How Hippies Saved the Lord of the Rings

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Correction: I misrepresented the anecdote about TheOneRing.net founder sneaking onto the LotR set. She already lived in NZ, and only wrote a joking article about sneaking onto set. She was issued a restraining order by overly zealous studio execs, something later corrected by Peter Jackson and his team, when they welcomed her to set. Sorry about the confusion!

[@TrueBlue475]

Yes of course the success of the Lord of the rings books is due to American Hippies loving it and sharing it with the world, that has to be the most arrogant and retarded opinion I've ever heard, what an idiotic thing to think let alone say . I suggest you change your KZbin name to Fulltime Retard, The Lord of the rings is massively successful all across the globe , most of which has never experienced a hippie cultural movement because the themes in the story are recognised by all nationalities and cultures, not just a bunch of tripped out, high as a kite american hippies

[@thomasbaader6629]

Funny. A catholic, conservative, monarchist author (and a very likeable one) wrote a book loved by hippies.

[@ZrodyApo]

@@TrueBlue475 yes, not to forget a certain german ideology around the 40s that tried to appropriate the themes of the books to further their own "superior" ideology of which Tolkien was firmly against and opposed publicly. What's funny is that the same "superior" ideology still wants to appropriate Tolkien writings to this day 😇

[@marykayryan7891]

@@thomasbaader6629 Very good point. Just goes to show you that art is bigger than the artist necessarily intends.

[@simontmn]

@@ZrodyApo I think you have the timeline mixed up. LOTR published 29 July 1954.

[@StephenKnight-sv3sl]

I was 20 years old in 1973. I was in the Army and stationed in Michigan. All my friends and family were in the South. I was married at the time and my so-called wife came up from Tennessee, stayed a few weeks, got homesick and left. To say the least, I was in a depressive state. An Army buddy of mine told me about the Lord of the Rings. I remember how vividly he described the Ring Wraiths. I borrowed the books from him and absolutely devoured the novel. It was the ultimate escape for me. It was therapeutic. I now reread the LOTR every ten years. The books helped me through a difficult part of my life.

[@judithgockel1001]

I was born early in America’s entry into WWII, and by the time Tolkien came to my attention, the parallels to the world’s experience of battling good versus evil were in our bones. To me, it was originally a ‘war story’. These perceptions extended and grew into appreciation of the simple and potentially joyous lives of un-powerful folk, and the burdens of those tasked with greater fates. Re-reading today, none of the richness and the power has been lost. Long may it flourish.

[@globalist1990]

It also served both sides of ww2, depending which side would be the victor. It could be read differently on both outcomes. Imo.

[@derekatkins4800]

When asked whether World War I and World War II influenced his books Tolkien denied this being the case, but when one looks at the stories themselves, I think it’s pretty obvious that those two wars very much influenced Tolkien’s work. I believe Tolkien was sincere in his denial, but it is hard to believe that the two World Wars didn’t have some kind of influence on Tolkien’s thinking and outlook on the world, much less on his stories.

[@toweypat]

I firmly believe LOTR is the definitive novelization of World War Two.

[@threeofeight197]

@@globalist1990 To me it was also general. The “everyday” person versus the “military industrial complex”. Sauroman pumps out his new improved soldiers and clears the forests for war, no matter the cost because Sauron told him to. All for one man, one entity, to gain power at the cost of everyone and everything.

[@ChetJang]

I remember people thought Sauron was actually representing Hitler which Tolkien denied but it was an odd coincidence that the evil villains were in so many ways similar. Just replace the Nazgul with the SS or the Gestapo.

[@thomashancock4102]

I am 70 years old and I first read the books when I was in my teens and fell in love with them. Everything you mentioned about the original fandom I did. I was a member of the Tolkien Society, went to the first convention, wrote my sister letters in “elvish “, bought all the books and posters, the record of songs with the professor reciting his poems, etc. I even still have my Frodo Lives and Go Go Gandalf buttons. You must understand that at that time (the 70’s) this was all considered “weird “. It wasn’t until much later it became mainstream. I think the Star Trek and Star Wars fandoms and especially D&D made it acceptable. Of course all those boomer hippies growing up and having kids helped too,

[@FaithfulHorrorhound]

You just beat all us nerds! 😂

[@19mindmechanic55]

I would suggest that the popularity of the Harry Potter books and movies also helped prepare the ground.

[@superhetoric]

​@@19mindmechanic55definitely

[@Theomite]

Mostly Star Trek and STAR WARS. D&D was never cool for the mainstream until at least the late 90s because by then, CCGs like Magic: The Gathering were starting to gain traction. It was mostly the sci-fi movies of the late 90s that laid the groundwork. The STAR WARS prequels were HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE in 1999. It was virtually all anybody could talk about until EPISODE I was released.

[@dombelardo4909]

bravo thomas

[@jamiephillips5350]

Lovely elucidation. I read Tolkien first in 1977 and he changed my life. I was poor and moved by chance to a town with a library and read a free copy as a result. It set my mind in fire and I began reading everything I could to get that hit again. It never quite happened, but in the process all this reading altered my brain for the better and gave me a chance to break out of poverty. I am now a Professor of Philosophy and teach a course on the Philosophy of Tolkien. It is one of the honors of my life that I can now honor him and keep his thoughts alive in the young. Thank you for this video.

[@bcaye]

Same here, it was '75 in my elementary school library. Enjoyed those books, Madelyn LeEngle and the Lion,Witch and the Wardrobe series. I always have enjoyed scifi, fantasy and alternate worlds.

[@BC-ui9yt]

I would love to have the chance to study Tolkien's philosophy. I am insanely jealous that you get to do so! (In a good way, of course)

[@jeffreyjeziorski1480]

I hope you have read The Count of Monte Cristo. I read it in 5th grade, and I was hooked on reading for the rest of my life.

[@Javaman92]

I had read the books a few years before you, they also changed my life. My leaving home with nothing but a pack on my back on a 800 mile adventure I believe was a direct result of the fire the books ignited. It seems I have finally settled down now. At least I think so.

[@revbenf6870]

Thank you for posting your very moving story. Tolkien has shaped my life too in significant ways.

[@carolinec3951]

I was a child in the 1970s and remember the paperback editions. I read them. My family and friends poured over the books, passing them around. In fact, my much older cousin was basically illiterate, but taught himself to read so he could read those books. Afterwards he loved language so much that he began writing poetry. Strangely endearing for a Midwest farmer’s boy. The impact of these books on people’s lives cannot be overstated.

[@gregbrooke3945]

The Hobbit was assigned reading for high school freshman (1969 for me). Through that, the LOTR became part of our spaced out, collected unconscious.

[@stefanlaskowski6660]

We read it as a class in 7th grade, the teacher reading part of each chapter and then having students finish the chapter. I liked that part because I've always been a good reader and could sight read easily. I read it again, along with LotR, a couple years later and have reread it all many, many times

[@korganrocks3995]

Pratchett sure had a way with words, that Fuji quote was great!

[@l.e.b.3541]

I'm not a very sentimental man. But the first thing in my live - that I really remember - is my father sitting on a big desk in my room reading Lord of the Rings to me. I know it was not the first book he read to me, but it was the first one where I vividly remember everything. I never read Lotr myself (since I can recollect it almost from memory) When someday I'll have kids myself, I'll do the same for them. I'm also too young for the original Tolkien-craze but heard alot from Paps about it. In Austria, Tolkiens works were almost nonexistent, so most of my friends where baffled when the movies came out that I already knew all and anything about it :) Well anyway: Have a nice day & greetings from Austria!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

This is so sweet! Thanks for sharing!

