You & HoME (bit of a survey)

[Confusticated]

I am interested in hearing what caused people to look into HoME, and a few other things.

I'd like to know things such as:

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

If not, which HoME books did you read before reading The Silmarillion?

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

If so, what was it?

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

Do you study real world history?

Have you read UT but none of HoME?

If so, is there any specific reason that you read UT, and if so what is the reason?

The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

What use do you make of HoME:

Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

If yes, to what degree is your approach scholastic? Or any other details, such as: is you approach only scholastic with a certain aspect of Middle-earth - a certain Age, specific tale(s) or people?

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?


Any comments you'd like to add about the HoME?

For those who have not read any of HoME or UT:

Do you plan to?

If so, is there a specific reason?

 

[Beleg]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes.

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

For the Unpublished Epilogue, I went through most of the HOME IX.

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

None of them.

Do you study real world history?

Yup.

The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

Not necessarily, since some of my favorite parts are non-Silmarillion related.

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

Something like this. I prefer to keep the general features of what I have read in my mind.
My favorite age is Third, and my favourite parts are about Numenoreans.

In order,

Hobbit, LOTR, Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Letters, HOME, other writings.


Well, I guess If CT wouldn't have published Silmarillion, which is a much preciser book then UT and HOME, it wouldn't have picqued up this much interest, specially for people who are crazy about Elves/Noldor.

I plan to read HOME I, which IMO is the most difficult part of Tolkien's legendarium.

 

[Aiwendil2]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes.

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

Not really.

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

No, though I do enjoy reading rather much and am moderately interested in literature.

Do you study real world history?

I am interested in history but have not studied it formally to any significant extent.

Have you read UT but none of HoME?

No; I've read all of both.

How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

Interesting question. I read the published Silmarillion when I was very young, and only a few years ago did I read UT and HoMe, so it's difficult for me to judge. I guess I probably would eventually have gotten around to reading HoMe, since I would still have read and loved LotR.

Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.

No. I do use parts of it as reference very often, but not with particular reference to LotR.

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

This was certainly the strongest motivation for my reading it originally. But I am also very interested in the chronology and in CT's commentary.

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

Yes, I take a fairly scholastic approach. Much of this is just from personal interest, but part is also due to various Tolkien-related projects I have been engaged in from time to time.

If yes, to what degree is your approach scholastic? Or any other details, such as: is you approach only scholastic with a certain aspect of Middle-earth - a certain Age, specific tale(s) or people?

I find it hard to make a sharp distinction between the part of my interest that is scholastic and the part that is interested primarily in the texts themselves, as stories. For me, the chronology of the writings, the gradual changes, Christopher's notes, etc. are part of what makes the whole thing enjoyable. I can't really distinguish my enjoyment of the legendarium in this dimension from my enjoyment in the 'within-Arda' dimension.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

I'm interested in everything, but my strongest interest is in the later tales of the First Age (Beren and Luthien, Turin, Tuor, etc.). More broadly speaking, one might say that my chief interest lies in the Silmarillion material as opposed to the Lord of the Rings material.

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion (these three over a span of several years but all when I was very young), Unfinished Tales, HoMe (about eight or nine years after first reading the Silmarillion; all thirteen volumes (including UT) consecutively, over a span of about a year and a half), Letters (not straight through, though I eventually did read every letter).

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

Though the published Silmarillion suffers from a number of problems, I think CT made the right choice in publishing it. First of all, at the time, there was no reason to believe that all the UT/HoMe material could be published. Tolkien may have been popular, but thirteen volumes is a lot to ask of a publisher.

More importantly, though, I think that the Silmarillion deserves to exist as a cohesive narrative. For all its flaws, the published Silmarillion is a great work of literature; a great work of art (though it might have been even greater). To simply throw out the constituent texts would have been to deprive the world of something great.

Of course, with all the constituent texts published, one could in theory construct one's own cohesive Silmarillion. So perhaps my view would be better put thus: I prefer that the Silmarillion exist as a cohesive narrative in some form; the published Silmarillion is flawed, but it is better to have a flawed Silmarillion than none at all.

 

[Melko Belcha]

Originally posted by Nóm
Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

First Age information

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

Interested in literature

Do you study real world history?

