Because it coincided with Holy Week and family commitments, I missed Tolkien Reading Day. I am reading Return of the King to my son, and have begun Tolkien’s letters. I thought it would be fun to end the week with a Tolkien reader’s treat.
My own collection of Tolkien works is a mash of books I’ve found at yard sales, library discard sales, and as a result of haunting digital and physical used bookstores until I found what I wanted.
The Tolkienist, James, however, is a real reader-collector. While there are doubtless collectors with more valuable collections, including 1st editions and rare books, James’ collection is the most complete reader’s shelf I have seen. If you are not envious and joyful for the beauty of the shelf itself, his very brief video tour will let you see what is available for Tolkien fans to read over a lifetime.
I believe in open access scholarship. Because of this, since 2011 I have made A Pilgrim in Narnia free with nearly 1,000 posts on faith, fiction, and fantasy. Please consider sharing my work so others can enjoy it.
“A Pilgrim in Narnia” is a blog project in reading and talking about the work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the worlds they touched. As a "Faith, Fantasy, and Fiction" blog, we cover topics like children’s literature, apologetics and philosophy, myths and mythology, fantasy, theology, cultural critique, art and writing.
This blog includes my thoughts as I read through Lewis and Tolkien and reflect on my own life and culture. In this sense, I am a Pilgrim in Narnia--or Middle Earth, or Fairyland. I am often peeking inside of wardrobes, looking for magic bricks in urban alleys, or rooting through yard sale boxes for old rings. If something here captures your imagination, leave a comment, “like” a post, share with your friends, or sign up to receive Narnian Pilgrim posts in your email box.
Brenton Dickieson is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him on Twitter, @BrentonDana.
It just makes me happy to know there are people who prize the life-long intellectual work of a writer so much that they devote their lives to preserving this work, both in spirit and in hard/soft bound covers.
Me too. It isn’t something I can do (at least as nice and neatly). But I am slowly collecting a C.S. Lewis and Tolkien collection for my son. Duplicates and cheap copies are going in a box for when he is ready in a decade or so. Don’t tell him!
It’s jolly – and a classic of how and why Poe is prominent ‘father of the detective story’. (LibriVox has two versions (one around 37 minutes, the other, 40), if you want to try it soon while doing quiet housework…)
I won’t; but you may have to delete the comment so that if he reads your blog, he doesn’t see this.
I still need to find my muses for life, and then I’ll start collecting.
Cool. By the way, I choose my muses. They aren’t just random strangers I meet in bars. And they aren’t always easy at first. Freddie Buechner took two tries. Terry Pratchett three. C.S. Lewis, a decade.
Oh, I know. I have a few writers who have inspired me to dream, shifted my paradigms, and/or made me want to write, but I’m not ready to chose one of them yet. And none of them I’ve met in a bar… Though talked about them in such locales quite a bit.
Just started this year going through the “Histories of Middle Earth”. I’m going to be making the hardcover purchases as I’m getting ready to move to the next one. I read “Part One” earlier in the year.
Also, just this weekend I picked up that First American Edition “Silmarillion” for $6. The map and pages are in wonderful condition! 🙂 My daughter inherited my paperback. And I’m amazed at just how cheap you can purchase “The Children of Hurin” hardcover on eBay. It’s a beautiful book!
That’s a nice shelf! And a $6 1st ed. is no mean find. I am collecting JRRT & Lewis books for my son in a decade or two. I like the Tolkien bestiary. I wish I could draw.
I haven’t done the Histories yet. I’m thinking 2020 or thereabouts.
Thanks! It’s getting there. Sounds like your son is going to have a great collection at some point. I’m reading through Two Towers with my 9yo son currently (that’s why the dustjacket is missing 😉 ). I love eBay – picked up the Bestiary and Part One of Histories for $0.99 each in December. The Bestiary is quite nice – I enjoy flipping through it with the kids if we just read about something.
I dig your planning ahead for reading! 🙂 My “next up” shelf on Goodreads keeps growing. I’m debating proceeding to read Part Two of Histories or to read the Silmarillion up to where Part One left off.