[@Serai3]

_don't say it, don't say it, don't say it..._ 😆 Seriously, though, that is so cool. Being read to is one of the great joys of childhood; it must have been amazing to have this book be the first you remember.

[@rikk319]

@@Serai3 I read it to my brothers when I was a teen, to my wife when we were dating, and to my son when he was 9. Sharing Tolkien is definitely one of life's pleasures.

[@chibip6]

I remember going to see the LOTR trilogy in the theaters and how proud and nostalgic I felt. My mom read me the books as a child in the early 90s. I was a late in life baby and she was one of the hippies you spoke of who was introduced to Tolkien’s works in the 60s. It’s been something very formative for me, influenced my interests and even my morals to some degree. I can never thank you enough Mom. You shared everything with me.

[@nordicsoundchannel]

As a hippie who loves Tolkien, I've never actually considered drawing the parallel you have here and I feel more self aware. Great video.

[@itsirrelephantman]

@@inzane1260 lotr has always been part of stoner culture.

[@dickrichard626]

​@@inzane1260 A hippie that doesn't smoke weed is not a very good hippie. 😂 There has never been hippies that don't do drugs. Your trippin'. Real Hippies that are commited to being a hippy always smoke weed and has a hook for psychedelic.

[@Misses-Hippy]

@@inzane1260I am from the 50's - still a hippy.

[@beeeeeesbury]

​@@inzane1260 real hippies don't gatekeep the culture based on age... 🙄

[@NerdySabbath]

​@@inzane1260 You seem like a lame hippie my man. Alota of wallflowers either sold out & become bootlickers in the 80s or got put away. But even them would judge you for being uptight ta bud

[@bradwitt4672]

My first connection with LOTR was at age 23 in 1968 in Dong Tam, Vietnam. I came across a 105 Howitzer artillery crew. They had painted "Frodo Lives" on the barrel of their cannon. I first read The Hobbit & the trilogy in 1970 when I returned to college. I'm currently on my 6th reading and although I really enjoy Peter Jackson's work, I enjoy the books more. After all, he couldn't film everything and left out characters like Tom Bombadil and much of the minutiae that makes this epic... well, epic.

[@seldom7veils623]

1969 is the date on my well-worn paperbacks. It was also the year my older brother told me about The Hobbit. Immediately charmed, I ultimately read the entire series 7 times and saw the Bakshi movie on the big screen at a midnight cinema. I was convinced that no one could ever make a worthy LOTR movie. Then Peter Jackson rocked my world. Your attractive presence and extraordinary talent for such engaging and enlightened videos have made me a real fan. Thank you for being here!

[@aaronbecker5617]

As a longtime fantasy fan who was often disappointed I wasn't expecting much. Went to the show with my wife at the time and my brothers and this wasn't long after 9/11 and people were really looking for a hopeful escape and boy was I blown away by the first film. I've seen a lot of movies but going to the Fellowship of the Ring was an experience

[@fredbays]

yes

[@Theomite]

I was shocked at how immersive the film was. I disagreed with some of the filmmaking techniques, but there was no denying that you felt that Middle-Earth was a real place and there was very little suspension of disbelief required. That was a very pleasant surprise.

[@specialnewb9821]

I cried at the end because my overwhelming feeling was "they didn't fuck it up." Was a teen at the time.

[@NickBR57]

Well, every Tolkien fan should read all the books really. Tree and Leaf, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Farmer Giles of Ham etc. Most of all, The Silmarillion. When I first read The Silmarillion I found it hard to get into but it has given me much insight. Now, I read The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings at least every 18 months. The History of Middle Earth is essential reading too. I am so glad your channel came up in my feed yesterday.

[@mikearchibald744]

The Children of Hurin was on the NY bestseller list for half a year.

[@mizzlchieizzl]

The Silmarillion is challenging but reigns as my top favorite fantasy work by far now, for sure.

[@NickBR57]

@Matt Chiesi I would not disagree. Yes it takes some effort first . boy is it worth it!

[@Serai3]

One cannot say one is a Tolkien fan without reading the books. They are what his work is about, and he turned down movie offers himself. The story in the movies is a wonderful _version_ of The Lord of the Rings, but it is not Tolkien's story. So the books are necessary, and the ancillary ones, like the biography and _Letters_ add a lot to one's understanding as well.

[@mikearchibald744]

@@mizzlchieizzl Someday there will be a cataclysm and in the future they will find it and think it was one of our main religions. I'm sure one reason he wrote it is that even though a christian he kind of figured "Six days and the world is just made.....thats the whole thing?" They'll start a whole new space race to find that silmaril up in the sky!

[@kellyfrench]

I'm in my 50's and your video moved me to share a Tolkien story from my past. I first read the Hobbit in Jr High / High School and attempted a first read of the Silmarillion after college in the 90's but it took a second try to finish it. I was very wary of the Peter Jackson movies knowing the poor track record the material had in previous attempts but my colleagues at work all looked forward to seeing the story on the big screen. When the Fellowship eased our fears we really jumped into it full blast, even naming our department's local Wiki server "Arda'; so, yes the 2000's movies were a huge thing in culture. We argued about the bits left out and why the scene with Aragorn and the warg (if memory serves) was inserted but still reveled in how such a great story was being greeted by the wider audience. The story from my past is small but I wonder if anyone else experienced something similar. As I was reading TLotR I kept having a strong since of deja vu and couldn't for the life of me figure out why, I knew for a fact that I had never read the story before and there aren't many others like it so there was no way I would have forgotten as a 12-14 year-old that I had read such an epic previously. When I reached the scene where Eowyn strikes the Witch King, it stuck me so clearly that I stopped reading and shouted out loud, "Aaaah, now I know why this is familiar!". In the 70's my parents had many family friends and some would stay awhile with us; one in particular named Tom Tuffin (I couldn't make up a name like that but it was very fitting and I'm not entirely convinced he isn't related to Bombadil) who would read to my and my brothers every night. Even though we were not even 10 yet, he chose Tolkien's epic for our storytime. We were happy to have someone read to use and didn't really attach any significance to which story it was, so I guess he figured why not read something he wanted to read anyway. This is why I jumped at the chance to read the full Harry Potter series to my daughter when she was of that age. Thanks for giving me an opportunity to share this small memory with folks who might appreciate it.

[@LabGoats]

Love this story

[@pendragon2012]

I remember when you had to go to the back of the bookstore to Fantasy and Sci-Fi and look under Tolkien to find the books. There were no Tolkien Tables up front or movie tie ins, lol. I'm glad the work got its recognition--I actually read it in 6th grade because I'd heard it was 9th grade required reading and needed to prove I could do it! Another great video, Jess!

[@Zhohan-]

I was late to Tolkien. I only watched the extended trilogy films with my brother at 14 after years of putting it off. We were both completely blown away. Frodo's farewell at Mithlond had me crying as hard as Sam. I knew that Tolkien had put considerable work into making the languages of Middle-earth come to life, and this kindled my immense love for history and later archeology and anthropology. Tolkien took so much inspiration from what we call the Dark Ages. There is a ton of Saxon and Frisian influence in the style of speech of Men and their cultures. Fantasy after all is an inspiration of our past. The LOTR trilogy will forever remind me of the countless human stories that have since been forgotten. We're really not so different from our ancestors. I am sure his work will be analyzed a thousand years from now like Chaucer and epics like Beowulf. It's the most beautiful world anyone has ever dreamed of.