Yes, I have always been into studying Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Central and South American history

How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

I still would have read it

What use do you make of HoME:

Research for more understanding of Arda, it gives a deeper look then the other books do

Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.

More for the unanswered questions of The Silmarillion

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

I pay big attention to everything in the books, from the stories to CT's notes and commentary

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

Yes

If yes, to what degree is your approach scholastic? Or any other details, such as: is you approach only scholastic with a certain aspect of Middle-earth - a certain Age, specific tale(s) or people?

I'm really interested in it as a whole, not one part stands out for me more then others, it's the combination of all

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

The less information we have on a subject the more intersted in makes me. I wish there was more information on the time of the Lamps of the Valar, and the war between the Valar and Melkor in the begining

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

The Hobbit, LotR, The Sil, UT, HoME 1-12, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Letters, basically published order

And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

All in order, at the most maybe a week inbetween books

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

I am very thankfull of CT for the published Sil. I look at the published Sil as a collection of stories that are put in the most cohesive order it can. Then HoME series gives you the chance to go back and read the actuall stories

 

[Niniel]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?
Yes

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?
No, I just enjoyed the books I had read a lot and wanted to read more by JRRT.

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?
No, but I am very interested in languages.

Do you study real world history?
Yes.

Have you read UT but none of HoME?
I have read UT, and some of HOME.

The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?
Without the Sil I would not have been interested in the HOME; the Sil is very beautiful and that made me look for more of the same stuff.

Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.
I am reading the whole of it now, and I suppose that later I will use it as a reference book when I need more info about a certain point from LOTR or the Sil.

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?
Yes, the chronology of the writing, however important, is quite boring.

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?
Not really.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?
I am very interested in questions of the creation of Arda and such things as free will vs predestination. Also I like Tolkien's style of writing, the archaic high-sounding language that he uses most in his writings of the first age.

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)
LOTR, Hobbit, Sil, UT, Letters, HOME 1, HOME 4, HOME 2, HOME 3, and I'm reading HOME 5 now.

And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.
LOTR about 9 years ago, Hobbit 4 years ago, and I started reading the rest after I had seen the FOTR movie.

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?
Yes, if I had had to struggle through all the comments in HOME, I would never have liked it. The Sil is good for people who just want to read beautiful stories without too much ado, HOME for people who want to know more about the creation of ME-stories.

 

[jimmyboy]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?
Yes, though I haven't read much at all from HOME. Am planning to acquire some (or all) of the series when resources allow.
Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?
Yes. I was and still am searching for parts of the history of ME and its characters that are not found in LOTR, the Hobbit, the Sil, UT, Tolkien Reader, etc.
Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?
Nope. I was a math/physics major, but I love to read good books, and Tolkien's are the best ever.
Do you study real world history?
Yes indeed! The only non-Holy bible books that I read are historical non-fiction, or the occasional work of fiction, such as Tokien's books.
Have you read UT but none of HoME?
Yes, I've read UT and am currently re-reading some parts of it.
If so, is there any specific reason that you read UT, and if so what is the reason?
I'll quote myself: "I was and still am searching for parts of the history of ME and its characters that are not found in LOTR, the Hobbit, the Sil, UT, Tolkien Reader, etc."
How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?
I still would have read it, because I would still have been looking for more ME info and stories, which is exactly why I first read the Sil.
Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions
Yes, that's exactly it, and for the following reason...
Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales?
Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?
No, I do not deal with it in a "scholarly" way. To me it is a most excellent story, with many many things in it that I can identify with or deeply appreciate. One of the big ones is that it very closely coincides with the biblical account of God, history, humanity, creation, evil beings, and other matters. The only reason I keep in mind names and dates is so that I have a clearer picture of what's happening, why, and when. For me ME stories are food for thought and imagination, and are an excellent read.
What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?
Hmm...not an easy answer to this one. I guess it's the same answer as to the previous question: Tolkien's ME stories resonate very much with me as a Bible believing Christian. My favorite characters are Gandalf and Aragorn, which are both representative of "real" men, who are selfless, faithful, truthful, confident, real about who they are, strong in mind and spirit, wise, and with pure hearts.
In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)
I first read "the Hobbit" back in...lemme see, I think it was 1982-ish. Then I eventually moved on the LOTR, then the Sil, then UT, then the others.
And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.
As stated above, I first read "the Hobbit" in the early 80's, but didn't immediately know of the existence of LOTR or any other ME book. I later found out about LOTR, bought it and began to read it but got distracted. A few years later I came back to it, got completely and utterly hooked, and haven't stopped since.
Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?
Absolutely!! The published version is completely awesome! It can be considered a very long (in scope) story of Middle-earth and it's people. It's basically Part 1 of the LOTR, because everything that happens in LOTR is directly because of what happens in the Sil. The way the stories of the Sil are collected into one book makes it seem like it was written as it is published, and it just works.
Any comments you'd like to add about the HoME?
I can't comment on it any more until I've read more of it.

