Explanation

A few years ago I'd just returned from Portugal (as in, still jet-lagging), and a good friend came to see me and hear of all my travels. He was walking around my room and noticed that I owned a very nice box set of The Hobbit and subsequent Trilogy. He started to admire it, and realized the books inside had not been opened. Spines unbroken, pages still stuck together.

"That's awesome you have this nice edition of Tolkien. Where's your copy that you read?" That's a normal question, for I do have two copies of my favorite book, Gone With the Wind: a hardback 1930-something edition, and then the paperback one that I actually carry around with me and read. My response, surprised him.

"Oh, I haven't read Lord of the Rings yet."

He spun around in horror and ranted and raved about the absurdity of it all. I promised him I would get started on it. I read the Hobbit that summer and realized that I had, in fact, read that book at some time in my life--the story was all too familiar. I began reading Lord of the Rings, and started two grad schools simultaneously. Guess which won out?

That Christmas was when The Fellowship of the Ring came out in theatres. I was about halfway through the book, determined to finish it during winter break. I refused to go see the film until I'd finished the book. I didn't want to be reading the book and find myself (1) waiting for events to occur since I knew of them from the movie and (2) imagining everything in this creative story as it is seen in the film. So I didn't go see The Fellowship of the Ring. I did finish reading it that Christmas, though.

I didn't have time to pick up The Two Towers until summer break, though. I got about halfway through when school picked up again in the fall. That next Christmas--you guessed it--The Two Towers came out in the cinemas. I wanted to see it, I did. But not until I finished the book. Which I never did.

So now, here I am, several years later, only half way through the Trilogy, and never having seen ANY of the films. I probably the only person on the planet in that category. However, I finished the Hobbit last night. (Will someone please explain to me why Bilbo stole the Arkenstone only to give it away and cause strife among his friends and start a humongous war?) I will begin The Fellowship of the Ring today. And I promise (you can hold me to it) not to pick up another fiction until the Trilogy is finished!

Therein lies the reason behind my paucity of posts recently. I've been holed up in the apartment reading.