[@bobnolin9155]

I spent a summer in the early 70's putting a roof on with an older kid, a hippie, and he told me the story of LOTR little by little, until I had to read it myself. Nobody had heard of it, back then.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

That sounds like a great summer!

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

Yeah, when I 1st read LotR, it was around 77-78 & I was in junior high. All through Junior high & high school, LotR, Elric, Conan, Shannara & Fafhrd & the Gray Mouser stories weren’t the kind of books you wanted to get caught with, as most people, even the stoner kids, would make fun of you for reading a book about elves & dwarves. Don’t even get me started on D&D, lol..

[@The_Gallowglass]

Bob Nolin what did you think of the book after you read it?

[@RoelvanDeventer]

I'm still stunned dnd is somewhat mainstream now.

[@Historian212]

Nobody had heard of it in the early 70s? Absurd statement. I was in high school in 1970. LOTR was very popular. What’s now called “the sixties” actually encompassed the early 70s, and my nerdy, sci-fi loving, sword-and-sorcery friends and family were all into it. A few years on, we started something called fantasy roll-playing games, which was popularized by the makers of D&D-which games continued to be popular in the 80s. Which were the precursors to fantasy-themed video games and all that’s come since. If your “hippie” friend (real hippies didn’t use that term until they adopted it from establishment journalists who first coined it) told you that, he was mistaken.

[@tomenrico6199]

I was born in 1952, just a couple of years before the original publication of “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Thirteen years later, I was in 9th grade when the paperback editions of the trilogy were released in America. I was already a science fiction fan by then, especially of authors like Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein. I don't remember exactly how I was first introduced to Tolkien's work, but I became a huge fan. I essentially reread the entire trilogy every year for seven straight years, throughout high school and college. LOTR was the subject of two term papers I wrote, one when I was a senior in high school, and the second in a college composition and literature class. I have remained a fan into adulthood, parenthood and now old age. Certainly, it's one of my favorite literary works. (Though not #1. My favorite book and my favorite movie of all time are both “To Kill a Mockingbird.”)

[@masonthomas6147]

I also grew up with the Peter Jackson films in the 2000s, and while they were absolutely foundational to my childhood, I almost wish I didn’t know how the story ended so young. When I was a teenager and started to realize how deep the story is, especially Frodo’s character and why he had to leave to the west, it made the final scenes so much more impactful. Part of me wishes I had the understanding to get that all the first time, but that would also mean missing Legolas taking down an Oliphaunt by himself so you win some you lose some

[@toweypat]

A great work such as this requires multiple revisitations, so either way you were going to miss something.

[@mikhailjeffers7378]

I I'll😅

[@martin_goodlad]

I was born in 1986, and was a teenager when the Peter Jackson Films were released. I had already read the trilogy multiple times by then. It took me a long time to watch the films. As for the idea of the “Marvelizing” of Tolkiens works, I realized that I can choose to enjoy whatever I enjoy and leave anything else for others. My love of the stories and writing doesn’t prevent others from enjoying an expanded universe even if I wish not to consume it. I’m glad your channel is doing well. Your videos are a treasure

[@Draconisrex1]

Also, you are really, really good at this. Much better many bigger channels that go into Tolkien literature. You're the first one whose actually said something I didn't know (the Tom Bombadil book).

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I really appreciate that!

[@Catherine_Longstaff]

As a Tolkien nerd, I love your channel! I read “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion” when I was 14, and it’s safe to say it changed my life. On a different note, a Tolkien adaptation I would love to see you react to is the Russian musical “Finrod the Rock Opera.” It’s really something else.

[@BC-ui9yt]

I started to watch that a few years ago. I don't do enough drugs to have stuck with it :)

[@Draconisrex1]

Yes, it was quite the hippie favored book. So was Heinlien's 'Stranger in a Strange Land.' As for LotR, I had two hippie high school teachers that turned me on the books '76. I had read the Hobbit back in 5th grade but had never heard of the LotR. I also read Farmer Giles of Ham and Smith of Wooten Major. Did not read the Tom Bombadil book as I'd never heard of it until a week ago when I ran into you channel.

[@alansalmi]

A friend of mine actually found a religion based on Stranger, in a strange land. Look up “the church of all worlds “!

[@stevenhill2204]

Your knowledge of, and appreciation for Tolkien's works is nothing short of inspiring and hopeful. I was first introduced to Tolkien and the Hobbit in AP English in 8th grade in 1973. (Seems weird to write that. I was an otherwise pretty poor student) The following year brought The LOTR, and it was literally life-altering. Our teacher truly understood the magnificence and brilliance of the works, and the deep humanity of them, which not only gave us full appreciation of Tolkien; but also taught us how to comprehend and relate to other great pieces of literature. I've read The Hobbit and The LOTR at least 14 times, The Silmarillion probably 6, and some of Tolkien's lesser known works a few times each as well. Every reading continues to unveil greater texture and depth of the worlds, peoples, cultures and histories he birthed. It's simply astounding what he accomplished. It's been over 10 years since I last delved into those worlds. Like Bilbo in the films who stated as he boarded the Elven ship to the West: I think I am "quite ready" for the adventure of immersing myself in these books yet again.

[@grokeffer6226]

I started reading Tolkien in about "67 or "68 at the age of seven or eight. My older brothers were Tolkien reading, Led Zeppelin/Beatles listening, Long Hairs. I immediately became hooked and gobbled up anything similar as soon as I could acquire it. Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Michael Moorcock, and Fritz Leiber were amongst my favorites, with a few titles from other writers. I still enjoy re-reading from the genre fairly often, although I don't read nearly as much as I used to, and I tend to read Science Fiction more than Sword and Sorcery these days.

[@michaelalderman6815]

The cover story of the July 7, 1967, edition of Time Magazine was “The Hippies.” It contained an off-hand reference to “J.R.R. Tolkien’s Hobbits (with their quirky gentleness and hairy toes,” along with an illustration of a hobbit. That brief reference intrigued my 14 year old self and I quickly acquired and read The Hobbit. I bought the Ballantine paperbacks with their weird covers and devoured them. Here I am, more than fifty years later, and the old professor’s work still speaks to me. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve reread The Lord of the Rings. I recently listened to the whole thing (including the appendices) on Audible, and there were passages that made me tear up. It is truly a work for the ages.

[@johngrenier3265]

im a last year boomer (64) and i first read LotR as a middle schooler, so did most of my friends , from books passed around in school. these were books well beyond our years , and the was a lot of struggling to understand , and referring to the dictionary , yet through it all , i believe that my reading level and comprehension soared as i poured over these books... and while i feel the movies were awesome , i also feel that there is something missing , while at the same time being all too present. fantasy is really just a shadow until you see it on a screen. my daydreams were better. anyways i left the rings , still hungry , i found stephen r donaldson (dark) , and later terry pratchett to take up the torch and pratchett added a thick humor that was just what i needed. ive also been led to study history and lore from this .... and i am very happy to see a young person eagerly delving deep into this mythos

[@cyberoptic5757]

I still to this day, re-read the LOTR. One startling point: each and every time I read I find new words to learn and look up. One example is gorse. How about rill? Each word precisely placed and doing a pinpoint description of a locale. The depth and detail continue to amaze

[@johnnym2503]

I got your Tom Bombadil video recommended, so I'm one of the people your channel blew up to, and I'm so grateful for that. I've loved Lord of The Rings all my life, re-reading the books every now and again, although like you, I first fell in love with the movie adaptation. Now I'm binge-watching your videos, your analysis, thoughts, and commentary has brought me back to revisit Tolkien's work, and marvel at how after reading it so many times, I can still discover new themes, details, and keep enjoying one of my favorite works of art with a peek through someone else's eyes. I hope your channel keeps growing, and you have the most happy, hobbity time making these videos!