 

[The-Elf-Herself]

~Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes, twice through.

~Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

Yes.

~If so, what was it?

More information on elven culture.

~Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

Oh yes.

~Do you study real world history?

Yes, as long as it doesn't deal with battle strategies. Everything else is fascinating.

~Have you read UT but none of HoME?

No, I've read the UT and three of the HoME books.

~The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

Um, probably a lot, the Sil. probably helps introduce people to the history of the elves and of Middle Earth and that prompts more research. I know that I would have still gone for the HoME, but I'm an elf junkie and interested in trivial information.

~What use do you make of HoME:

Oh, I read it for trivia and just for the heck of it. Interesting stuff.

~Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.

Well no. I'm not interested in the drafts. What's the point when I can read the finished copy?

~Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

Well, sometimes, although I do like the commentary.

~Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

Yep! Puzzles are fun.

~If yes, to what degree is your approach scholastic? Or any other details, such as: is you approach only scholastic with a certain aspect of Middle-earth - a certain Age, specific tale(s) or people?

Well, I approach the elves scholastically and sociologically. Also the Third Age, that's my favorite of all the ages. I suppose I also focus on the Black Numenoreans, Easterlings, Haradrim, and Corsairs in that manner, like I'm reading a very interesting history book.

~What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

I really like the Silmarillion the best, followed by the Two Towers, Morgoth's Ring, and The Hobbit. I'm fascinated by elves and the wilful/evil/smaller races of men. And Gollum naturally.

~In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

I read the Lord of the Rings, then I read the Silmarillion, followed by the Unfinished Tales, the Hobbit, the Peoples of Middle Earth, Morgoth's Ring, and the War of the Jewels.

~And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

Um, maybe a few weeks to a month.

~Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

Yes I do, because not everyone's a trivia hound like me and the Silmarillion gives them a relatively easy(well it was for me anyways ) read of the history of Middle Earth in one concise volume so they don't have to go searching for the various HoME books(which can be hard to find).

~Any comments you'd like to add about the HoME?

Morgoth's Ring is the best! By far one of the most interesting books I've ever read. *goes back to reread some footnotes*

 

[Ancalima Elen]

Originally posted by Nóm
I am interested in hearing what caused people to look into HoME, and a few other things.

I'd like to know things such as:

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Of course, 'twas that which got me interested in reading UT/HoME.

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

Well, I'm not in college yet, not for another 4 years, but I do love reading.

Do you study real world history?

I like the "stuff" from the beginning of civilization American Revolution, then I like American history up to the Civil War, which is a good thing for school...right?

The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have done so, if not for the publication of the Silmarillion?

I certainly wouldn't have read UT if not for the Sil, and I wouldn't have started HoME if not for UT, so, I guess me....

What use do you make of HoME:

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

That's the one, except I do like CT's notes and commentary, though I mostly read it for the JRRT stuff. The commentaries are great, if not for them I think I would be quite confused on many points, they're just not the central subject of my attention.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

I love it all. The First Age has all my favorite stories in it (other than LotR). I don't know what my primary intrests are, but maybe once I get further into HoME I will....

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

I read The Hobbit first, then LOTR, then LOTR again, then LOTR again, then the Sil, then UT, the Lost Tales 1, then 2, the the Lays of Beleriand, now I'm beginning the Shaping of Middle-earth.

