Did Tolkien inspire you for reading?

[Alice]

I wonder, if Tolkien inspired some of you for reading books, which somehow are related to his works? For example, for fantasy genre or, which is more related, for reading myths or fairy tales that Tolkien used for his world or just liked.
I was inspired for reading Thomas Malory Arthurian novel, The Wind in the Willows (now one of my favourites), Northern myths, The princess and the Goblin and some medieval poetry. And some fantasy books, of course.

I'm sorry if such thread has already been on this forum

 

[Olorgando]

It's pretty much limited to Beowulf, as far as sources of inspiration for JRRT are concerned. From an early 1990s vacation in Ireland, I brought back two modern reprints of books from the 19th century about Celtic respectively Irish myths, legends and folklore, but that was not a source as per JRRT's own statements. I have a couple of anthologies in honor of JRRT, with mostly shorter stories by a wide variety of authors, but none of these inspired me to delve more deeply into other works by these authors. Fantasy is pretty much limited to JRRT, then a bit of science fiction. But there has just been so much interesting non-fiction stuff that I never felt the need for a change of pace with fiction.

 

[Alice]

It's pretty much limited to Beowulf, as far as sources of inspiration for JRRT are concerned. From an early 1990s vacation in Ireland, I brought back two modern reprints of books from the 19th century about Celtic respectively Irish myths, legends and folklore, but that was not a source as per JRRT's own statements. I have a couple of anthologies in honor of JRRT, with mostly shorter stories by a wide variety of authors, but none of these inspired me to delve more deeply into other works by these authors. Fantasy is pretty much limited to JRRT, then a bit of science fiction. But there has just been so much interesting non-fiction stuff that I never felt the need for a change of pace with fiction.

Maybe he didn't claim that some books were inspiration for him, but he definitely mentioned some which he liked. For example, The Wind in The Willows was almost perfect for him. And there are some similarities between it and The Hobbit, so I'm almost sure that it was a bit inspirational for him. Also he used some mythological races (or creatures?) like dwarves or elves, but re-imagened them, so Northern myths, I suppose, can be counted as an inspirational source

 

[Olorgando]

... so Northern myths, I suppose, can be counted as an inspirational source.

As JRRT has often stated, and often been quoted: The two Eddas, Sagas like the "Völsunga saga" (of which JRRT composed a "new version" edited and published by Christopher T. in 2009 under the title "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún" - not a translation of the original, mind you!), the Finnish Kalevala, especially "The Story of Kullervo", JRRT's adaptation of which was edited and published by noted JRRT scholar Verlyn Flieger under that title in 2015 …
But what I have read of this body of work are almost entirely JRRT's reworkings of such material, not say translations of the originals by other authors. To these reworkings I can add an incomplete go at the Arthurian material (ed. Christopher T. 2013), a Breton lai (ed. Flieger 2016), and when it comes to it JRRT's prose translation of "Beowulf" (ed. Christopher T. 2014). Of the last-mentioned, I have both a German translation and an English one, perhaps with too modern a wording, by Seamus Heaney.
An interesting book on possible sources or inspirations for JRRT is Verlyn Flieger's 1997 "A Question of Time", in which she digs out some highly surprising sources, not the least so by being by 20th-century authors, and not exactly "high literature" ones at that.

 

[Alice]

As JRRT has often stated, and often been quoted: The two Eddas, Sagas like the "Völsunga saga" (of which JRRT composed a "new version" edited and published by Christopher T. in 2009 under the title "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún" - not a translation of the original, mind you!), the Finnish Kalevala, especially "The Story of Kullervo", JRRT's adaptation of which was edited and published by noted JRRT scholar Verlyn Flieger under that title in 2015 …
But what I have read of this body of work are almost entirely JRRT's reworkings of such material, not say translations of the originals by other authors. To these reworkings I can add an incomplete go at the Arthurian material (ed. Christopher T. 2013), a Breton lai (ed. Flieger 2016), and when it comes to it JRRT's prose translation of "Beowulf" (ed. Christopher T. 2014). Of the last-mentioned, I have both a German translation and an English one, perhaps with too modern a wording, by Seamus Heaney.
An interesting book on possible sources or inspirations for JRRT is Verlyn Flieger's 1997 "A Question of Time", in which she digs out some highly surprising sources, not the least so by being by 20th-century authors, and not exactly "high literature" ones at that.

Wow. And do you like his version of Beowulf? I look forward to read it, but always pick the another works. I've read his Story of Kullervo (the word 'Kalevala' is almost an anagram of my real surname, that's a bit funny), Lay of Aotrou and Itroun and gonna read his Arthur (love Malory's epic) and Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun.

Oh, I need to check this book about the sources, though I've already read one about what Tolkien thought about other authors (by Alekseev, I forgot the name)

 

[Barliman]

In spite of Squint Eyed Southerner's concern he expressed to our mom when I was little, that I didn't read much, I was already a voracious reader by time I read the books in the 8th grade.
So that would be a no.
However, he did inspire me to want to open a small village pub and inn. Unfortunately not enough to actually do it.