[@extrakryspy]

I whole heartedly echo this sentiment. I'm am also a new subscriber and love love love this channel!

[@JeanZGerman]

I was around for the Peter Jackson Trilogy. I believe what made the hype at that time so different was that everyone said that a proper adaptation of LOTR could never be filmed. Everyone thought that it would be too expensive and not feasible. So essentially, this was the book that everyone had in their head, finally brought to life. Even for me, I had never heard of LOTR until the movies, but when I saw them, they looked like the world of the fantasy video games (that I grew up playing) brought to the big screen. I was blown away.

[@richardjohnston-bell476]

I first read LOTR as an 11 year old in the early 80's. I agree that the prevailing thought at the time was that it could never be put into a proper film. I was so excited when it was finally done. Although I had to admit it was hard to watch at first because the missing parts were distracting - no Old Forest, Old Man Willow, Goldberry, Tom Bombadillo or barrow wights, like WTF, it took me half the film to come to grips with that. It also didnt quite match what had been in my head for 18 years. I also played a lot of D&D as a kid, which was like living in LOTR and I was probably influenced by that art imagery of what the LOTR world looked like.

[@korganrocks3995]

Yeah, I first read it in the early 90s and didn't expect to live long enough to see a proper film adaptation, so to get one within the decade was mind-blowing, especially since it actually delivered! There are things about the movies that bother me now, after many years and many viewings, but at the time they exceeded even my wildest hopes.

[@dsvet]

​@@richardjohnston-bell476AD&D kid here as well!!

[@jarlbregadan914]

I was 11, the Fellowship movie was about to come out and my mom gave me The Silmarillion for Children's Day (it's in August here in Argentina). She had gone the to bookstore and told the store's employee that I loved Harry Potter, fantasy and mythology, and THE ABSOLUTE MAD LAD sold her The Silmarillion, for a kid. I picked it up, skipped Christopher's introduction and understood nothing of the Ainulindalë. I went back and read the introduction, got The Lord of The Rings ending spoiled and understood this was not just fantasy, this was a man CREATING mythology. I knew that Frodo had succeeded, that Gandalf came back as The White, that Sauron Fell and did not care one bit for all these spoilers because before me was the fact that just one man had created and entire world, with its own history, races, languages and geography almost ab nihilo. Then it all started to unfold for me, chapter after chapeter, I was addicted (despite the fact that I had to do multiple re-reads to understand the prose). I was in love with Arda, and now 23 years later, I am still.

[@michaelfisher7170]

Too young to be a hippy...but was introduced to Tolkien when my fifth grad teacher read The Hobbit to the class. I loved the story and bought my own copy. Then in junior high my best friend let me know he was reading another Tolkien story. Went to the same small town used book store and purchased the Fellowship of the Ring. Those old paperback copies were my constant companions and I read them over and over till they fell apart. Personally, middle earth became my vibe and Tolkien a hero for showing it to me. Now I'm pushing sixty. Tolkien channels fill my KZbin subscription list, my daughter is a confirmed Tolkien nerd like dad, and it still ranks as my favorite work of literature...although I do nod toward Frank Herbert for his Dune world building genius. And too this day I still envy youth who are just discovering Tolkiens works and experiencing them for the first time. Huh...nostalgia!

[@laurelcarney6044]

Born in 1955, I was introduced to Tolkien in Junior High. I became obsessed! If you remember Fahrenheit 451 (?), members of the underground would memorize books so they wouldn't be lost. I was determined to memorize The Fellowship of the Ring so it would not be lost. Every time an attempt was made to make a film I hurried to see it only to be vastly disappointed in the outcome. Finally Peter Jackson was able to use technology to satisfy my longings. This is my first time seeing your channel and I will follow it gratefully. Being only 4" 10' I truly believe I am a Hobbit. Continue your great work.

[@Mr.RobotHead]

This isn't the first time I've heard about hippies "saving" Lord of the Rings, but it is possibly the best overviews of how it happened that I've read/watched. Also, since I only stumbled across your channel a couple of weeks ago, and since you mentioned my all-time favorite Tolkien work, I'm gonna go watch your video on Farmer Giles of Ham now.

[@jamesgalbreath343]

Huge thanks for this delightful look back at the Tolkien phenomenon! My wife and I were in college when Frodo Lives buttons appeared on campus in 1968. Though poor students, we scraped up the money to purchase the Hobbit, got entranced, and immediately snared that first legit paperback of the Trilogy. I recognized the art work in your video. We went on to name our canoe, a few dogs, and some vehicles from Middle Earth characters. A huge highlight has been our "anniversary cruise" around NZ that included a visit to the Hobbit village. We read the whole 4 books out loud to our children at least 3 times! My son read it to his son, too. I appreciate the memories!

[@pamelawelch5955]

I got chills watching this video. Good chills. Remembrance of some of the most important parts of my childhood. I have those ACE paperback books when they first came out. My father ( English Literature professor) got them for me and I was immediately hooked. I remember having the second book open and ready to continue the next part and then being horrified that I had to wait. And then being so immersed in that part that when the narrative moved to the next part I was mad to leave the previous part. AMAZING writing!!! Kept me on the edge of my seat and loving every moment. This video reminds me of that joy...that love....that total immersion. Such a good feeling. Thank you!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm so glad I could remind you of some of that joy!

[@bionicRod]

I just found you but must say you are now my favorite Tolkein related youtube channel. Your topics are interestint and your scripts are incredibly well written and thoughtful. Kudos.

[@obadiah_v]

As a fan who discovered The Hobbit and LOTR in high school in the early 80s I think you did a great job there. I remember when the Jackson movies were coming out they started to advertise which movies would show the trailers for them before hand (internet trailers were slow to download and grainy). I went with friends to one of those films, watched the trailer for Fellowship and left.

[@mikearchibald744]

I hated Jacksons movies, not sure if thats what you meant, but what a butcher job that turned into.

[@torbenkristiansen2742]

Hello! Another older cultist here. Part time Dwarf, 1969. Thanks for awakening the nostalgia in such a beautiful manner. The articulation was unusually vibrant. In conjunction with the accessories and environment. In the time ( age? ) before the internet, when nobody in the public knew about these books yet, it was an adventure in itself to dig "The Hobbit" out from the adult section of the Library as a kid, under protest, because the local library in Norway had no idea the book was meant for children. Even though the job of librarian requires a higher degree of education. But she was most helpful, otherwise. And prepared a selection of books, for my biweekly visitations. It was probably the unusual nature of this particular volume that caused the misplacement. Other books like "The Earthsea Trilogy" by Ursula Le Guin, was more clearly labeled for a younger audience. And they had their own dedicated section. Hence the confusion. Knowledge was very compartmentalized in those days. You had to access it physically, and only through certain channels. Eventually the paper back editions for" The Lord of the Rings" hit the kiosks ( 1980 ). Quaint little stores selling books and sweets, and a limited selection of fast food. And so the game was afoot. Had to fight with my father on the northern bound long distance passenger train, in order to read the first volume of "The Lord of the Rings". Interesting times! Even though the books *probably* appeared more than fashionably late in the darkness of the northern wastes. For "The Silmarillion", I had to find it in another library later, and it was not translated. So had to learn English there and then to actually be able to read it. With a physical dictionary and an old style type writer, to directly translate a certain chapter ( Of Aule and Yavanna ). Motivation is the best teacher! It was very important to learn about the creation of Dwarves you see. It became quite the obsession! Sadly my mother was tasked with copying the map of that book at her workplace, and she ripped it out of the library book! I was horrified! And shocked. Oh, and I also kept the map. Because delivering the pieces did not sound like a great idea. On.. paper. Regarding copyright laws, graphic novels ( comics ) appeared in Europe ( artist name Luis Bermejo, the year was 1979 ) based on the animated Ralph Bakshi production. The copyright holder was located in the US ( Tolkien Enterprises. California ), but not allowed to publish it domestically. Found out when trying to discuss the art within, with people from America. They had never heard about it. And so another mystery had to be solved. The art was quite stunning. The lore consistency not quite there. Ocs greeting Gandalf at Isengard, like it was normal procedure. No suspicion at all! A source of unintended laughs, and jokes. 🙂

