the thesis, and the applicability for students of Tolkien may be limited, but I still thought it worth mentioning here.

James H. Barrett, Thursday, 12 September 2013, ‘What caused the Viking Age?’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/09/12/what-caused-the-viking-age/
In this arcticle from Antiquity, Vol.82 No.317 (2008), James H. Barrett discusses the underlying socio-economic causes for the militant / mercantile expansion known as the Viking Age. There is of course no way that I would not find this interesting ;-)

http://www.medievalists.net/category/articles/
In addition to the above, there have been a large number of interesting-looking articles on Medievalist.net in September — some of them clearly related to research that Tolkien would have found interesting, on subjects that he worked with professionally, or on subjects that were clearly inspirations for Tolkien's work. As explained above, I have not had time to read anywhere near as much as I would have liked this month, so I haven't read these, but I'll mention a few headlines such as
‘Bone-Hard Evidence’ (15 Sep) asking the question ‘Raging marauders or heroic warriors? What were the Vikings really like?’,
‘Oaths in The Battle of Maldon’ (16 Sep),
‘When Witches Communed with Fairies’ (20 Sep),
‘Creating the Christian Anglo-Saxon and the Other in the Old English Judith and Beowulf’ (21 Sep),
‘The Dragon of the North: The Supernatural Nature of Knowledge in Voluspá’ (21 Sep),
‘Time, consciousness and narrative play in late Medieval secular dream poetry and framed narratives’ (26 Sep),
‘An Examination of the Family in 'The Tale of Sir Gareth'’ (27 Sep),
‘The Serpent in the Sword: Pattern-welding in Early Medieval Swords’ (28 Sep).
‘Snorri's Trollwives’ (29 Sep),
You'll see the point, I am sure :-)

John Garth, Friday, 27 September 2013, ‘Tolkien and the boy who didn't believe in fairies’
http://www.johngarth.co.uk/php/boy_didnt_believe_fairies.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ps9qrt8
John Garth's paper from Tolkien Studies 7 is here published on-line. David Bratman wrote about it, ‘I have never read a scholarly paper that left me more thoroughly charmed than John Garth's on Tolkien and Hugh Gilson,’ which is far better said than my own terse summary of the contents from my review in Mallorn: ‘John Garth explains that R.Q. Gilson's younger half-brother, Hugh Cary Gilson was the boy Tolkien spoke of in an anecdote in his drafts for ‘On Fairy-Stories’, and in J.R.R. Tolkien and the Boy Who Didn't Believe in Fairies' Garth gives both the evidence and some further information.’ Go read!

= = = = Commentary = = = =

BC, Monday, 2 September 2013, ‘Provenance of the Notion Club Papers - both fictional and true’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.dk/2013/09/provenance-of-notion-club-papers-both.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/oflm95o
One of the most interesting blog entries by Bruce Charlton for quite a while. Charlton discusses the provenance of Tolkien's Notion Club Papers, particularly the curious way Tolkien (with great skill, I might add) manages to land somewhere between historical and fictional by suggesting both.

James Dunning, Wednesday, 4 September 2013, ‘A passport to Faery’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1101-a-passport-to-faery.php
A curious essay on Tolkien's Faëry and the traveller therein. I am not entirely sure what to make of this — Dunning appears to have something he wishes to say, but I am not entirely sure what it is.

Leslie, Friday, 6 September 2013, ‘Wagner's Influence on: J.R.R. Tolkien’
http://wagnertripping.blogspot.dk/2013/09/wagners-influence-on-jrr-tolkien.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/plr5m2z
An interesting take on the influence of Wagner on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings focusing on the transition from Andvari's cursed ring (with no particular influence on the later plot) to Alberich's powerful ring in Wagner's Ring-cycle, and on the transition from Bilbo's simple ring of invisibility to the One Ring. I quite agree that the transition of Tolkien's ring is inspired or influenced by Wagner's ring, though I think Shippey nails it when he calls it a negative influence: Tolkien wanted to do better. We should not forget that Tolkien, as far as we know, only ever saw and heard one of the operas in Wagner's Ring-cycle, and this was after he had read all of them — Wagner's work, I am told (even by some who love it) is distinctly unimpressive when merely read like that, and what little I have read strikes me as being very poor sub-creation (Renée Vink interestingly suggests that Wagner's mode of sub-creation is the music, which seems to me a very reasonable suggestion — as far as we know, however, Tolkien only experienced the music of one of the Ring-cycle operas). I am sure that much work can still be done on comparing Wagner and Tolkien, e.g. on shared influences and shared themes, but as far as Wagner's influence on Tolkien's work is concerned, I believe that everything relevant is said in the above.

MM, Monday, 16 September 2013, ‘Why Does Tolkien's World Lack Women?’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/16/why-does-tolkiens-world-lack-women/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/peja6sz
Well said! Michael Martinez here rejects both the most common criticisms against the representation of women in Tolkien's works and the standard knee-jerk reactions of many fans. The point, as Martinez also concludes, is that there are no, or very few, realistic women in Tolkien's work (at least among those who are more than a quick sketch such as Rose Cotton). With a Mythopoeic Society collection on women in Tolkien's works putting the issue on the more serious critical agenda, it is good to see a considered, and relatively brief, statement such as this.

