# How Did You First Discover LOTR?



## frodolives7601 (Aug 18, 2020)

I'm just curious to know how you first came across _Lord of the Rings._ How old were you? Who told you about it, or did you discover it on your own? Did you encounter the books first, or the movies?

In my case, my dad gave me the books (plus _The Hobbit_) when I was in my early teens. I can actually still remember him handing me the four paperbacks (which I still have) and saying, "I think you'll like these." I don't know how he knew that since I had never read epic fantasy before. It's unusual that I would remember such a seemingly unremarkable moment; I must have sensed that the story would become very important to me.


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## Ealdwyn (Aug 18, 2020)

A neightbour lent me the book when I was 11. It took me ages to get through it, but I loved it.


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Aug 18, 2020)

You can also add yourself to this thread, if you want:









How old were you?


How old were you when you first read this series? Personally I was 12 when I read the Hobbit, and was 15 before I read LOTR.




www.thetolkienforum.com





I was in high school during the Fist Paperback Age. Everyone was reading it, or so it seemed.


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## Elthir (Aug 18, 2020)

A friend recommended the books to me. And I was in the middle of reading _The Lord of the Rings_ when I heard Tolkien had passed.

So yes, I began reading Tolkien years before _The Lord of the Rings_ film by *Ralph Bakshi *


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## Miguel (Aug 18, 2020)

I found about LOTR with the movies first. Years later, i found the Silmarillion on a bookshelf at home.


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 18, 2020)

Miguel said:


> I found about LOTR with the movies first. Years later, i found the Silmarillion on a bookshelf at home.


This is interesting. Did you find that seeing the movies first affected your ability to enjoy the books, or vice versa? Or did you see them as two separate entities? I'm curious because, as I mentioned in my introduction, for me a number of years elapsed between reading the books and seeing the movies, and I always felt that that was kind of a gift because I wasn't as aware of the discrepancies between the books and the movies.


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## Miguel (Aug 18, 2020)

frodolives7601 said:


> This is interesting. Did you find that seeing the movies first affected your ability to enjoy the books, or vice versa? Or did you see them as two separate entities? I'm curious because, as I mentioned in my introduction, for me a number of years elapsed between reading the books and seeing the movies, and I always felt that that was kind of a gift because I wasn't as aware of the discrepancies between the books and the movies.



It was definitely a gift for you. I wish i read the books first of course, but it's true that when the movies came out, the changes did not affected me as much as others like Arwen instead of Glorfindel and so on. I think the movies are great but i'm aware that they lack many content.


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## Hisoka Morrow (Aug 18, 2020)

Film+1, absolutely. I believe that those born in the 90's must have the same answer as me^^
After all, during the 90's born generation, LOTR's books products have been already out of the mainstream of fashion, Of course it's another matter if it's population gets lead by the products on other sides such as films, video games, and so forth.


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 18, 2020)

Miguel said:


> It was definitely a gift for you. I wish i read the books first of course, but it's true that when the movies came out, the changes did not affected me as much as others like Arwen instead of Glorfindel and so on. I think the movies are great but i'm aware that they lack many content.


It's neat how the way in which we first experience the story--books first? movies first? how much time between reading the books and seeing the movies?--affects our reaction to it. I think it's probably a little different for each person.



Hisoka Morrow said:


> Film+1, absolutely. I believe that those born in the 90's must have the same answer as me^^
> After all, during the 90's born generation, LOTR's books products have been already out of the mainstream of fashion, Of course it's another matter if it's population gets lead by the products on other sides such as films, video games, and so forth.


I think what you're saying is that members of the younger generation would be more likely to discover the story through the films and video games, is that right? I also wanted to ask what you meant by "Film+1."


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## Hisoka Morrow (Aug 18, 2020)

frodolives7601 said:


> I also wanted to ask what you meant by "Film+1."


Oooppsss, OK, this is a internet term means voting for some option. For instance, films is 1 of your option in your topic's answer, then I say film+1 means 1 vote for film^^
Hmm....maybe such term is not as popular as western internet area🧐🧐🧐


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 18, 2020)

Hisoka Morrow said:


> Oooppsss, OK, this is a internet term means voting for some option. For instance, films is 1 of your option in your topic's answer, then I say film+1 means 1 vote for film^^
> Hmm....maybe such term is not as popular as western internet area🧐🧐🧐


Thanks for explaining. So you're saying that you like the movies better than the books, right? For me, it's hard to say. I really love both of them. I'll be re-reading the books for the first time in years starting in September, and I'm looking forward to seeing what my reaction is to them this time and what new insights I have.