 

[Alice]

In spite of Squint Eyed Southerner's concern he expressed to our mom when I was little, that I didn't read much, I was already a voracious reader by time I read the books in the 8th grade.
So that would be a no.
However, he did inspire me to want to open a small village pub and inn. Unfortunately not enough to actually do it.

Nice idea! I would like to visit a pub like Green Dragon or something like that.

I read a lot even before Tolkien, but he changed my opinion about the entire literature

 

[Erestor Arcamen]

Tolkien really was my first fantasy series. Before that, I read a lot of sci-fi (still do) and historical fiction. I definitely read a ton of fantasy and sci-fi now with Brandon Sanderson being the author I read the most I think.

 

[Starbrow]

I read a wider variety of fiction before I got hooked on LOTR. Now I read mostly fantasy books.

 

[Olorgando]

... And do you like his version of Beowulf? I look forward to read it, but always pick the another works. ...

Yes I did, very much. But besides that "Beowulf" translation into a prose epic, it also has (at the end) a "folk-tale" version called "Sellic Spell", which seems to have something of a "Kaspar Hauser" or "Mowgli in the Jungle Book" aspect to it. And then, the introductory notes to the commentary, and the commentary itself, run to over 245 pages, while the "Beowulf" proper is all of just over 90 pages ,,,

 

[1stvermont]

I wonder, if Tolkien inspired some of you for reading books, which somehow are related to his works? For example, for fantasy genre or, which is more related, for reading myths or fairy tales that Tolkien used for his world or just liked.
I was inspired for reading Thomas Malory Arthurian novel, The Wind in the Willows (now one of my favourites), Northern myths, The princess and the Goblin and some medieval poetry. And some fantasy books, of course.

I'm sorry if such thread has already been on this forum

He inspired me to read Lewis, Narnia, and to do an in-depth study of the historical medieval time period. As well as Catholicism.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

In spite of Squint Eyed Southerner's concern he expressed to our mom when I was little, that I didn't read much,

Hey, I don't remember that! Are you sure you didn't imagine it?

 

[Alice]

He inspired me to read Lewis, Narnia, and to do an in-depth study of the historical medieval time period. As well as Catholicism.

Wow! I love medieval history too. Not only because of Tolkien, but he helped me not to give up studying this period

 

[1stvermont]

Wow! I love medieval history too. Not only because of Tolkien, but he helped me not to give up studying this period

He helped give me a love of the time period. I am studying it now still.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

My answer to your question is yes.

I was a teenager when the paperbacks came out (yes, I'm old! ), and began gobbling up what fantasy was available -- the Lancer Conan paperbacks come to mind.

But there wasn't really much fantasy around at the time -- it hadn't become a "genre", and readers were few. The case of Andre Norton is instructive in this regard: she wrote some fantasy stories very early -- the 40's and early 50's -- but being informed there was little market for it, turned to Science Fiction. Even the first few of her famous Witch World series from the early 60's were cast as SF.

All this changed with the paperback publication of Tolkien, who is rightly credited with the creation, more or less, of fantasy as a separate genre, with a distinct market. Readers of Tolkien were, like me, looking for more stuff like his, and we received a real boon when Lin Carter signed with Ballantine Books, to locate and edit a new series: the Adult Fantasy books. It was a great series, while it lasted, and introduced young fantasy fans like me to works old and new. There's a short Wiki page here:

Ballantine Adult Fantasy series - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

But if you find it of interest, there are a number of other articles on line, some of which list all books in the series, and show the glorious cover art.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Reading Tolkien and being part of this forum has inspired to start reading books about Tolkien and his works.
I have bought a few books on what you might call northern myths (Arthurian, Icelandic, Germanic) which I hope to read fairly soon. I have read Beowulf and enjoyed it.
Also the Chronicles of Narnia.

 

[1stvermont]

Reading Tolkien and being part of this forum has inspired to start reading books about Tolkien and his works.
I have bought a few books on what you might call northern myths (Arthurian, Icelandic, Germanic) which I hope to read fairly soon. I have read Beowulf and enjoyed it.
Also the Chronicles of Narnia.

I forgot Beowulf and King Arthur. I have not yet read my kids have but they are on my list.

 

[Alice]

I forgot Beowulf and King Arthur. I have not yet read my kids have but they are on my list.

The same with Beowulf. I know the plot, but always forget to read Tolkien's version

 

[Olorgando]

The same with Beowulf. I know the plot, but always forget to read Tolkien's version

I have (and have read) Christopher's 2014 edited edition. By all means read it. JRRT is not seen as one of the preeminent Beowulf authorities of all time without a reason!

 

[Alice]

I have (and have read) Christopher's 2014 edited edition. By all means read it. JRRT is not seen as one of the preeminent Beowulf authorities of all time without a reason!

Oh, I definitely will do that. I guess, it is not translated into Russian so maybe someday I will try to translate it