[@SveninColorado]

I bought my first copy of Tolkien's LOTR trilogy in 1967. I was immediately hooked. Since then, an Autumn does not go by when I don't pull out "The Hobbit" and the trilogy for a good read. I've read and studied"The Silmarillion" and most all of Tolkien's adjunct writings. Reading Tolkien nudged me into reading C. S.Lewis and George MacDonald fantasy works... To say that Tolkien has influenced my whole adult life is an understatement. Thank you for adding your studies and interpretations to the continuing life of Middle Earth!

[@retcutter10]

We probably bought the same copies.

[@revbenf6870]

I've watched two of your videos and thoroughly enjoyed them, the first one on Sam brought me to tears. From discovering the Hobbit tucked into a bookcase in a guesthouse all the way in Africa, I was about 10 or 11 years old, to the heartbreak of it ending, to the great joy of being told that the story continued and there were 3 more books. I devoured them and reread them many times much to my family's confusion and even dusgust, and I now also love the movies and regularly watch them. Thank you for the research you've done and the clear and compelling content of your work. Keep it up!!!

[@geraldmcbride1193]

Hey, thanks so much for this really excellent dive into the cultural roots of LOTR. I read it for the first (but not last) time in the early 70's, it's stuck with me my entire life. There are a zillion good presenters covering Tolkien topics, but you really stand out because of your passion, insight, and love of the work. You also stand out because of you bravery and willingness to make an impact on the world. I wish you great success, and with regard to your literary pursuits: May the road go every on and on, out from the door where it began... May you take the road that runs, west of the moon, east of the sun...

[@nancyhayes9958]

I didn’t think about it until I saw your video, but I was just barely too late for the 1966 mania; however, I benefited from it. In sixth grade, in the early 70s, my English teacher read us a chapter from the Hobbit every Friday afternoon. I loved it, and asked Mom to buy me a copy. She also bought me LOTR. After a few false starts, I finally got to Bree and never looked back. I took Fantasy as an English elective on high school (LOTR, Narnia, and Mary Stewart’s Merlin series), and eventually ended up getting an MA in English Lit with my thesis on Tolkien. It was the first time my university allowed a scholastic thesis on a fantasy author. During that time Butterburr’s opened in a neighboring city. When I told them I was doing my thesis on Tolkien, they gave me one of their menus. After my thesis was accepted, several of my friends did their theses on Tolkien and other SF/F authors. I was disappointed in the animated Tolkien works, although I liked parts of them very much. I love Jackson’s trilogy, even though I will gripe about some of his plot choices. Tolkien literally changed my life.

[@mmiller2539]

I did a report on The Hobbit in 5th grade. It was my introduction to Tolkien's imagination. I have been a fan for over 30 years. I am happy that you have found Tolkien and fell in love with Middle Earth like me.

[@Scottie_S]

Hi Jessica! I'm one of those "new' subbies to your channel and yes, because of your last video. In 1970, I was 12 years old and picked up 'The Lord of the Rings' for the first time and was so hooked that, when I finished it, I went back to the beginning and started all over again. Funnily enough, I read 'The Hobbit' AFTER TLOTR and was slightly underwhelmed initially, as it was written more with a younger audience in mind I think. However, it would take me no time at all to get into 'The Silmarillion' when it was released in 1977 and, consequently, all other publications from Tolkien after that. Now, I'm 65 and have just finished 'The Fall of Gondolin'. Now I'm loving this journey with you and have gone back to watch your other videos and will continue to do so! You're a wonderful content creator. Keep up the great work!

[@edwardmeade]

So I was in high school during the late-1960's and read the Ballantine-published trilogy. One thing you left out was that it's popularity was crowned with the publication of its parody, "Bored of the Rings" by Harvard Lampoon. The hobbits, Frito, Moxie, Pepsi following GoodGulf (a gasoline brand) the Wizard and lines like ""Fordor was a bleak and airless place: not unlike Hackensack NJ."

[@1pcfred]

Pity stayed his hand. It was a pity he'd run out of bullets.

[@robertgerrity878]

Thanks! After an Ace copy, 2nd LOTR was the parody 1st pb edition already a bit worn. Silly fun. I'd forgotten!!!!

[@svenlugar7205]

I first read the Lord of the Rings in 1960 when my eldest brother was given & got bored so I picked it up. Now my 1st Grade teacher was a bit concerned (to put it mildly) when I brought it to school and read it during "Sharing time". She wasn't able to do much about it because she had had all my older brothers in her class over the years and knew we were a family of kids who always blew up the grading curve. Annoyed because I already knew how to read at a much higher level than she could teach as well as the content. Needless to say in the long run I won the discussion. I was one of those "hippies" that helped preserve the story and even read it out loud to my fellows in Vietnam during the War. It made dugouts and trenches much more convivial, LOL. I still love the books to this day. Thank you for your fairly accurate overview of the history. tusen takk (or tusen taco as you prefer), Sven

[@graemesandstrom5654]

What a wonderful and truly informative lecture. BTW you look incredible. When the first movie “FellowshipOf The Ring” came out my 7yo first born got wind of the fact that his parents were going to see this movie WITHOUT HIM! The next day he was outraged but wanted to know all about the movie. We had previously read the Hobbit to him. As time went on he became very well acquainted with the movies and the novels and the soundtracks - presents were easy to choose - directors cut, extended cuts, all three soundtracks. He even ended up with a girl (and her parents) who was also massively into it. It’s certainly added depth to all of our lives - even holidays in New Zealand seeking out film sites….. and it goes on. I love your Chanel - you are amazing!

[@catherineleslie-faye4302]

I read The Hobbit in 1974 when I was 13, by 1976 I had Middle Earth maps plastered all over my bedroom walls. I now have a parchment paper map of Middle Earth in my bedroom along with a second rate set of Legolas's daggers well worn from use... with a new plastic set of elven daggers for use at cons & fairs because steel elven daggers are too sharp and dangerous for con security even when they are peace-tied. Once a Tolkien Fan, Always a Tolkien Fan.

[@jeri-annabbott1896]

I was introduced to the world of Tolkein and the planet Pern in high school when a classmate loaned me copies of the LOTR trilogy and the Dragonriders of Pern initial trilogy. My older brothers were also Tolkein fans and I loved discussing the books with them. When the Ralph Bashki LOTR movie came out I begged my brother to take me to see it. I didn't read The Hobbit until several years later. I estimate that since those initial reads I have read the Hobbit and LOTR close to 25 times each. I can still lose myself in Middle Earth, and today still read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi.