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## Starbrow (Aug 18, 2020)

We had to read The Hobbit in my freshman English class. I loved it so much, I bought LOTR. I read Return of the King first because that was the first book I could find in the series.


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 19, 2020)

Starbrow said:


> We had to read The Hobbit in my freshman English class. I loved it so much, I bought LOTR. I read Return of the King first because that was the first book I could find in the series.


That's neat that you had a teacher who assigned Tolkien! What was it like for you reading ROTK first? It must have been interesting to start at the end and move back in time.


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## Olorgando (Aug 19, 2020)

First time I ever read the title "Trilogy of The Rings" would have been in a letter a high school buddy of mine wrote me between 1973 (when we both graduated from high school) and 1975 (when I effectively broke off my US college studies). The next must be when I first heard the hilarious song "Bullfrog Blues" from David Bromberg's 1976 double album "How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?" (one LP recorded in the studio, the other live), in a 16-minute live version. Finally managen to get a hold of that LP after years of searching here in Germany.
Then, in 1983, when I was in West Berlin, a group of us had decided to go to a small cinema showing Ralph Bakshi's 1978 incomplete mainly cartoon version of LoTR, and shortly later was able to read the German translation of LoTR loaned to me by one of the group. First read of the English original must have been about 1985. The rest is history.



Olorgando said:


> First time I ever read the title "Trilogy of The Rings" would have been in a letter a high school buddy of mine wrote me between 1973 (when we both graduated from high school) and 1975 (when I effectively broke off my US college studies). The next must be when I first heard the hilarious song "Bullfrog Blues" from David Bromberg's 1976 double album "How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?" (one LP recorded in the studio, the other live), in a 16-minute live version. Finally managen to get a hold of that LP after years of searching here in Germany.
> Then, in 1983, when I was in West Berlin, a group of us had decided to go to a small cinema showing Ralph Bakshi's 1978 incomplete mainly cartoon version of LoTR, and shortly later was able to read the German translation of LoTR loaned to me by one of the group. First read of the English original must have been about 1985. The rest is history.


That's interesting how it came into your life in different forms prior to your discovery of the books. What was it like to read the English original after having read the German translation?


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## Olorgando (Aug 19, 2020)

I have no more idea, as I have re-read the German translation (which I bought for my wife) at least twice, at longer intervals since then, and have read the English original at least a dozen times. Looking at the spines of my (paperback) books, I may very well, besides the three LoTR volumes, at the same time also have bought TH, Sil, UT, and BoLT 1 and 2. I do remember vaguely that the last two utterly confused me ...


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## Starbrow (Aug 19, 2020)

> What was it like for you reading ROTK first? It must have been interesting to start at the end and move back in time.



Some of the drama is lost when you know how ends. For instance, Gandalf's death at the end of FOTR didn't bother me because I knew he came back.
The books still had a profound impact on me, as you can tell since I'm still talking about them 45 years later.


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 20, 2020)

Starbrow said:


> Some of the drama is lost when you know how ends. For instance, Gandalf's death at the end of FOTR didn't bother me because I knew he came back.
> The books still had a profound impact on me, as you can tell since I'm still talking about them 45 years later.


Oh, my, yes! I can see where the impact of Gandalf's death would be diminished. I remember crying when I got to that part, thinking, of course, that that was it for him.

Aren't they wonderful, the things that come into our lives to inspire us and never leave? I first read the books around the same time you did. They make me think of a quote from author Annie Dillard, who, describing a transformative experience, said (not sure if this is verbatim; I'm quoting from memory):

I had been my whole life a bell, and never known it until at that moment I was lifted and struck.

That captures something of the impact _LotR_ had on me.