Lyn Forest-Hill, Monday, 16 September 2013, ‘September: First Meeting’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/september-first-meeting/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nmsx834
The Southampton Tolkien Reading Group (Southfarthing Smial) continues with Garth's Tolkien and the Great War, this time chapters 11 and 12, with a bit more than the usual detours. As always the discussions are full of insights and interesting perspectives.

MM, Wednesday, 25 September 2013, ‘How Much Was J.R.R. Tolkien Influenced by Wagner's Ring Cycle?’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/25/how-much-was-j-r-r-tolkien-influenced-by-wagners-ring-cycle/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qx6qh76
I cannot go the whole way with Michael Martinez in this question, but he has some very perceptive insights, including the point that elements of the transition of Bilbo's ring to the Master Ring borrow from the Silmarils. As for the larger question, I think think it is foolish to reject the idea that other aspects of this transition derive, whether consciously or not, from Wagner's treatment of the old Germanic legends. I have, however, not seen any convincing arguments that other aspects of Tolkien's work than the transition of the Ring should derive from Wagner. We know that Tolkien was reading at least parts of Wagner's ring-cycle (and that he watched a single of the operas of the cycle), and my impression is that Wagner's story-telling and sub-creation, if read in this way, is distinctly unimpressive.

Ernie Rea, BBC Radio 4, Monday, 30 September 2013, ‘Beyond Belief: JRR Tolkien’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bqchj
Alison Milbank, Joseph Pearce, and Ronald Hutton join with Ernie Rea for a talk about the enduring appeal of Tolkien's work (particularly The Lord of the Rings), and as a bonus there is a pre-recorded interview with the actor Robert Hardy who studied under both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien at Oxford. They have a truly fascinating discussion about the pagan and Christian symbology in The Lord of the Rings, though I am sorry to say that Joseph Pearce does not come across here as particularly perceptive in his reading of Tolkien which in many instances seems to me forced (I am not sure if that is the right word — it seems to me that he is squeezing Tolkien's work into a shape that will fit the mould that he has in mind).

= = = = Reviews and Book News = = = =

The Italian Group on Tolkien Studies, Tuesday, 10 September 2013, "Call for Paper: ‘Tolkien and the Classics"’
http://www.jrrtolkien.it/english/call-for-paper-tolkien-and-the-classics/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ph5unwk
As it says, a call for papers for an upcoming (December 2014) collection titled Tolkien and the Classics that will, of course, investigate the relations between Tolkien's writings and the classics. I hope the book will be released in English as well, or at least that the papers submitted in English will become available in that language.

DAA, Thursday, 19 September 2013, ‘Lost in Translation (the German one, specifically)’
http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.dk/2013/09/lost-in-translation-german-one.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o7s9qo2
Douglas A. Anderson writes about some of the problems facing authors of popular books on Tolkienian matters when they find their work translated, both in general terms and with regards to a specific translation. Seeing the problems introduced in this particular translation, and remembering the comments Tolkien had on some of the translations he was able to read, one can wonder what happens in translations where the author has no chance of checking what is published in their name ... In related news the comments show the great helpfulness general found among Tolkienists, which is really good to see!

Laura H., Oloris Publishin, Sunday, 22 September 2013, ‘Silver Leaves Issue 5: The Hobbit — Now Available!’
http://olorispublishing.mymiddleearth.com/2013/09/22/silver-leaves-issue-5-the-hobbit-now-available/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pn8ohl2
I suppose that the headline says it all — issue 5 of Silver Leaves sub-titled ‘The Hobbit’ is now available for order. My review will follow when I've had the time to go through it.

PC, Monday, 23 September 2013, ‘The pocket Roverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien’

http://preview.tinyurl.com/q4a4byw
A new edition of this children's book by Tolkien edited by Tolkien specialists Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.

PC, Tuesday, 24 September 2013, ‘The Riddles of The Hobbit by Adam Roberts’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1106-the-riddles-of-the-hobbit.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pa8ealx
About a new book, The Riddles of The Hobbit, which is a critical discussion of the riddles in The Hobbit by Adam Roberts. Though somewhat surprised not to find any mention of the Saga of King Heidrik the Wise, I am intrigued by the review here.

= = = = Interviews = = = =

Thomas Quinn, The Big Issue, Tuesday, 3 September 2013, ‘The Hobbit and I: Jemima Catlin on Reinventing a Legend’
http://www.bigissue.com/features/interviews/2949/hobbit-and-i-jemima-catlin-reinventing-legend
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kaoxc4z
As announced last month — a wonderful and charming interview with various of Catlin's illustrations for The Hobbit and the story of how she got to be chosen for the job.

= = = = Tolkienian Artwork = = = =

"A sorrowful meeting" by Jenny Dolfen
A sorrowful meeting
by Jenny Dolfen
JD, Saturday, 7 September 2013, ‘A sorrowful meeting’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/2013/09/07/sorrowful-meeting/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/meudfag
A meeting of Finarfin and Galadriel, father and daughter, about the time of the War of Wrath (well, depending on the version, but before Galadriel went further east with Celeborn).