[@rikk319]

I read the first 3 books of Pern not long after LOtR. Dragonworld, too, which was a nice novel, though not in the same category as LotR.

[@nicktessier666]

So I was born in 1990, which put me at the ideal age for the hype of the films. There's really no way to describe how incredible and mind blowing it was, and in so many ways. I was already a fan of the books when news dropped about the movie. My Mom was actually one of those hippies. She died in '97 though, before she was able to get around to showing me the books. It was my grandmother, her mom, who shared Tolkien with me on her behalf. First exposure was an outdoor play of The Hobbit, and the obsession was full swing.. So yea, been a pretty big part of my life. I'm really glad I found your channel. Keep up the outstanding work :)

[@ElrohirGuitar]

You do a wonderful job of understanding the phenomenon of Lord of the Rings. One of the things you missed was that we Hippies were actually Hobbits. We realized this through reading the books and seeing the world we were made to live in. Another oversight was the love of pipeweed, which allowed us to see the world as it really is instead of our more industrialized surroundings. We had our muses like Donovan, Uriah Heep, and Led Zeppelin who sung to us the music of the Ainur. I took a Tolkien course in college. When D&D came out, we started playing it before the rule books had come out. We made our own world of adventures that were not covered in Lord of the Rings. I played CCG games of Lord of the Rings, played Middle Earth miniature games and painted them to bring them to life. I've played Lord of the Rings Online for sixteen years. Most of all, I have tried to live my life with an appreciation for what life can be and brought a daughter up to see that world as well. Of course, you know all this since you were one of us that was sent forward in time to enlighten your generation. Keep the Hobbit spirit alive.

[@victordonavon292]

More like bastardization of what Tolkien described as hobbits.

[@rudista10]

You do realise that Tolkien made hobbits to resemble ordinary English folk and Shire was countryside he grew up in?? They weren't hippies, pipeweed wasn't weed, just stop.

[@ebt12]

Fantastic video, and I learned a lot about the history of the books. I knew some of it but the tie in to hippies, and the lukewarm reception soon after publication I didn't. One thing I was waiting for and you never mentioned it: An association between LOTR fans and the culture with renaissance festivals and medieval faires. The first renaissance festival was in 1963 in San Francisco, a counter-culture response to the established order, like so much of the other counter-culture happening at the time. That first faire continues to this day. A nostalgia for medieval and renaissance times, along with fantasy creatures such as faeries and unicorns. LOTR fans are there. In 2019, at the Pittsburgh faire, there was a wedding, and the guy giving away the bride was dressed as Gandalf the Grey.

[@rickjanzen2180]

As usual very well researched. Having been a fan of the Lord of the rings since 1979, there were things in this video that even I was previously unaware of. Thank you for filling me in. By your reckoning, I first became aware of the Lord of the rings sometime after its first hype in the late 60s. however I was amongst a small group of fans amongst my family and friends, that couldn’t get enough of Tolkien’s work. I have read the series between 20 and 30 times. I have read the Hobbit for pleasure, and to my students in excess of 30 times. In addition, I have read numerous peripheral works over the years. It is rare to find someone who knows more about some aspects of the story, or author, than I and my friends do. You are a super fan if I ever saw one. And yes, you did miss miss pronounce joie de vivre. But that is easily forgiven. By the way, the floral wreath was a nice touch.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm glad you got something out of this video! I truly appreciate you watching

[@rickjanzen2180]

Are you familiar with the 19th century author, George MacDonald?

[@jakubotevrel5058]

Hello, Jess. As a life-long, hardcore Tolkien fan (and a hippie at heart, just to be not entirely off-topic), let me just say, that yours is the most awesome, entertaining and informative Tolkien channel I have come across (and I have watched quite a few). You are incredibly well-researched (I thought I knew A LOT about Tolkien´s books, philosophy and life, but your knowledge puts me to shame), funny and most importantly, your love for the subject just shines throgh like a sun. I accidently saw one of your videos a week ago and have since then watched like ten more (I just loved the one about Valars, with the costumes!). Please continue doing your thing (following your bliss, as Joseph Campbell put it), the world is so much better with people like you in it. And (if it´s not clear from above mentioned ode), let me close by saying you have made yourself just yet another massive fan and subscriber. Greetings from Czech Republic, Jakub.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

This is so kind! I really really appreciate you taking the time to watch my videos. Welcome to the channel!

[@Epherneralps1]

really enjoy your content. you are a great storyteller

[@mikedelgrande5296]

I’m so happy I found this channel. I love your approach to LOTR content. I’ve been a huge fan of Tolkien my entire life and it’s always nice to find a new space like this. Thanks for all the great content!

[@terryhickman7929]

I read it first in 1968 as a college freshman. Since then I've re-read it between 50 - 60 times, pretty much at least once a year. Obviously, I adore it. I have also read all the other Tolkien books they published, but LotR is first in my heart. Has it affected my life? Well, I don't know, aside from thousands of hours of delightful reading. I wasn't actually a hippie, as I got married very young and had a baby to raise, and later a living for the two of us to earn. But I sympathized very much with the anti-war and racial justice movements and voted accordingly. The themes of friendship and never giving up in the face of evil are very much part of my values. It is by far the favorite read of my life. I love the movies, and I can set aside the changes they made (except for Faramir. They shouldn't have done that to Faramir.) and enjoy the movies for themselves. Very nice essay you've done!

[@jimaparks]

I was 11 in 1971, and a very cool summer camp counselor had The Hobbit and the LotR with him, and he told me about them, and sparked such an interest in me that when I got home I told my mom about them and she brought them home from the public library for me to read. And that Christmas I was given the boxed set of all four volumes. So I wasn’t quite in the hippie era of the books’ popularity but I wasn’t too far off. In those days the books were something that got passed around from one person to another. And of course (I say pounding my cane on the floor for emphasis) there was not this newfangled internet thing. I’ve returned to Tolkien periodically as I’ve grown older and his works remain a fixture of my imagination, and something good and right in a life that sometimes hasn’t been so. I’m sure many people feel like they have a special relationship to the books. And I am no different. Except my relationship is better than everyone else’s.

[@RUAChristian]

For some reason your wonderful account of The Lord of the Rings books/movies/cultural impact almost brought me to tears several times. I think it’s because this trilogy impacted me so deeply as a young person in the 60’s and 70’s. Have you touched on Tolkien’s faith and his relationship with C.S. Lewis in previous videos? Excellent video! Thanks so much. Keep it up. 👍👍

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

I'm so glad my video was able to move you! And I haven't, but it's a topic I plan to cover pretty soon.

[@douglasbennett240]

Back in 1982, I was a senior in high school. Somehow, i've long since forgotten the specifics, I was told that The Hobbit was amazing and that i should check it out. Reading that book changed me. It freed me! It was the first book that I had read that allowed me to step into the story. Traveling and battling with my new companions! I was hooked! A few months later (nobody had money back then), I scrimped and saved enough money to purchase The LOTR! It was around $60 for the hardcover set, if I recall. It expanded my knowledge and my love! It made me the lore master that I still am decades later! I found you and subscribed yesterday.