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## Culaeron (Aug 27, 2020)

I've been following TTF for quite some time, but have never posted. I travel for work, and spend a ridiculous amount of time sitting in airports, and you have all become almost travel companions as I get to enjoy the conversations had here. As for my first encounter with the books, it was early 80's, I was in Germany (US Military Dad) and I was about 14. Our next door neighbor came over one day, and offered me her 4 paperbacks (Tolkien's covers) which I devoured twice before returning them to her. When we were preparing to leave for the US a couple of years later, my school library had an end of school year cleanup sale. They had a three book set of the 1965 hardbacks (black binding with off-white dust covers sporting the Eye of Sauron surrounded by the ring, surrounded by the script). I think I paid $4.00 for the set?


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## Olorgando (Aug 27, 2020)

Culaeron said:


> They had a three book set of the 1965 hardbacks (black binding with off-white dust covers sporting the Eye of Sauron surrounded by the ring, surrounded by the script). I think I paid $4.00 for the set?


Welcome to TTF, Culaeron, from just north of Nuremberg in northern Bavaria (I was in the US for nine years 1966-75).
Four bucks for a 1965 hardback??? That number might have gathered the odd zero to the left of the decimal point ...


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Aug 27, 2020)

It's a great story, Culaeron. 

I had a similar experience a few years ago, though not Tolkien-related. I regularly checked out a set of books from my local library -- the only one to do so. I expressed anxiety to one of the librarians about the possibility they might discard it -- an out-of-print, and valuable set of books. "Oh, we'd never do that" I was told.

A year later, I went to their book sale, and there they were. Needless to say, I grabbed them. Now they're all mine! 


Now, how do we get you to post more often than every 2-3 years? 😁


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 27, 2020)

Culaeron said:


> I've been following TTF for quite some time, but have never posted. I travel for work, and spend a ridiculous amount of time sitting in airports, and you have all become almost travel companions as I get to enjoy the conversations had here. As for my first encounter with the books, it was early 80's, I was in Germany (US Military Dad) and I was about 14. Our next door neighbor came over one day, and offered me her 4 paperbacks (Tolkien's covers) which I devoured twice before returning them to her. When we were preparing to leave for the US a couple of years later, my school library had an end of school year cleanup sale. They had a three book set of the 1965 hardbacks (black binding with off-white dust covers sporting the Eye of Sauron surrounded by the ring, surrounded by the script). I think I paid $4.00 for the set?


I enjoyed your story, Culaeron. Hope we'll hear from you again!



Squint-eyed Southerner said:


> It's a great story, Culaeron.
> 
> I had a similar experience a few years ago, though not Tolkien-related. I regularly checked out a set of books from my local library -- the only one to do so. I expressed anxiety to one of the librarians about the possibility they might discard it -- an out-of-print, and valuable set of books. "Oh, we'd never do that" I was told.
> 
> ...


Thank heavens you went to that book sale!


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Aug 27, 2020)

Yep. They have a special place on the shelves! 😁

Totally irrelevant here, but if anyone's curious, it was this set, from the 70's:


Lots of color plates:


OK, apologies for the derailment -- though I do suspect some miniature makers of those days got ideas from them for their ME models.


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## Ealdwyn (Aug 27, 2020)

Culaeron said:


> I've been following TTF for quite some time, but have never posted. I travel for work, and spend a ridiculous amount of time sitting in airports, and you have all become almost travel companions as I get to enjoy the conversations had here. As for my first encounter with the books, it was early 80's, I was in Germany (US Military Dad) and I was about 14. Our next door neighbor came over one day, and offered me her 4 paperbacks (Tolkien's covers) which I devoured twice before returning them to her. When we were preparing to leave for the US a couple of years later, my school library had an end of school year cleanup sale. They had a three book set of the 1965 hardbacks (black binding with off-white dust covers sporting the Eye of Sauron surrounded by the ring, surrounded by the script). I think I paid $4.00 for the set?


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## Culaeron (Aug 27, 2020)

Ealdwyn said:


> View attachment 7938


lol. If you can't get the book, do you go all Boromir on them, or just toss Feanor worthy curses their direction?


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## Ealdwyn (Aug 27, 2020)

Culaeron said:


> lol. If you can't get the book, do you go all Boromir on them, or just toss Feanor worthy curses their direction?


Curses? I prefer to go straight to the kin slaying. 😜


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## frodolives7601 (Aug 27, 2020)

Squint-eyed Southerner said:


> Yep. They have a special place on the shelves! 😁
> 
> Totally irrelevant here, but if anyone's curious, it was this set, from the 70's:
> View attachment 7930
> ...