Joe Gilronan, Sunday, 8 September 2013, ‘Osgiliath (Pause For Thought).’
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.dk/2013/09/osgiliath-pause-for-thought.html#.UlFhnYaL98E
http://preview.tinyurl.com/oyc399u
This picture by Joe Gilronan is, to my eyes quite nice — though it doesn't really match up with anything in Tolkien's story, there is an air to the picture that is nonetheless reminiscent of Ithilien.

Joe Gilronan, Sunday, 22 September 2013, ‘Bilbo's Eleventy-First Birthday (The Party Tree) Happy Hobbit Day.’
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.dk/2013/09/bilbos-eleventy-first-birthday-party.html#.UlFiTIaL98E
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pj8k79w
Bag End at the party. Bilbo has just disappeared and stands outside Bag End, having taken off the Ring, and enjoys the commotion (quite practically the tent as been abandoned). A following post (from 23 Sep) shows Bag End on the following morning (considering the age of Merry and Pippin as well as Sam's subservient status at this point, I suppose it can be argued that it is not quite appropriate to have the four of them chatting idly before the gate of Bag End, but that's what artistic license is for, isn't it)

= = = = Other Stuff = = = =

MM, Monday, 9 September 2013, ‘Why Didn't the Elves Help the Dwarves in the Hobbit?’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/09/why-didnt-the-elves-help-the-dwarves-in-the-hobbit/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pm7kbt6
Michael Martinez is back with his series of short(ish) answers to story-internal (or ‘Ardalogical’ if you're more familiar with the Unquendor term) questions. This kind of discussions is not my main focus with these transactions, but I wanted to highlight that Michael has started blogging his answers again (and you will find references to a couple of less story-internal questions above).

‘Gibbelins’, Wednesday, 11 September 2013, ‘The Familiar Face of the Orc’
http://observationdeck.io9.com/the-familiar-face-of-the-orc-1296003850
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o5cfwyv
A curious article in which the author gives a fairly reasonable summary of some aspects of Tolkien's Orcs (obviously much more can, and should, be said about them than this) and particularly how Tolkien himself used the image of the Orc in contemporary commentary. The text itself is, despite its lack of depth, uncontroversial, but the use of portraits of modern politicians to illustrate the text may be seen as rather more controversial.

BBC, Monday, 23 September 2013, ‘Did gold ring inspire Tolkien's Lord of the Rings?’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24143234
I've been debating internally whether to include this piece or not, but in the end I've decided it is better to set some things straight. There is no evidence suggesting that Tolkien visited the Lydney Park dig, actually what little evidence there is (all of it circumstantial) suggests that he did not visit the dig. Similarly there is nothing to suggest that Tolkien knew of the gold ring that had been found elsewhere at another time — Tolkien's only involvement was the name Nodens, and the ring offers no link or clue to this name. All in all careful analysis leads a rational student to reject the ideas presented here (unless and until, of course, further, and far stronger, evidence should be discovered).

Lauren Davis, Sunday, 29 September 2013, ‘Are Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki and Na'vi real languages?’
http://io9.com/are-elvish-klingon-dothraki-and-navi-real-languages-1422602932
http://preview.tinyurl.com/m2u68b9
A look at languages through the lens of constructed languages (conlangs) and particularly Tolkien's Elvish languages. Apart, possibly, from some of the other conlangs mentioned, there is little new to the dedicated Tolkien student, but the presentation and the animation adds something here, making it worth watching.

= = = = Web Sites = = = =

The Norse Mythology Online Library
http://www.norsemyth.org/p/books.html
I've listed the Norse Mythology Blog before, but I hadn't realised that there is a large on-line library on Norse (and related) topics ... enter at your peril — or at least at the peril of your time!

‘The Lord of the Rings and its Medieval Origins: The Bones in the Soup’
http://www.alarichall.org.uk/lotr/frontpage.htm
A wonderful resource on the medieval sources for The Lord of the Rings by Alaric Hall. Here is a good opportunity for a bit of research to fill any non-existing slow periods at work ...

Kristine Larsen, ‘The Astronomy of Middle-earth: Astronomical Motifs and Motivations in the Work of J.R.R. Tolkien’
http://www.physics.ccsu.edu/larsen/tolkien.html
A list of Kristine Larsen's writings on this topic, a number of which are available on-line in which cases the list includes a link.

J.R.R. Tolkien singing extract from The Hobbit ‘That's what Bilbo Baggins hates’
https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio/j-r-r-tolkien-singing-extract
In the Master's own voice ... what more needs to be said? This, surely, is not what Bilbo Baggins hates ;-)

= = = = The Blog Roll = = = =

These are blogs you really should be following yourself if you're interested in Tolkien ...
Contents from these blogs will only be reported here if there is something that I find particularly interesting, or posts that fit with a monthly theme, but I will here note the number of Tolkien-related posts in the month covered by these transactions (while the number of posts with a vaguer relation — e.g. by being about other Inklings — are given in parentheses).

Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (S&H), ‘Too Many Books and Never Enough’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/
No posts in September 2013

Jason Fisher (JF) — ‘Lingwë — Musings of a Fish’
http://lingwe.blogspot.com
No posts in September 2013

Pieter Collier (PC), ‘The Tolkien Library’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/
In addition to the three posts mentioned above, there are a few other more or less Tolkien-related posts in September 2013

Douglas A. Anderson (DAA), ‘Tolkien and Fantasy’
http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/
1 Tolkien-related post in September 2013, mentioned above.

John D. Rateliff (JDR) — ‘Sacnoth's Scriptorium’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com
Apart from a line wishing a happy Hobbit Day on the 22nd, there are no Tolkien-related posts in September 2013

Marcel Aubron-Bülles (MB), ‘The Tolkienist’
http://thetolkienist.com/
3 (+1) Tolkien-related posts in September 2013 — in addition to the three posts mentioned above, there is a post with various pictures from Tolkien-related events and travels.

David Bratman (DB), ‘Kalimac’
http://kalimac.blogspot.com/
and the old home:
http://kalimac.livejournal.com/
The closest to a Tolkien-related post in September 2013 is the 7 September ‘rename notice’ that explains that the name of the Livejournal is now spelled correctly, ‘Kalimac’ — the Tolkien relation of course coming from this name and the associated explanation for the name.

Jenny Dolfen (JD), ‘Jenny's Sketchbook’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/
A single Tolkien-related posts in September 2013 (see above) — apart from this, Jenny Dolfen has been pursuing Hannibal this month, which is definitely also worth taking a look at.

Holly Rodgers (HR), ‘Teaching Tolkien’
http://teachingtolkien.com/
A single post in September 2013 about watching the New Line Cinema version of The Fellowship of the Ring with a live philharmonic orchestra playing the music.

Anna Smol (AS), ‘A Single Leaf’
http://annasmol.net/
No posts in September 2013

Various, The Mythopoeic Society
http://www.mythsoc.org
A single review of two Lewis books is the only post in September 2013.

Morgan Thomsen (MT), ‘Mythoi’
http://mythoi.tolkienindex.net
No posts in September 2013

Emil Johansson (EJ), ‘LotR Project Blog’
http://lotrproject.com/blog/
A single Tolkien-related post in September 2013 on Hobbit Day.

Michael Martinez (MM), ‘Middle-earth’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/
16 Tolkien-related posts in September 2013 including the three posts mentioned above.

Bruce Charlton (BC), ‘Tolkien's The Notion Club Papers’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/
3 Tolkien-related posts in September 2013

= = = = Sources = = = =

No new sources in September 2013

For older sources, see http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com/p/sources.html

Thursday 5 September 2013

Tolkien Transactions XL

August 2013

This month's issue is a bit delayed, but I fail to feel sorry about it as the delay is due to my having been through a round of interviews resulting in my being offered a new, very interesting job starting on the next 16th. This may also affect the coming issues as I struggle to get into speed in my new position as Quality Coordinator and Test Engineer for medical devices.



These transactions are posted to the usenet newsgroups rec.arts.books.tolkien, alt.fan.tolkien, and alt.books.inklings, and the usenet version can be accessed at http://www.webuse.net/frameset.php?su=newsgroup.php&ng=rec.arts.books.tolkien
These transactions are also posted on my blog, Parma-kenta (Enquiry into the books): http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com
and on LotR Fanatics Plaza in the books forum: http://www.lotrplaza.com/forumdisplay.php?14-The-Books

"Túrin Turambar" by Jenny Dolfen
Túrin Turambar
by Jenny Dolfen
This month it has suited my purposes to sort the contents under the following headlines:
1: News
2: Essays and Scholarship
3: Commentary
4: Reviews and Book News
5: Interviews
6: Tolkienian Artwork
7: Other Stuff
8: Web Sites
9: The Blog Roll
10: Sources

= = = = News = = = =

Mythgard Institute, Wednesday, 14 August 2013, ‘Our Indiegogo Campaign’
http://www.mythgard.org/campaign/
An opportunity to help shape the contents of the Mythgard Institute.

Kris Swank, Saturday, 17 August 2013, ‘Tolkien @ Kalamazoo call for papers deadline’
http://www.mythgard.org/2013/08/tolkien-kalamazoo-2014/
It's too late for submissions now, but <powerful expression for emphasis!> would I like to be at the ‘Tolkien’s Natural World and Science’ session? I'd give ... well, I don't really need that little finger, do I? ... :-)

= = = = Essays and Scholarship = = = =

Edward B. Irving Jr., Friday, 2 August 2013, ‘Heroic Worlds: The Knight's Tale and Beowulf’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/08/02/heroic-worlds-the-knights-tale-and-beowulf/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qjjjwqr
On Chaucer's creation of a heroic world in The Knight's Tale with special comparison to Beowulf.

