What One Tolkien Item Would You Save If Your House Were Burning Down?

[frodolives7601]

So I'm sitting here looking at a grocery bag which contains, among other items, my battered paperback copies of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, the same ones that introduced me to Tolkien's world after my dad gave them to me lo these many years ago. Why are they in a bag? Because of the wildfires raging in my part of the country. I don't really think it'll be necessary to evacuate--this time!--but given past experiences, I like to be prepared, so I've bagged up some of my most treasured possessions to take with me just in case I have to leave at some point.

The one gift of this situation is that it's just given me an idea for a question to ask all of you. If your house were burning down and you could only take one Tolkien book or Tolkien-themed item with you, which one would you choose, and why would you pick that one? (Let's say that you can count TH and all three LOTR books together as one item.)

 

[Starbrow]

I would save my box set of LOTR. They are dear old friends of mine and it is so good just to hold them. Even though books are replaceable, I would be sad to lose my copy.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Yeah, probably that for me, too -- the set I showed in the Book Covers thread. I'd want to save that one first edition.

Be safe, Frodolives -- and if you're talking about California, the same goes for our other members there. And all others.

 

[Ealdwyn]

The 30 year old set of LotR that I posted in the book covers thread. It's not a particularly rare version, but it has sentimental value as it's the first nice set I had with the fold-out maps.

 

[frodolives7601]

I would save my box set of LOTR. They are dear old friends of mine and it is so good just to hold them. Even though books are replaceable, I would be sad to lose my copy.

That's how I feel, too. Even if they're all tattered, there's something special about books you've had for a long time.

Yeah, probably that for me, too -- the set I showed in the Book Covers thread. I'd want to save that one first edition.

Be safe, Frodolives -- and if you're talking about California, the same goes for our other members there. And all others.

Thank you, S-eS!

 

[Olorgando]

Thankfully, my wife and I are not in danger of such wildfires - yet. I hope you are spared having to flee from the ones occurring where you live, frodolives7601. But we do live (in southern Germany, Middle Franconia, one of the driest regions) very close to a forest with all too many coniferous trees that are ill-equipped for the droughts we've been having since at least 2015.

I'd be thinking of saving important documents much more than any books, including those by JRRT.

But as per your question - I'm wavering between the 2002 LoTR hardcover edition illustrated by Alan Lee, and an equivalent of by now rare or out-of-print books.

 

[frodolives7601]

Thankfully, my wife and I are not in danger of such wildfires - yet. I hope you are spared having to flee from the ones occurring where you live, frodolives7601. But we do live (in southern Germany, Middle Franconia, one of the driest regions) very close to a forest with all too many coniferous trees that are ill-equipped for the droughts we've been having since at least 2015. I'd be thinking of saving important documents much more than any books, including those by JRRT. But as per your question - I'm wavering between the 2002 LoTR hardcover edition illustrated by Alan Lee, and an equivalent of by now rare or out-of-print books.

Thankfully, my wife and I are not in danger of such wildfires - yet. I hope you are spared having to flee from the ones occurring where you live, frodolives7601. But we do live (in southern Germany, Middle Franconia, one of the driest regions) very close to a forest with all too many coniferous trees that are ill-equipped for the droughts we've been having since at least 2015. I'd be thinking of saving important documents much more than any books, including those by JRRT. But as per your question - I'm wavering between the 2002 LoTR hardcover edition illustrated by Alan Lee, and an equivalent of by now rare or out-of-print books.

(For some reason, your quote above appears twice; I must have hit the wrong key.) Thanks, Olorgando. Having evacuated twice in the last three years, I'm not eager to do it again! I know what you mean about drought worries, especially with forests. Drought has been a major contributing cause of many of the recent fires here. Your point about important documents is a good one; the first time I evacuated, I pulled a bunch of important papers together and put them in one folder so I could carry them easily.

A rare or out-of-print book would definitely be one to take along.

 

[Hisoka Morrow]

Models for board games, CD cracks for games, and model toys such swords I think,these stuff are expensive, and about books..., books works you can read online after all

 

[1stvermont]

My USB drive that holds all the information I have written and saved about Tolkien and Middle-earth.

Crap, I forgot, my war of the ring board game and expansions....... to hard to chose. Nope, I will stick with my original choice.

 

[Elthir]

Tough choice. It would be difficult to let old, beloved editions go!

But orc-blade to my neck and fire at the door, at the moment I'd choose my Indogermanischen Sprachwissenschaft . . . a copy from Tolkien's own library and signed by JRRT in calligraphic hand.

🐾

 

[frodolives7601]

Tough choice. It would be difficult to let old, beloved editions go!

But orc-blade to my neck and fire at the door, at the moment I'd choose my Indogermanischen Sprachwissenschaft . . . a copy from Tolkien's own library and signed by JRRT in calligraphic hand.

🐾

Goodness, yes! What a wonderful book to have! How did you come to own it?

 

[Olorgando]

Goodness, yes! What a wonderful book to have! How did you come to own it?

I'll risk getting hissed at by Elthir of the aliases, but I suppose being an old geezer (similar to myself, you're possibly already too young as a 60s-born) was helpful. I mean, anyone just the odd handful of years beyond Hobbit coming-of-age is just way too young to have been around when such occasions still occurred outside of the Sotheby's or Christie's totally-ridiculous-prices universe. 😁

 

[Elthir]

Frodolives, I got very lucky there -- as, not long after, the seller regretted parting with it.

And I was able to avoid any auction setting, as Gando guessed.

 

[Halasían]

If I have time after grabbing the photo albums, I'd grab my 1st set of paperbacks. They are the early 1970's with the Tolkien art covers.

 

[frodolives7601]

If I have time after grabbing the photo albums, I'd grab my 1st set of paperbacks. They are the early 1970's with the Tolkien art covers.

Mine are, too. They're so worn that the bowl of Tolkien's pipe is missing from the back cover of ROTK!

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

My Folio Society standard LOTR/Hobbit/Silmarillion set. Probably replaceable but it would have to be second hand and Folio sets can be expensive second hand (and less than perfect).

 

[Halasían]

Mine are, too. They're so worn that the bowl of Tolkien's pipe is missing from the back cover of ROTK!

I think I recounted my tale in the 'Book covers' thread. I got a rather distressed set back in the mid 70's after I read the story once. Later when I got married to my 1st wife, she had a near pristine set of the same books that she read once. When we split, I left her my set and took hers. She never did say anything about it So I have a fairly unworn set that only has yellowed edges of the pages from all the cigarette smoke that she generated around them those early years. Kinda adds an 'aged' look to them.

 

[frodolives7601]

I think I recounted my tale in the 'Book covers' thread. I got a rather distressed set back in the mid 70's after I read the story once. Later when I got married to my 1st wife, she had a near pristine set of the same books that she read once. When we split, I left her my set and took hers. She never did say anything about it So I have a fairly unworn set that only has yellowed edges of the pages from all the cigarette smoke that she generated around them those early years. Kinda adds an 'aged' look to them.

That's a great story. I love how the books themselves, the physical objects, can contain their own meaning and history. This is one reason why I'll never be a Kindle person.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Folio sets can be expensive second hand

Boy, I hope you're right -- the way things are going these days, I may have to rely on my collection to stave off homelessness!

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Try looking on ebay or Amazon!

Some familiar friends there!