And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

Well, it's different, from The Hobbit to LOTR was probably a few months, then about a year between each LOTR, then I read the Sil basically right after LOTR, then about a month or so later UT, and it's been one right after the other ever since.

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

I like that he published the Silmarillion, it's a good transfer book, it introduces all the stories, where UT/HoME get into detail. And, if you ever just want an overview of a story you don't have to read the whole thing, you can just read a chapter in the Sil, more quickly, and have what you wanted.

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

No, I just wanted to learn more about the stories of the Silmarillion, and the background of LOTR.

 

[baragund]

Whew!! Your "bit of a survey" cover a lot of ground, Nom!
Well, here is my stab at it.


Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes, I read it when it was first publishe and several times since then.

If not, which HoME books did you read before reading The Silmarillion?

N/A

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

No, I simply wanted more stories and information about Middle Earth.

If so, what was it?

N/A

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

I studied Geology and Civil Engineering in college but I do enjoy literature.

Do you study real world history?

Some. As the old saying goes, "truth is stranger than fiction".

Have you read UT but none of HoME?

I read UT twice before starting HoME.

If so, is there any specific reason that you read UT, and if so what is the reason?

Same reason as for reading the HoME series. I just can't seem to get enough of the life and times of ME.

The major question which prompt me to open this thread is: How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

I certainly would have read any additional writings about ME that would have been available after reading LOTR. After my first reading of LOTR, I was so eager to learn more about ME that I would have jumped on anything that would have been available at the time. (The Silmarillion was not yet published the first time I read LOTR.) I would have eagerly read HoME if the published Silmarillion did not exist and if HoME was available.

What use do you make of HoME:

I just enjoy the narratives and descriptions in their own right. The published Silmarillion can be a little dry and dense in places and the HoME paints a more vivid picture of the various characters and places, even if major elements of the stories were altered between some of the older drafts and what was later published.

Do you mostly just use parts of it as reference to look up certain things from time to time that might help you answer questions arising from reading LoTR? For example, The LoTR drafts, and little else.

Well, I'm only about half way through BoLT 2 at the moment. So far, I'm using them just as I would otherwise read a novel for the first time.

Do you mostly just use it to read more Tales? For example, Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. And with little mind to the chronology of the writings and CT's notes and commentary?

Yes, I find the minutia of CT's notes and commentary to be a little tiresome.

Do you take a more scholastic approach to it (even if in addition to the approaches named above), as though it is a puzzle to work on, and pay much mind to dates and Notes?

As far as treating it like a puzzle, I have been finding myself wondering how the more lively and interesting narratives in HoME could be reconciled and integrated with the "correct" descriptions of the published Silmarillion. Somebody could spend a lifetime doing that but, if pulled off properly, it could make a work of literature that reads as well as LOTR but preserves all of the richness and complexity of the published Silmarillion.

If yes, to what degree is your approach scholastic? Or any other details, such as: is you approach only scholastic with a certain aspect of Middle-earth - a certain Age, specific tale(s) or people?

I don't know if my thinking is scholastic or whatever, but I think it is a recognition that the legendarium was very much a work in progress when JRRT passed away and I am beginning to understand how he must have overwhelmed at the sheer size and complexity of what he created as he set out to "fix" things in the story lines.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

That's a tough one. Each of the peoples, ages and places have their own appeal. I really don't have a favorite.

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

The first book I read was The Hobbit, then LOTR, The published Silmarillion, UT, BoLT 1, and now BoLT2. I'm reading Letters at the same time as BoLT2. I plan on plowing my way through the HoME series in numerical order.

And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

My first reading of The Hobbit was in 1975, when I was 12. I read LOTR for the first time about a year later, and then again about a year after that. I read the published Silmarillion in high school, around 1979, and UT when it was first published in 1980-81. My Tolkien involvement died out through college days but picked up when my wife gave me nice hard bound editions of The Hobbit and LOTR in 1987-88. Again, it died out through the 90's and picked up recently when the movies started coming out. It's been all over once I found this forum. I started reading Letters and BoLT this summer.

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

I can't help but think CT rushed publishing The Silmarillion in order to capitalize on the heightened interest in JRRT's writings going on at the time due to his relatively recent (at the time) death. I think he could have done a better job integrating the works together into a single set of books that would make a finished product.