Caitlin Garvey, Sunday, 11 August 2013, ‘Monsters: A Surprising Tool of Governments Past and Present’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/08/11/monsters-a-surprising-tool-of-governments-past-and-present/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qff6oms
Another article from Medievalist.net that looks a promising read. The topic, monsters in medieval tales, was certainly one that Tolkien took an interest in, though I can't help but wonder what he would have said of this approach.

H&S, Tuesday, 13 August 2013, ‘The Sendak _Hobbit_’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2013/08/13/the-sendak-hobbit/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/olcm4qb
Wayne Hammond here tells the ‘real story’ behind the abandoned project of an edition of The Hobbit illustrated by Maurice Sendak (see also Tolkien Transactions XI for March 2011 (published April)).

JDR, Thursday, 15 August 2013, ‘Tolkien and Sinclair Lewis’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2013/08/tolkien-and-sinclair-lewis.html
On Tolkien as a reader of Sinclair Lewis. As Rateliff points out ‘this new information helps put to rest the idea that Tolkien was largely ignorant of literature after 1400.’ Tolkien indeed read quite a lot of modern literature, and he also liked a lot of it, though of course not all.

Simon Newcombe, Saturday, 17 August 2013, ‘'Sword-point and blade will reconcile us first': The Vikings in the English Context’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/08/17/sword-point-and-blade-will-reconcile-us-first-the-vikings-in-the-english-context/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q6oys7c
A paper, given at the 2013 ‘Forward into the Past Conference’, on the influence of the Vikings ‘on what would eventually become known as the United Kingdom’ and on the complexity of Viking society and culture. Here I feel that Tolkien would probably have been more sympathetic to the basic idea of the paper than the above look at monsters as a tool for governmental control.

JDR, Saturday, 17 August 2013, ‘Tolkien and Harry Bauer’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com/2013/08/tolkien-and-harry-bauer.html
Mainly concerned with discovering who this Harry Bauer was, and what was his business with Tolkien?

Sefanit Tucker, Friday, 23 August 2013, ‘The Protocol of Vengeance in Viking-age Scandinavia’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/08/23/the-protocol-of-vengeance-in-viking-age-scandinavia/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/prffbha
According to the abstract the article ‘seeks to discuss the importance of honor and the established structure of revenge in Northern Europe, namely Iceland, between the 9th and 10th centuries. In spite of both modern and contemporaneous portrayals of a violent people without law, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate the specific cases in which Viking society condoned and employed violence.’ Does anyone know if there has been a study of the ‘protocol of violence’ in Tolkien's works (perhaps particularly The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion mythology), and how that compares to medieval norms?

Simon J. Cook, Monday, 26 August 2013, ‘Concerning Hobbits: Welsh Fairies in Oxford’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1100-concerning-hobbits-welsh-fairies-in-oxford.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/la5omdp
A remarkable piece concerning, among other things, relations between the Oxford scholar of Celtic, John Rhys, who edited The Text of the Mabínogían and other Welsh Tales from the Red Book of Hergest (1887), and Tolkien's mythology. If read as a study of some of the ‘intellectual leaf-mould’ in which Tolkien studied and lived then it is a highly interesting article. There are a number of claims and ideas of which I remain highly dubious — particularly where Cook seems to be suggesting a more direct source relation between Tolkien's work and Rhys' ideas.

Timothy Carlisle, Monday, 26 August 2013, ‘The role and status of the smith in the Viking age’
http://www.medievalists.net/2013/08/26/the-role-and-status-of-the-smith-in-the-viking-age/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q3d3w65
OK, admittedly this may be more personal interest than a Tolkien connection, though Tolkien does seem to put a very great emphasis on the the greatest smiths from Aulë, over Fëanor (who also made swords besides the Silmarils), Telchar and the Elven-smiths of Eregion. In the legendarium of Arda, Tolkien appears to use the word ‘smith’ a bit more broadly than just for one who creates iron tools (and the occasional work of iron-art), but the Smith of Wootton Major is an example of a smith who works in iron.

= = = = Commentary = = = =

HR, Thursday, 8 August 2013, ‘Appendix D: Tolkien's Touch’
http://teachingtolkien.com/2013/08/08/appendix-d-tolkiens-touch/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/phytlrg
Readers in community ... about the effect of reading Tolkien on children and adults alike. I am sure that there is also an important aspect in reading in community — sharing your fascination with the word and the thoughts and images and ideas that the enchantment of the words brings forth in you is, I believe, an important part of the success of literary societies such as both the Mythopoeic Society and the Tolkien Society.
The community and relationship-building element in reading (and achieving) together is also emphasized in the next post:
HR, Thursday, 15 August 2013, ‘Appendix E: Building a Strong Relationship’
http://teachingtolkien.com/2013/08/15/appendix-e-building-a-strong-relationship/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nwlfekb

H&S, Saturday, 10 August 2013, ‘Tolkien Notes 9’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/tolkien-notes-9/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/p7ufar6
Various minor notes of interest on Tolkien-related matters.

