An Healthy Approach to the HoME...

[BluestEye]

I started reading the HoME a few months ago, and I've found myself stuck. I can't read it anymore.
I've read the Book Of Lost Tales No.1, then I tried the Lays of Beleriand (which is realy good!! I realy liked it) and now I'm trying to read The Return Of The Shadow. I wonder from book to book because I'm not satisfied from what I read. These books are filled with dates and names and places, but we can never know which of the dates are correct, which names are proper, ets. It makes me confused, and this "dyagnoze" and "surgery" of Chris about his father's ruins my fun in keeping reading Tolkien.
Any suggestions for an healthy approach to the HoME?

Thanks,

Bluest Eye

 

[Rangerdave]

It has been my experience that most people encounter problems with the histories simply because they try to read them all in one go. It is almost as if they are trying to cram before a major exam.

I have found that if you approach each book seperately it flows much smoother. My advice is to pick a single topic section from any of the books and read it carefully and methodicly and then set the book down and walk away. Also, read other things between sections. short stories, different genres, and then progress to the next section. Repeat this process until you have made your way through the complete works. Remember, there is no real hurry.

As for the dates and such that academics hold so near and dear to their hearts: give them a once over, but don't sweat them overly much. Dates and figures are really just the tools of intelligansia and academia to frighten off the casual reader. Trust me on this one, I know. I've done it a few times myself.


Hope this helps.
RD

 

[BluestEye]

This surely helps, RD, thanks a lot
Though I think I wasn't so clear about the dates thing.
I LOVE the dates parts of Tolkien's works. And I keep track of the "true" dates about events and stuff. But how can I be sure that a date mentioned in the HoME is the real date of an event if that date wasn't mentioned in niehter of Tolkien's "meant-to-be" published works?
How can I know if this was only a "scatch" date, and not a more "acurate" date Tolkien thought about later?

I dunno how to make this thing clear. I trust that you understand me...
Sorry if I confuse you,

Bluest Eye

 

[aragil]

BluestEye- I might not be the best one to give advice, as I have never actually read all of HoME myself (although I do own all twelve volumes, finally). I do agree with RD completely, though. I think trying to read through them as one would read through the Lord of the Rings (i.e. in order, in a relatively short amount of time) is the wrong approach. Like you, I tried this with Lost Tales v. 1 and lost interest shortly after. If you want a volume which is more entertaining to read long excerpts from, then I think the general consensus (with which I agree) is that HoME v. 10 (Morgoth's Ring) is the best for this. It has long sections which are not only good reads, but which also cover material completely ignored in the published Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings, such as the relationship between body and spirit in Middle-earth and in what ways the Dark Lord Morgoth differed from the Dark Lord Sauron.

As for what is 'true' and what was just a sketch, I'm afraid that those might be concepts you'll have to abandon in reading HoME. In my personal experience you really can shatter the sense of 'reality' you get from reading LotR by reading HoME. If this is unappealing to you, then I recommend you stay away from vol 6-9, as well as 1-2, 3-4, and possibly 12. However, there is something that you can gain from reading these, and that is further insight into what Tolkien was thinking with his different characters and themes. IMO, by seeing how Tolkien took a rugged Hobbit named Trotter and ended up with the noble Aragorn, you learn a lot more about Aragorn's character. This comes from seeing what Tolkien wrote about him initially, what Tolkien decided to change, and what Tolkien kept in the story. The downside of course is that you stop thinking of Aragorn as a historical figure, and start seeing him as more of a literary character.

 

[Turgon]

Just in counter-point to Aragil's statement, I'd like to say that books 1 and 2 of HoME (The Book of Lost Tales) are among my favourites - book 2 especially so. There is something special in those earliest tales that have always kept me going back to them - actually Part 2 of the Book of Lost Tales. It was the first thing I read after LoTR (before the Silmarillion even!) and the stories inside them stand alone. I would really recommend that you read Lost Tales 2, Bluest Eye, much easier going than the first one. Stories of The Fall of Gondolin, Turin, Beren and Luthien, and the Nauglafring are all told inside. An excellent read.

 

[Thorin]

I agree with both aragil and Turgon...

Morgoth's Ring Vol X is a great read and extremely informative on events of the First Age and before the elves awoke and gives a great chronological time line as well of events and characters...Book of Lost Tales 2, though quite slow and brutal in places, has the most awesome account of the Fall of Gondolin that Sil never even really touches! Tis definitely a page turner.

My suggestion is to read them in terms of category. Vol X and XI are about the history of Silmarillion and are companion volumes (If you liked Sil, you will definitely like those ones), Vols VI-XI are the history of the Lord of the Rings and probably be read together...Book of Lost Tales 1 and 2 could be read together...Vol III, V and XII could be read separately....

I have only read Vols II, X and XI. I own Vols VIII and IX but I don't want to read them until I have read VI and VII....

 

[BluestEye]

Well, thank you all
You realy gave me a good "push" to keep reading the HoME.
I'm at work and I have "Morgoth's Ring" in my bag (not actualy Morgoth's Ring, just the book... )
So I'll start reading it today.

Thanks again,

Bluest Eye

 

[Thorin]

Correction

Originally posted by Thorin
Vols VI-XI are the history of the Lord of the Rings and probably be read together

That should read "Vols VI - IX"....Curse those Roman numerals!

 

[Khamul]

I agree with the statement about BOLT 2 "Fall of Gondolin." I was fascinated by it, and it really is one of those page turners. Much more action than in the Sil. The amount of Balrogs got confusing, until I read the notes about it, though.