So, after the Hobbit movies parts 2 and 3 left me largely disinterested in Middle-Earth for years, I have finally been drawn back in thanks to Lord of the Rings Online. I downloaded the game years ago, thought it had potential, and then was unable to make it work for years. I finally got obstinate about it this autumn, tried various things to get it to work again and finally succeeded! It is so nice to be able to wander the landmarks of Middle-Earth. It is also inspiring me to read the books finally. I’ve read The Hobbit two or three times, The Fellowship of the Ring once, and, don’t judge me too harshly, haven’t read the rest. Well... I started The Silmarillion years back but quickly got lost or bored after not many pages.

I got The Adventures of Tom Bombadil from the library and began reading it last night. It is fun to see Pauline Baynes’ illustrations for Middle-Earth after years of seeing her work on Narnia.

Is that its own separate book? I would love to read The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. I love illustrations, they still capture my imagination.

Recently I have been reading The Tale of Beren and Luthien, its probably one of my favourite stories from The Silmarillion, probably due to the romance and adventure involved and what the real life inspiration was. I think the Fall of Gondolin was similar in that way in that it drew from Tolkien's real life in some way which I have always thought made the story all the more interesting.

I just read on "The Tolkienist" that Christopher Tolkien died last night at the age of 95! He was the third child and youngest son of JRRT and Edith T. It looks like the news is just out now, so expect more info as the day/week goes on.

Tolkien Gateway has an interesting short bio of his fascinating life. He contributed so much to the Middle-earth legend, being appointed literary executor after his father's death, and was the Director of the Tolkien Estate for years. Quite the steward! He was known for being fiercely protective of his father's magnificent works.

I am so grateful for his major contributions to the ongoing Middle-earth legacy.

Thanks for sharing this, johobbit — sad news, but he certainly lived a very long and productive life. There's nothing on the BBC's website yet, surprisingly but I've just found a report from the Guardian. He certainly did an incredible amount of work to continue his father's legacy and bring his unpublished works to light. R.I.P. Christopher Tolkien.

Thank you for the link. There are several things on Facebook now.

https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/epm420/christopher_tolkien_has_died/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

Here's a comment someone made on there:

I reckon the Third Age just ended.

The Third Age ended with ... the departure of Elrond ... over the sea.

If JRR and Edith were Beren and Luthien, then their descendant Christopher was clearly Elrond - although 'lesser' than they, he was the final curator and preserver of ancient lore, and incorruptible, resisting the polluting taints of commercialism.

In the 2000s I read through a lot of the background books, but only bought 'Return of the Shadow' (2002), which is the 6th in the series. This is the first of the books about LOTR. I've also got Unfinished Tales (2010).
They are only a taste of what Christopher did, but I am so grateful to him for his huge task, completed so very diligently. His father's attention to detail was clearly inherited.

And here is a clip of Christopher Tolkien reading the final scenes in The Lord of the Rings. I cannot hear this without weeping. So powerfully moving.

And along with all he has accomplished, I find it really sad that he is gone, having been the last remaining Inkling.

And here is a clip of Christopher Tolkien reading the final scenes in The Lord of the Rings. I cannot hear this without weeping. So powerfully moving.

"I will not say, do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."

(I had tears in my eyes too... thanks, johobbit.)

Rather sad news. He will be missed.

I'm so glad that he managed to finish The Fall of Gondolin before he left us. I feel a special connection to Gondolin, and had been hoping for that book for years - and he decided to produce it, as the last book he made.

What a loyalty he showed to his father, spending so much of his own life to make his father's works available to the world! Amazing   

Here's an interesting article written about the geographical locations that may have inspired Tolkien...
I recently joined The Tolkien Society on Facebook, and I am getting huge amounts of information from it. Mostly more than I can soak up.

https://arda.ir/the-tale-of-the-annotated-map-and-tolkien-hidden-riddles/?fbclid=IwAR2HofVWM-NyOTmtAWlfqXUuSqNSRqOO27u9WCQSx4xlONM5adE7wCHDOqI

Heads up: Today Andy Serkis is reading The Hobbit, all in one sitting, I believe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/thehobbitath ... /gallery/0

It really is marvelous. He began at 5 a.m. EDT, and has not lost any of his grace and enthusiasm for the reading. The voices he portrays are wonderful, including Gollum/Sméagol's (of course!) and the spiders. Wish I could have heard him act Beorn. Can hardly wait for Bilbo's conversation with Smaug! I have not heard nearly all of the reading, but what I have watched, I am impressed. He is even dressed somewhat hobbitish, with a cozy vest.

Preciousssssssssss! Thanks for sharing that, johobbit — I should check it out as well.

I've just treated myself to watching a zoom conversation online. Not so exciting, until you consider that it was a reunion, this week,  of most of the Fellowship of the Ring and other major characters from LOTR - the movie series.

The organiser did this as a fund raiser for a charity for US children (read the details if you are interested), but I did not have to donate to access it, for which I was grateful.

The zoom meeting takes about 50 minutes, and the actors turn up one at a time until they are 'all' there

Here's the link:

Yesterday I heard the news that dear old English actor, Sir Ian Holm, had passed away, aged 88, after years suffering from Parkinsons Disease.

Ian Holm was a really fine actor, trained for the English stage and with a huge number of Shakespearian roles to his credit, as well as others that we now spot in credits of older films. 
If you watch Chariots of Fire, he is the running coach who assists Harold Abrahams to do his best (no spoilers, but make sure you watch it one day).

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53110391?at_custom4=3967324E-B227-11EA-9F7E-12C9923C408C&at_medium=custom7&at_custom3=BBC+News&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_campaign=64&fbclid=IwAR3Lf_Lyy4Md8eZogjG2mxy_3MBVGzzaoNnW3-Z8PlcFWNKktYuUQ1az17A

If you only ever saw him in Lord of the Rings, you will have loved him as Bilbo.

So, farewell, Bilbo Baggins. Wishing you a safe voyage to the Havens!

Yes, sad news, but he reached a good age and had an excellent career — I always thought he did a wonderful job as Bilbo in LOTR. Love the "Bilbo's Last Song" poster — I wish I had it on my wall!  

Very sad indeed. I've only seen him as Bilbo, and I think he did a great job.  

I haven't got the "Bilbo's Last Song" poster - but I have got the book!  -  Bilbo's Last Song