Lynn Forest-Hill, Saturday, 10 August 2013, ‘First August Meeting’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/08/11/first-august-meeting-2/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ovb6e8q
The report of the first meeting of the Southampton Tolkien Reading Group. In August they have covered chapters six through 10 of John Garth's excellent Tolkien and the Great War, and the comments and discussions of the reading group are, as always, very interesting.
See also Lynn Forest-Hill, Saturday, 24 August 2013, ‘Last Meeting in August’
http://southfarthingmathom2012.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/last-meeting-in-august/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/okag5nm

TF, Saturday, 17 August 2013, ‘Philosophizing on Fall of Arthur’
http://parmarkenta.blogspot.dk/2013/08/philosophizing-on-fall-of-arthur.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/prpzctg
The title is obviously an attempt by the author to create an alliterating title (while emphasizing why ‘alliteration’ is a bit of a misnomer — clearly it is not about letters but about sounds, and so the ‘head-rhyme’ is a better name). The author identified three topics / quesitons in relation to Tolkien's The Fall of Arthur that have been discussed, and which are worth thinking some more about — thinking which is here offered freely ;-)

Gibbelins, Monday, 19 August 2013, ‘What does Tolkien mean by the word 'DOOM'?’
http://observationdeck.io9.com/what-does-tolkien-mean-by-the-word-doom-1166561920
http://preview.tinyurl.com/qeqt2nw
Though I suppose that this will not be news to most of those reading this, I still think it is a good thing that there are people who make an effort to set these things straight, and we should encourage them.

JM, Friday, 23 August 2013, ‘Tolkien vs. Augustine on Difference of Sex’
http://jonathansmcintosh.wordpress.com/2013/08/23/tolkien-vs-augustine-on-difference-of-sex/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/oljlrzm
Jonathan S. McIntosh here writes on the differences in the explanations of St. Augustine and Tolkien on the origin of genders. So far he just notes the difference, but one may hope that some further commentary will follow at some later point.

Fr. Dwight Longenecker , Tuesday, 27 August 2013, ‘Tolkien's ‘No’ to Narnia’
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2013/08/tolkiens-no-to-narnia-2.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nz5yfjn
Despite the minor errors (will we ever tire of pointing out that the Inklings did not read to each other in the pub?), I think this is well worth reading. I disagree with the view that ‘only a Catholic could have written this’ (paraphrase), but if you can stand that kind of bias, there are some interesting points alongside the personal agenda.

AS, Friday, 30 August 2013, ‘Tolkien's Guinever’
http://annasmol.net/2013/08/30/tolkiens-guinever/
With Anna Smol agreeing with me it would of course be odd for me to disagree ;-) Her thoughts on Tolkien's Guinever are very interesting, and I agree entirely that she is a more complex character than some commentators have given her credit for.

= = = = Reviews and Book News = = = =

Kathy Cawsey, Thursday, 1 August 2013, ‘Lord of the Round Table’
http://www.openlettersmonthly.com/the-lord-of-the-round-table/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kqwfaa7
Easily one of the best handful of reviews I have read of Tolkien's The Fall of Arthur — thank you to Anna Smol for pointing my way!

AS, Monday, 5 August 2013, ‘Fall of Arthur — more reviews’
http://annasmol.net/2013/08/05/fall-of-arthur-more-reviews/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nlqa3en
Another round of catching up — a new set of reviews collected by Anna Smol

PC, Friday, 9 August 2013, ‘The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Illustrated by Jemima Catlin’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1091-the-hobbit-illustrated-jemima-catlin.php?564
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pfrwmjc
On the new illustrated edition of The Hobbit with illustrations by Jemima Catlin. Somewhere I saw the rumour that Jemima Catlin was chosen by Christopher Tolkien for the job, but whether or not this is true, I think what we have seen so far looks very, very promising.

DB, Wednesday, 14 August 2013, ‘Tolkien Studies 10: an announcement’
http://kalimac.blogspot.dk/2013/08/tolkien-studies-10-announcement.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q4pa8c3
I will, with all due respect, politely point out that I had this announcement in my transactions for July ... ;-)

TF, Friday, 16 August 2013, ‘The Fall of Arthur — A Review’
http://parmarkenta.blogspot.dk/2013/08/the-fall-of-arthur-review.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pzjzdyq
My own review of The Fall of Arthur — not meant to be deep or profound, but rather a good old-fashioned review that gives the reader an impression of what is actually in the book.

TF, Saturday, 17 August 2013, ‘The Fall of Arthur — a collection of reviews’
http://parmarkenta.blogspot.dk/2013/08/the-fall-of-arthur-collection-of-reviews.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nmasq56
A collection of reviews of Tolkien's The Fall of Arthur — while definitely very far from complete and exhaustive, I dare suggest that it is at least as comprehensive as any other list that you'll find on the internet :-)

Natalie Schachar, Tablet Magazine, Monday, 19 August 2013, ‘Yiddish-Speaking Wizards and Dragons Invade the Shire in 'Der Hobit'’
http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/books/139841/hobbit-yiddish-der-hobit
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q373skh
About the new Yiddish translation of The Hobbit and its translator.