Thanks for telling us! I was thinking of asking what books they were. Beautiful pictures.


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## Squint-eyed Southerner (Aug 27, 2020)

If you do an image search for that title, you can see more of theirs.


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## Stephen J. Servello (Sep 10, 2020)

frodolives7601 said:


> I'm just curious to know how you first came across _Lord of the Rings._ How old were you? Who told you about it, or did you discover it on your own? Did you encounter the books first, or the movies?
> 
> In my case, my dad gave me the books (plus _The Hobbit_) when I was in my early teens. I can actually still remember him handing me the four paperbacks (which I still have) and saying, "I think you'll like these." I don't know how he knew that since I had never read epic fantasy before. It's unusual that I would remember such a seemingly unremarkable moment; I must have sensed that the story would become very important to me.


Greetings!

When I was about 12, my best friend Danny gave me two books, saying "these seem like your kind of books."

The first was Ken Holt and the Mystery of the Vanishing Magician." The Ken Holt books by Bruce Campbell (Sam and Beryl Epstein) are similar to the Hardy Boys, Rick Brant, Tom Swift, etc. Only better. I now have all 18 books.

Back to the question, the second book was "The Hobbit." Danny knew I was reading ERB, REH and the like. I loved it so much I went to the Belmont (MA) Public Library and took out the hard cover trilogy. For Christmas, my mother bought me the Ballantine paperbacks. 

Since then I've added many Tolkien (JRR and Christopher) books to my collection!

Steve (Brona Fan)


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## Elbereth (Jan 28, 2021)

As a teen...I always had Tolkien on my wish list of books to read...but I never had an opportunity to get around to it until just after I watched the first of the LOTR movies in the theaters. I was in my early 20's then and living and working in NYC. 

I instantly bought the book (the Three in one version)...I read it in one week flat over the Christmas holiday at my parents home in Maine... I then rushed to the book store...I bought The Hobbit, The Simarillian, and the Unfinished Stories. I read them all before the end of January (I was snowed in Maine for three weeks)...and then I joined this forum shortly after when I returned to the city...because let's face it...I wasn't done with Middle Earth. I had definitely been sucked in... and I had to discuss it with others who appreciated the books as much as I did.


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## Erestor Arcamen (Jan 29, 2021)

Unfortunately for me, it was via FOTR when it came out as a movie. I'd always been an avid reader but somehow had never heard of Tolkien. After I saw FOTR, I read the entire trilogy in like two weeks (between school work) and already knew the movie (and the future ones) would be awful compared to how amazing the books are.


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## Chaostyr (Jan 29, 2021)

I initially read the Hobbit sometime around the age of 8. My grandparents had a copy of the Lord of the RIngs which they gave to me and I kept on my shelf for years. It wasn't until Jackson's trilogy that I first witnessed the epic tale of Frodo and company. Even later still about 6 years ago, I finally read TLoTR for myself and instantly fell in love with it. I then proceeded to reread the Hobbit and listen to both on audiobooks more times than I can count! Instant favorites.


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## Aramarien (Jan 30, 2021)

I read The Hobbit in the 8th grade in the 70's. Everyone in my class was reading it and I fell in love. My friend told me that she found more books about hobbits and were called The Lord of the Rings. I asked her if Bilbo was in them, and she said, "A little bit, but it is more about his nephew, Frodo." Seeing my disappointment, she hurrriedly added, "You'll love him just as much, if not more." Needless to say, I started reading LOTR within days of my friend's recommendation and have read them over and over for many years and have worn out several sets of the paperback books, including the set that has Tolkien's illustrations  on the cover. I bought the Tolkien calendars every year and the Sil when it first came out in paperback.


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## GaladrielAdmirer (Feb 4, 2021)

I was a child. My mother was a fan of the books and we had some copies. I didn't develop a real, deep appreciation of them until I got older.


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## Shadow (Feb 20, 2021)

When Fellowship came out I was 12 years old. I had no idea about the series and this was my introduction. I was more a Star Wars kid but LOTR captivated me. By the time TTT came out I was right into it. I bought the video games and bought the making of the movie books. I knew of the books, of course, but was reluctant for a while to read them given their length. But I got around to it, and that’s when my fandom evolved and was given a lot more depth.


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