[@chadbennett7873]

These reports are simply excellent. A fresh look at the the unique and brilliant creation of a genre of literature that tickles our imagination. Thanks so much for doing these. I appreciate your knowledge and passion in telling the stories. I was somewhat late to the party, reading both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in 1974 during breaks at work and at night. It completely changed my life, and began my life as a writer. To that point, I had only written poetry, beginning as lyrics for songs, but eventually more designed as poetry in various forms. LOTR changed my outlook on just about everything in the world, and my story developed, and as I told you before, became a quest that took around 45 years. To be fair, I spent the first 20 of those years reading heroic fantasy to learn how to distill my vision into a story. I learned how to tell my story from great writers, who I contacted and have letters of response hanging on my wall. Michael Moorcock, Piers Anthony, Roberta MacAvoy, Marion Zimmer Bradley, and handwritten letters from Mercedes Lackey (when she still worked as a programmer). I also have a genuine J.R.R. Tolkien autograph hanging in the center of these, along with George R.R. Martin to his side. The two writers who had the most influence were the aforementioned Mercedes Lackey and Melanie Rawn - (The Dragon Prince and Dragon Star series). I have the red leather bound LOTR and the green leather bound The Hobbit, plus the paperbacks from the 60's and 70's (the ones I read). So, reading these books changed my life, changed my purpose and my vision of myself, and who could ever ask for more than that? Yeah, I watched to the end, always will.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Thanks so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying them

[@jamescline4354]

I discovered Lord of the Rings in '73 in Mill Valley, CA. Just out of the Navy, I went exploring life in the San Francisco Bay area. I made friends with hippies, artists, and musicians in a cultural mix between Bree and Imladris. I found battered paperbacks of the last two books in the used section. I started The Two Towers anyway, and soon immersed completely into the story. Later, I found The Fellowship and read all three books again. Many years later, I found the audio version, narrated by Robert Inglis, and began the first of many repetitions of his charming interpretation of the characters. Finally, I bought Peter Jackson's masterpiece (expanded), and equally enjoyed the extra features featuring virtuoso creativeness in all the elements of production. I currently enjoy my favorite KZbinrs' reactions to the story I grew to love all those years ago. Lord of the Rings continues to be a voyage of discovery in potentials un anticipated. Plus, I love your presentation of it historically, culturally, and personally. Thank you, Part Time Hobbit. I think you must be an Elf Friend.

[@mikeMakhno]

I first read LOTR when I was in grade seven. That would have been in the middle 1960s so it was still a pretty new thing, just being noticed in the wider culture. I was enthralled and it totally carried me away into Middle Earth, so much more interesting than my own rather grubby working class world.

[@hricci6094]

A friend in college introduced me to the LotR in 1965/6. I squeezed the money for each book out of my budget. Absorbed it from cover to cover. Dwelt a lot in the appendices to get out whatever more I could. Learned the dwarvish runes. Reread it several time in the next few years, then would go back to it fir yet another un later. I saw the artwork that came out. The work of the Hildebrandts was particularly striking and was often in synch with what my mind had seen. I was very happy that Peter Jackson seemed to draw from them a lot in his films. There were some parts of Jackson's work that I disagreed with, but I was delightfully overwhelmed and blissed by what he presented to us. I am now am greatly pleased by your work, Lady Hobytla.

[@leeborocz-johnson1649]

My Dad read Lord of the Rings when he was a kid in the '60s. I was about 9 when the Fellowship came out. My Dad thought it was an event of such major cultural significance that one Sunday afternoon in January 2002, after making my brother and I scrub a toilet to just about brand new condition, he took us to see it. I had no idea what was going on, but it blew my mind anyways. My Dad never really pushed any kind of pop culture on me and my siblings, this was unique. The only other thing he ever really sat me down and told me I absolutely needed to experience was Pink Floyd. He expressed regret on multiple occasions over the years that there would probably never be any opportunity for him to take us to see them in their '70s lineup. In any event, the point is, my memory of first experiencing LOTR was shaped not just by how amazing the thing itself was, but by the fact that my Dad, very unusually, singled it out for me as something I needed to experience. That certainly added to it for me. I have wondered for the last couple years now what, if any, tangible relation the wildfire success of the Jackson LOTR movies had to 9/11 and the early War on Terror years. The release of the Fellowship was perhaps the first post-9/11 global pop-culture sensation. Peoples' reactions to Jackson's trilogy surely must have been partly influenced by the general social/political/cultural atmosphere of that particular moment. Not easy questions to address, maybe not even that worthwhile. I've just had this in my head for a couple years as a line of historical inquiry I'll probably never pursue. Anyways, great work and congrats on your channel blow-up! I will do my part to keep feeding the algorithm likes and shares.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

My dad also made sure I got introduced early, even if I may have been a little too young for some of the scarier parts haha. And that's a really interesting observation! I almost feel like we may be a bit historically close to the time all of that happened to get a really good read on how post 9/11 America's attitudes and politics may have influenced LotR's popularity, but I could throw out a couple of theories. LotR is an incredibly optimistic story. Its ending is what Tolkien coined "eucatastrophe," or the opposite of catastrophe, in which everything goes right at the end, even if it seems impossible. The idea of this ending is particularly popular when it seems the rest of the world is going to hell. There's also the strong anti-war sentiments. Well, maybe not anti-war, but understanding war as something necessary, but wasteful and terrible, that would have resonated with many people watching the politics and conflicts of the time. Then of course, there's good old fashioned escapism, where we can go off to Middle Earth for a while when our own world seems too dark. Tolkien thought escapism was a natural and necessary part of the human experience, and I'm inclined to agree. Either way, those are just my first thoughts, but it's a super interesting prompt. That may have to end up being a video of its own.

[@retcutter10]

@@Jess_of_the_Shire After having read the trilogy in '67, before the critics and reviewers and analysts got their hands on it, I asked my uncle, the head of the English Dept. at a large Southern Cal. HS what he thought it was about. He told be about how he had assigned it to his advanced class and accepted their interpretations. Then he gave them his, which I still believe. There is no "meaning". It's a classic storytelling of good versus evil, with the good coming out victorious in the end. Just sit back, read and enjoy.

[@josephkelly6681]

I think King has a story where friends read LOTR to a friend who is in a coma over a summer and he recovers and remembers nothing.

[@Daniel-uu9td]

Another great video… congrats on your recent well deserved popularity surge… The teacher that got me hooked on Tolkien’s work had a number of beautiful art work on calendars by the brothers Hildebrandt.. my favourite was Galadriel and her mirror (1975 calendar I believe ). I would love to see a video exploring the various artist interpretations of Tolkien’s characters. Just an idea… congrats again!

[@gaebren9021]

Daniel. I love this idea about the artwork. I am on pinterest and I get to see a lot of artists put their artwork up of Tolkien's characters. Many of these characters look like the characters out of the films. I often wonder how the actors feel about their images and faces in fandom artworks depicting characters that they played. That is one interview I would love to see. 🙂

[@gaebren9021]

Daniel. Another thing I thought of was that Tolkien was an Artist himself. I loved a lot of his illustrations of the Hobbit. There was also an Artist from the 50's Pauline Baynes. She also illustrated C.S.Lewis. She brought to life the stories of Tolkien and Lewis. She had a medieval influence on her illustrations.

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

This is a super fun idea!

[@1pcfred]

I went to an art gallery once that was doing a sale of Hildebrandt work and got to see the original calendar art in person. The paintings were going for about 5 grand each. Which I didn't have on me at the time so I just bought a lithograph. Still, I thought the prices were very accessible considering they're commercial works of some fame.