Christopher Gilson, Tuesday, 20 August 2013, ‘Parma Eldalamberon Issue No. 21 - announcement’
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/lambengolmor/message/1138
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nb5jd6b
Announcing issue no. 21 of Parma Eldalamberon and describing the contents, which are on the early Qenya language.
See also http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma21.html
and MB, Wednesday, 7 August 2013, ‘More on Qenya: Parma Eldalamberon 21 to be published in September’
http://www.thetolkienist.com/2013/08/07/more-on-qenya-parma-eldalamberon-21-to-be-published-in-september/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/orr8m66
and PC, Thursday, 22 August 2013, ‘Parma Eldalamberon 21 - Qenya Noun Structure’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1096-Parma-Eldalamberon-21.php?571
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kp8wxgj

Oloris, Friday, 23 August 2013, ‘20% off Silver Leaves from August 23 to September 12!’
http://olorispublishing.mymiddleearth.com/2013/08/23/20-off-silver-leaves-from-august-23-to-september-12/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/lde8fop
What it says, really — you can still make it! I still wish that they would give a short abstract for each item, but anyhow ...

John Garth, Monday, 26 August 2013, ‘Tolkien's languages: John Garth reviews Parma Eldalamberon 15’
http://www.johngarth.co.uk/php/parma_eldalamberon_15.php
John Garth's review, originally for Tolkien Studies vol. 3 (2006), of Parma Eldalamberon issue 15, ‘Sí Qente Feanor & Other Elvish Writings’.

AS, Tuesday, 27 August 2013, ‘Now Available: The Body in Tolkien's Legendarium’
http://annasmol.net/2013/08/27/now-available-the-body-in-tolkiens-legendarium/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ptsgx6g
A newly available collection on corporeality in Tolkien's Middle-earth, The Body in Tolkien’s Legendarium: Essays on Middle-earth Corporeality edited by Christopher Vaccaro with contributions by e.g. Verlyn Flieger, Gergely Nagy and by Anna Smol herself.

Ross Brooks, Wednesday, 28 August 2013, ‘Penguin Designs A Series Of Tolkien's Favorite Books’
http://www.psfk.com/2013/08/penguin-tolkien-books-series.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o5oaz34
The series itself has been reported earlier, and now the cover art has also been revealed.

= = = = Interviews = = = =

Andrew Burns, The Big Issue, Friday, 30 August 2013, ‘The Hobbit Reimagined — An Exclusive First Look’
http://www.bigissue.com/mix/news/2933/hobbit-reimagined-exclusive-first-look
http://preview.tinyurl.com/mq3hmka
An intervew with Jemima Catlin, illustrator of the new illustrated Hobbit. The paper edition of the paper reportedly includes examples of the art-work. The story of the rejection of her illustrations for Roverandom and subsequent approach for her to illustrate a new edition of The Hobbit reads as something out of Andersen :-)
The full interview, including illustrations, has since been published also:
Thomas Quinn, The Big Issue, Tuesday, 3 September 2013, ‘The Hobbit and I: Jemima Catlin on Reinventing a Legend’
http://www.bigissue.com/features/interviews/2949/hobbit-and-i-jemima-catlin-reinventing-legend
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kaoxc4z

John Garth, Saturday, 31 August 2013, ‘She Who Came After Tolkien, Before Rowling’
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/31/she-who-came-after-tolkien-before-rowling.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/o3cwr8e
John Garth has here presented me to an author, Susan Cooper, whose books have instantly made it to my ‘to read’ list (ever-growing though it is), and I wouldn't withhold that experience from any others ... :-)

= = = = Tolkienian Artwork = = = =

"The Darkening of Valinor" by Jenny Dolfen
The Darkening of Valinor
by Jenny Dolfen
JD, Thursday, 1 August 2013, ‘The Darkening of Valinor’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/the-darkening-of-valinor/
http://preview.tinyurl.com/nj47yd5
A work done on commission — the customer wanted a picture of Fëanor holding his dead father, Finwë. I keep wishing that I could afford to buy some of Jenny's originals (or perhaps even commission one ... Ælfwine speaking with Pengolod?), and this doesn't help! ;-)

Joe Gilronan, Monday, 26 August 2013, ‘Frodo's Inheritance’
http://joegilronanlordoftherings.blogspot.dk/2013/08/new-work-frodos-inheritance.html
http://preview.tinyurl.com/pg6z33y
A new work by Joe Gilronan depicting Bag End on the morning after Bilbo left and Frodo inherited the lot. The riot appears not to have happened yet ...

= = = = Other Stuff = = = =

John Garth, Saturday, 3 August 2013, ‘The OED unbound’
http://www.johngarth.co.uk/php/oed_unbound.php
An article about new directions taken by the Oxford English Dictionary and of course it doesn't fail to mention Tolkien :-) Now, how do I get a UK library membership?

Brotherhood Workshop, Wednesday, 7 August 2013, ‘LEGO Tom Bombadil (Why was he cut?)’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxhP7F1CftE
http://bit.ly/LegoTom
Was this why Tom Bombadil got cut from the films (both the Bakshi and the Jackson films)?