I haven’t read all the ones we have right through, yet, but am grateful for how well-indexed they are, if you want to look into or follow up something in particular!
Shipping to Canada changed about 5 or 6 years ago, and I can no longer purchase reasonably. ebay built my library, but I don’t even look anymore!
I am in the midst of my PhD, so my reading is planned for the next 2-3 years. After that, I am going to read a newspaper–just one–cover to cover. Then a National Geographic. Then a Tom Clancy spy novel. And then go nuts.
Because it coincided with Holy Week and family commitments, I missed Tolkien Reading Day. I am reading Return of the King to my son, and have begun Tolkien’s letters. I thought it would be fun to end the week with a Tolkien reader’s treat.
A Pilgrim in Narnia 
It just makes me happy to know there are people who prize the life-long intellectual work of a writer so much that they devote their lives to preserving this work, both in spirit and in hard/soft bound covers.
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Me too. It isn’t something I can do (at least as nice and neatly). But I am slowly collecting a C.S. Lewis and Tolkien collection for my son. Duplicates and cheap copies are going in a box for when he is ready in a decade or so. Don’t tell him!
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Is this blog like the idea in Poe’s Purloined Letter, a way of hiding things where he’s least likely to look?
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I don’t know that story!
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It’s jolly – and a classic of how and why Poe is prominent ‘father of the detective story’. (LibriVox has two versions (one around 37 minutes, the other, 40), if you want to try it soon while doing quiet housework…)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I won’t; but you may have to delete the comment so that if he reads your blog, he doesn’t see this.
I still need to find my muses for life, and then I’ll start collecting.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool. By the way, I choose my muses. They aren’t just random strangers I meet in bars. And they aren’t always easy at first. Freddie Buechner took two tries. Terry Pratchett three. C.S. Lewis, a decade.
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Oh, I know. I have a few writers who have inspired me to dream, shifted my paradigms, and/or made me want to write, but I’m not ready to chose one of them yet. And none of them I’ve met in a bar… Though talked about them in such locales quite a bit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Very nice!! Thanks for sharing this. I came to the Tolkien party rather late in my life, but I am slowly building my library. You can see my Tolkien and Lewis shelves here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/scf8inlngbzvxo6/tolkienlewis.jpg
Just started this year going through the “Histories of Middle Earth”. I’m going to be making the hardcover purchases as I’m getting ready to move to the next one. I read “Part One” earlier in the year.
Also, just this weekend I picked up that First American Edition “Silmarillion” for $6. The map and pages are in wonderful condition! 🙂 My daughter inherited my paperback. And I’m amazed at just how cheap you can purchase “The Children of Hurin” hardcover on eBay. It’s a beautiful book!
LikeLike
That’s a nice shelf! And a $6 1st ed. is no mean find. I am collecting JRRT & Lewis books for my son in a decade or two. I like the Tolkien bestiary. I wish I could draw.
I haven’t done the Histories yet. I’m thinking 2020 or thereabouts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! It’s getting there. Sounds like your son is going to have a great collection at some point. I’m reading through Two Towers with my 9yo son currently (that’s why the dustjacket is missing 😉 ). I love eBay – picked up the Bestiary and Part One of Histories for $0.99 each in December. The Bestiary is quite nice – I enjoy flipping through it with the kids if we just read about something.
I dig your planning ahead for reading! 🙂 My “next up” shelf on Goodreads keeps growing. I’m debating proceeding to read Part Two of Histories or to read the Silmarillion up to where Part One left off.
Happy reading!!
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I haven’t read all the ones we have right through, yet, but am grateful for how well-indexed they are, if you want to look into or follow up something in particular!
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That’s a great point. Does anyone know if the epubs/ebooks are out on the History?
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Shipping to Canada changed about 5 or 6 years ago, and I can no longer purchase reasonably. ebay built my library, but I don’t even look anymore!
I am in the midst of my PhD, so my reading is planned for the next 2-3 years. After that, I am going to read a newspaper–just one–cover to cover. Then a National Geographic. Then a Tom Clancy spy novel. And then go nuts.
LikeLike
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