Any comments you'd like to add about the HoME?

Why oh why did JRRT feel like he needed to make up two, three or more versions of names for people and places? It's really confusing and it drives me up the wall!

For those who have not read any of HoME or UT:

Do you plan to?

If so, is there a specific reason?

 

[Elfarmari]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME? If not, which HoME books did you read before reading The Silmarillion?

I got the history of LotR books out of the library right after finishing LotR for the second time, thinking they were stuff that happened (in ME) before LotR, and read little parts of them. After that, I read the Silmarillion and then started reading HoME


Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME? If so, what was it?

In LotR, there are tantalizing little glimpses of a far-off past that fascinated me. After reading LotR, I wanted to know more about the history of Middle Earth, and all the events that had led up to the War of the Ring. After reading the Sil, I wanted to know more about some of the characters and events, specifically Beren, Luthien and especially Tuor and the fall of Gondolin. I also liked Tolkien's poetry and wanted to know if there was anything else he had written.


Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

I love words and reading.


Do you study real world history?
not especially

How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

I would probably have read HoME to find out more about events before LotR, but would not have done so with as clear a purpose, and would probably have read only the Lost Tales and maybe the Lays of Beleriand.


What use do you make of HoME:
I use it for reference, I love reading the tales, am fascinated by following Tolkien's train of thought as the tales developed, love reading the poems or songs in the various volumes, and I think it's really cool how all the development is so logical. So in various ways. . . all of the above.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

The Edain of the First Age, specifically Hurin, Tuor, Beren and Earendil. Also Aragorn and the Dunedain around the time of the LotR.


In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included) And how much time passed between the first reading of one book and the reading of the next one, and the next one... and so on.

I first read the Hobbit two years ago last May, then read LotR a week after that. It took me until September to find the History of LotR books, I read parts and got bored. I found the Silmarillion shortly after that, then read Unfinished Tales because it had a story about Tuor, and then I started reading the HoME books somewhat in order. I have not read the History of LotR books all the way through yet, and I have not read Letters at all.


Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

yes, it provides a story with a wholeness that cannot be gotten directly from HoME. It allows you to simply read the tales one after another simply as stories, without delving into the complexities of Tolkien's myths.

 

[Ithrynluin]

Had you read The Silmarillion before reading your first bits of HoME?

Yes, several times.

Was there specific information that you sought which caused you to read some of HoME?

If so, what was it?

More information on the Ainur and the Elves. Also some other minor tidbits. The thing about HoME that I'm not too fond of, is reading a plethora of different versions of the LoTR and the Sil, because the differences between all these rewritings are minor and this tends to become a rather tedious excercise for me.

Are you an English major, or especially interested in literature?

Yes, and quite.

Do you study real world history?

No, and am not that interested in it.

How many who read HoME would not have doen so, if not for the published Silmarillion?

I think I would have delved into the HoME sooner or later, the published Sil just speed things up radically.

What use do you make of HoME:

I am interested in reading stories about my favourite characters, and discuss them. I am not interested in comparing different versions of manuscripts and sorting out dates and such. That would mostly take out the fun for me.

What are some of your primary interests within Arda? Do you have special interest in a certain book such as LoTR, a specific age or people?

Yes, as I have said above, my primary interests are the Ainur and the Elves. I am enamoured of anything that has even the slightest connection with 'magic', so Men are mostly not my field of interest.

In which order did you read the books? (All published writings by Tolkien that deal with Middle-earth,so Letters included)

The LOTR
The Hobbit
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
The Letters (only those pertaining to Middle Earth, not other matters)
The HoME volumes - I haven't read a whole single volume, but those things that interested me the most from HoME 1, 5, 6-9, 10, 11, 12.

Do you think it was good that CT published The Silmarillion as he did rather than only publishing HoME/UT? If yes or no, why?

Yes it certainly was. Melko Belcha put it very nicely:

I am very thankfull of CT for the published Sil. I look at the published Sil as a collection of stories that are put in the most cohesive order it can. Then HoME series gives you the chance to go back and read the actuall stories.