Peter Freeman, Friday, 9 August 2013, ‘Tolkiens Farmer Giles of Ham: Hero for Our Time?’
http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/tolkiens-farmer-giles-of-ham-hero-for-our-time
http://preview.tinyurl.com/n8rt72o
Another example of the attempts to make Tolkien the ass that draws someone's personal political wagon. In this case Farmer Giles becomes a proponent for the American right to bear arms because he successfully scares off a giant with his blunderbuss ... Sigh!

PC, Friday, 23 August 2013, ‘A generous gift - the tale behind a signed copy of _El Hobito_’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1098-a-generous-gift-signed-the-hobbit.php
http://preview.tinyurl.com/mewgz7b
The charming story of how a copy of the Spanish El Hobito, with an inscription in Spanish by the author to his wife, Edith, ended in the library of Antonio Quevedo. For me it also leaves the question of whether Edith read Spanish?

= = = = Web Sites = = = =

Angela P. Nicholas
http://eaglebrooch.weebly.com/index.html
The web-site of the author of Aragorn: J. R. R. Tolkien's Undervalued Hero. Obviously the book and its theme feature quite prominently.

= = = = The Blog Roll = = = =

These are blogs you really should be following yourself if you're interested in Tolkien ...
Contents from these blogs will only be reported here if there is something that I find particularly interesting, or posts that fit with a monthly theme, but I will here note the number of Tolkien-related posts in the month covered by these transactions (while the number of posts with a vaguer relation — e.g. by being about other Inklings — are given in parentheses).

Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (S&H), ‘Too Many Books and Never Enough’
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/
2 Tolkien-related posts in August both of which are mentioned above. In addition there is a post about Pauline Baynes and her work for the Blackie edition of Andersen's Fairy Tales

Jason Fisher (JF) — ‘Lingwë — Musings of a Fish’
http://lingwe.blogspot.com
No posts in August

Pieter Collier (PC), ‘The Tolkien Library’
http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/
9 Tolkien-related posts in August — in addition to the posts mentioned above, these are mostly on recent or upcoming releases (The Fall of Arthur, the Beyond Bree Calendar, a new special collectors' boxed hardback set, and a book with Tolkien-inspired photographic art) and a story of a Tolkien-themed charity event in Australia.

Douglas A. Anderson (DAA), ‘Tolkien and Fantasy’
http://tolkienandfantasy.blogspot.com/
No posts in August

John D. Rateliff (JDR) — ‘Sacnoth's Scriptorium’
http://sacnoths.blogspot.com
4 Tolkien-related posts in August. In addition to the two mentioned above on Sinclair Lewis and Harry Bauer there is also a post on an interview for a Polish Tolkien journal and a post about a Thomas Wms Malkin who was also a world-builder and where Tolkien therefore is an obvious point of reference.

Marcel Aubron-Bülles (MB), ‘The Tolkienist’
http://thetolkienist.com/
5 (+1) Tolkien-related posts in August. The story on Parma Eldalamberon 21 reported above, one on Tolkien and social media, two with some fun random facts related to Tolkien, the announcement that Marcel will be attending the opening of the Greisinger Tolkien Museum (I am unfortunately prevented due to a family event) and a call for guest postings for ‘The Tolkienist’.

David Bratman (DB), ‘Kalimac’
http://kalimac.blogspot.com/
and the old home:
http://calimac.livejournal.com/
2 (+1) Tolkien-related posts in August — one further on the article mentioned last month (‘still drafty in here’), one on Tolkien Studies (see in the books news above) and one that adds details to the story of Lewis, Eddison and the mention of the latter in Helen E. Haines 1942 book as reported by John D. Rateliff in June.

"Verlustmeldungen" by Jenny Dolfen
Verlustmeldungen
by Jenny Dolfen
Jenny Dolfen (JD), ‘Jenny's Sketchbook’
http://goldseven.wordpress.com/
1 Tolkien-related post in August (see above). But Jenny's pictures of Hannibal are also worth spending some time with!

Holly Rodgers (HR), ‘Teaching Tolkien’
http://teachingtolkien.com/
3 Tolkien-related posts in August — in addition to the two mentioned above, there is also a post on ‘Hope for the Future’.

Anna Smol (AS), ‘A Single Leaf’
http://annasmol.net/
4 Tolkien-related posts in August — in addition to the three posts mentioned above, there is also one on the Roman Association of Tolkien Studies.

Various, The Mythopoeic Society
http://www.mythsoc.org
No posts in August

Morgan Thomsen (MT), ‘Mythoi’
http://mythoi.tolkienindex.net
No posts in August

Michael Martinez (MM), ‘Middle-earth’
http://middle-earth.xenite.org/
A single post in August on Michael Martinez' participation at DragonCon.

Bruce Charlton (BC), ‘Tolkien's The Notion Club Papers’
http://notionclubpapers.blogspot.com/
2 Tolkien-related posts in August — one on Tolkien's elves and the other on the epilogue to LotR. Also a post on Lewis and one on Williams.

= = = = Sources = = = =

No new sources in August

For older sources, see http://parmarkenta.blogspot.com/p/sources.html