Humphrey Carpenter’s excellent biography, Tolkien, was published way back in 1977, and it is still considered the best of its kind. I remember reading it shortly after it came out and learning that in 1911, when Tolkien was a young man of 19, he formed part of a group taking a walking tour in the Swiss Alps. It was his first and only experience of really large mountains, and as he later made clear in several of his letters, the experience inspired the mountain landscapes in his Middle-earth writings.
At the time, I vaguely thought it would be wonderful to take a tour of the places Tolkien and his companions visited, to see exactly what had fired his imagination. Over the years that vague thought occasionally resurfaced, but I never imagined that I would actually be able to do it. Not until December 1, 2012, when TheOneRing.net posted an announcement that there was to be a tour based on that idea: “In the Footsteps of Tolkien.” Continue reading “In Tolkien’s Real Misty Mountains”
There are many places, stories and events which are said to have been influences on J R R Tolkien in his tales of Middle-earth. One which has long intrigued the Professor’s fans is Perrott’s Folly in the West Midlands, England. This extraordinary tower is located in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, near where Tolkien lived as a boy. It is a 96 foot tall structure, built by John Perrott in 1758 for some reason which is unknown today – possibly it was simply a status symbol, though the more romantic belief is that he wanted a building from which he could see his wife’s grave 15 miles away (even though she was still alive when first Perrott built the tower; the sceptics say he was in fact using it to spy on her infidelities…)
You can read more about Perrott’s Folly and its supposed influence on Tolkien here. Normally this strange building is not open to the public; visitors on the Tolkien Trail in Birmingham are turned away, disappointed. However, next Saturday, 26th October, the Folly will be open for a ‘Drawing Event’, organized by Trident Reach the People Charity, which manages the building. The occasion will be a family friendly, experimental art event, where mirrors, odd objects and noise will be used to imagine how Perrott’s Folly might look, sound and function in the future.
The day will run from 11am to 5pm, and is free and open to all. You can read more about it here. If you’re in the area, don’t miss this great opportunity to see inside a landmark which would have been very familiar to J R R Tolkien, and which just might have been a seed for one of his ‘Two Towers’.
To celebrate one year of Happy Hobbit, we will be hosting our first ever live event this Sunday, October 20 at 3PM PT!
So start thinking of questions and topics and get ready to join in the fun and madness! Simply login to Ustream just like you do for TORn Tuesdays and chat away. We look forward to seeing you then!
Every fall, Los Angeles Ringers hold a fabulous Hall of Fire party that features all the things Hobbits, Elves, and Dwarves love most: food, drink, and fabulous costumes. The yard of a private residence in Glendora is transformed for the evening with pavilions representing the Shire, Rohan, and other regions of Middle-earth. You can visit Smaug’s Horde and Gollum’s pool, then relax with a drink at the Flaming Mumak Tavern.
Hosted by Tolkien Forever, the local smial of the Tolkien Society, “costumes are highly encouraged (though not required), and just like the Hall Of Fire from the book, people often bring games to play; sing and play music; and share the art and inspiration that Tolkien has given them.”
If you are in the Los Angeles area, join us this Saturday, October 19, at 6:00pm. Visit the event’s Facebook page and read the event details to RSVP and be sent the party address. The party is open to all, but it is being held at a private home, so you must email the host to receive directions. All ages are welcome, but please be responsible for your children. This a big backyard with a pool in the middle of it. Some parts of the yard are dimly lit. so please be aware of your surroundings. All party attendees must respect the wishes of the home owners at all times.
Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join the fun!
That’s right, Ringers will take over Manhattan NEXT WEEK! The work continues here at TORn headquarters (ie, in our own homes scattered across the globe…) to plan a wonderful event as part of our exciting New York ComicCon weekend. Last week we told you that, at the party, we’ll be giving away two tickets to see Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen on Broadway! Now we can confirm that we will also have some exciting goodies from WETA to give away at the event! We’re keeping this party small – tickets are strictly limited – so attendees have a good chance of winning something awesome!
Your ticket includes your first drink, a finger food buffet, two entries into the raffle, and a fab goody bag. And of course, excellent company in a private room in Manhattan – party like dwarves! (No green food allowed!)
Oh, and we’ve also invited all the Hobbit actors – Sir Ian, Orlando, Stephen Fry – who happen to be in The Big Apple at the moment. Not saying any of them will be there – but they’re invited, so you never know….
Humphrey Carpenter’s excellent biography, Tolkien, was published way back in 1977, and it is still considered the best of its kind. I remember reading it shortly after it came out and learning that in 1911, when Tolkien was a young man of 19, he formed part of a group taking a walking tour in the Swiss Alps. It was his first and only experience of really large mountains, and as he later made clear in several of his letters, the experience inspired the mountain landscapes in his Middle-earth writings.
