For the 32.6% of us who are going to explode by the time the films come out, we can try and find some relief in doing other Tolkien-related things to distract ourselves from the movies. Not all of you will have found the audio recording on Tolkien reading from LOTR on Salon.com – that’s always worth a listen just to hear him do Gollum’s voice.[More]
Along the same lines, there’s always the BBC audio version of LOTR on tape, with Ian Holm playing Frodo instead of Bilbo as he does in the film. This is THE classic version. Sam wrote in with good news for British Ringers:
“I noticed in WHSmiths (a big chain in England for books, CD’s, magazines, newspapers, you name it) that they are now selling the 13 tape audio cassette box set for twenty pounds (£20) which if you ask me is a pretty good bargain…whether it’s going for cheaper elsewhere I’ve got no idea…” [Nope, costs about twice as much here even allowing for the exchange rate-T.]
Elsewhere, Rallas alerted me to this:
“Debbie Ridpath Ohi, a Toronto writer and musician, has invited Tolkien fans and foes alike to join her as she wades her way through the yarn that has won the odd accolade as greatest book of the 20th century.” You get to see an experienced writer respond to the book for the first time, and then there’s the responses to her from other people. It’s great to see a skeptic getting gradually drawn in to the story.[More]