[@moshecallen]

New to the channel but subscribed. I'm turning 50 in a couple of months. My family discovered The Lord of the Rings because in the late 70's my older sister found it in the school library and brought it home to read. Pretty soon, both my high school ages sisters and my father had read it. Dad went out and bought his own copy. I family talked about it and obviously enjoyed it but said I was too little yet to read it. The summer I turned 9, I think it was, I took my Dad's copy (which he was protective of) and read it for hours while Dad was away. I've read and re-read it since then. I've even read it to my elder daughter.

[@swenbos7760]

Would you be willing to also explore another world, just as magical, but flat, and carried by 4 elephants situated on top of a giant turtle? I think you'd do great!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

If you're talking about discworld, absolutely! I'm hoping to start talking about some other fantasy universes in a few months

[@superfly2449]

I don’t recall if TP ever parodied or referenced LOTR in his books. It’s possible, though.

[@swenbos7760]

Indeed 😊. Tolkien grounded me in morality as an early teen, while later, Pratchett provided a mirror for humanity, giving us something to ponder, and have a good laugh at.

[@gaebren9021]

@@swenbos7760 I love that you mention morality. I think that this is part of the appeal of Tolkien.

[@evermoremystic17]

Yay Discworld! 😁

[@healthyapostasy8122]

Jess, your enthusiasm is contagious and your videos, fun!. . . Some bring back memories for me. I first read 'The Hobbit', followed by the LOTR, in 1973, age 10 or so. Tolkien actually taught me how to read as well as to imagine. We fans of Tolkien were so isolated then; no Internet chats, no KZbin. (Yes, there may have been the odd fantasy convention, thronged with LOTR dwarves and concomitant esprit for adults, but kids were mostly on their own.) There was another boy in my grade school who got me into the Hobbit. We later made wooden swords and started LOTR role-playing in the fields. (Interestingly, said fields were near apricot and walnut orchards in Cupertino, California, which 25 or so years later would become Apple Headquarters. So, maybe Steve Jobs benefited a little from our imaginative energy. But I digress.) We loved LOTR then too. We couldn't imagine a cinematic version of LOTR, and the 1978 Bakshi attempt, five or so years later, was a bit of a let down to many of us, for it lacked a certain WHIMSY that was uniquely Tolkien's. Your videos capture such WHIMSY (the sheer joy of adventuring in Middle Earth), and that's why I appreciate you, Jess. I hope your generation takes LOTR in new directions, for as you suggest in your writing, there's so much in it. I loved your thoughts on Tom Bombadil, who was pivotal for the trilogy (and for perceiving Tolkien's whimsy, and for grokking why LOTR was popular with hippies, who read Tolkien long before me). Even the Jackson films, as good as some were, were not the final word, the last interpretation. I hope your generation takes a fresh look at Middle Earth in the next decade. (Do so, please, before I depart for the Shire, which shan't be, I daresay, before 2050, but still, don't dawdle, for me and that boy I mentioned are now 60!) Thanks for your hard work and effervescent personality. You and JRR are hobbits of soul, and he's looking approvingly your way from his quiet resting spot (perhaps the grasslands of Rohan?), at your sincere and unwavering toil and love for the tale. Ancora imparo. ~KM McKay

[@brendanmooney7607]

Thanks for telling the ironic tale of how a loophole in US-copyright law that cost LOTR's author & publisher a lot of money actually ended up contributing to LOTR's author & publisher making a LOOOOTTT of money - but what I really want to know is... *Who is Tom Bombadil?* 😁 Congrats on all the views & new subscribers!

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

You know, I actually have a video answering that very question! You might have missed it, it really underperformed haha. Thanks for always watching my content, I appreciate you!

[@BrucePGrether]

Your discussion here is great! I'm old enough to remember those Ballantine Books paperbacks of THE HOBBIT and the trilogy when they were quite new and selling at Moe's Books in Berkeley, California. But that was on a furlough from living in Thailand with my missionary parents, where I remember picking up a paperback of THE HOBBIT at a seaside cabin where we went for vacation. I had no idea of what I was getting into, but that Hobbit Hole I entered turned out to be a kind of rabbit hole too! That was during the Vietnam War and I think those times reflected the range of qualities Las found in Tolkien. Playful sweetness, courageous persistence, and awareness that maybe the world needed saving!? Unlike many, once I read the trilogy, by then aged 11 or 12, I did not re-read them until Jackson's great films appeared. Then, for the first time I tackled THE SILMARILLION, which is challenging at first, by is the Professor's masterpiece IMO! Unlike those trendy trolls and haters, I love THE RINGS OF POWER, which is also made by people who adore and venerate Tolkien's works. Yers, they've made some major canonical changes and invented quite a lot. But it is an adaptation, and what they have the rights to is sketchy in terms of Second Age information. Anyway, Ms. Part Time, looks like I'll have to make a Hobbit of enjoying your vids, as I've "liked" this one and subscribed to your channel. Again, my thanks! More Flower Power to you!

[@germantoenglish898]

I'm sure Leonard Nimoy's song "The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins" helped too. Live long and prosper.

[@Urroner]

What I'm about to say might be the wrong thing to say, but I'm past 70 y/o and don't care, but Jesse, you've got such beatiful eyes....and I love the way you explain things in your videos. I have basically only heard men explain Tolkiens books and I have learnt a lot from them, but you are basically the first time I geo a woman's perspective from and it is very different and is one of the best I have listened to. All I can say to give you advice is too keep on keeping on. Young lady, I doff my cap to you. I started playing D&D in 1975 and knew zilch about the LOTR and the people i played with mandated me to read the Hobbit and the trilogy, else i couldn't play with them any more, so while taking some very difficult classes in college, I read the Hobbit in three days. I have ADHD and this book helped my nerdiness by letting my imagination run free. So did D&D. It took me a couple of months to get through LOTR, the death of Gandalf devastated me. How could he die? He, in my imagination, was a best friend and losing a best friend die so unexpectedly hurts. It got so bad, that I decided to look ahead to see what happened. When I found section where Gandalf the White introduced himself to the three characters in the forest, life was good again, and I went back to where I left off reading and finished the trilogy in10 days. I have read it many times since then and while I have read a lot of excellent SciFy and Fantasy since then, it has always been my favorite, hands down. All my kids had read the series before they graduated from high school and we watched all the movies. We were some of the first in line for the midnight showing. Great memories. One last thing, I have worked for NASA at KSC for 44 years and I'm currently working with mostly Millennials and GenZers, and most of them know the books better than me. Honestly, the future of mankind looks dang good. And thank you Jesse for you just being you.

[@thecaveofthedead]

I was born between the original fandom explosion and the movies. I wouldn't say LOTR was really mainstream. Most big readers gave it a shot, but the stigma that fantasy wasn't for adults remained pretty strong into the '90s. You definitely were at least nerd-adjacent if you were a fan (and being considered a nerd then had no whimsical, positive connotations to the wider world). A note on paperbacks. It always amuses me when people put down ebooks and gush about their physical paperback collection when I'm old enough to remember when paperbacks were considered the cheap-and-nasty versions for those who couldn't afford real books. Turns out the value of a book is in the text, not in what format it's read.

[@gusolives9777]

Your knowledge is deffinitely not second hand. It's a pleasure to hear you talk about Tolkien's work. (Though I've just really watched two videos...) Hello! I'm Gus, from Brazil. I'm 47. I read the books in the early 1990s, from age 13 or 14. I went into linguistics because of Tolkien. I'm not an academic, not so much, or not in that I couldn't remain in the academy, I don't fit there. So I've been working with books to live, and studying languages, and writing. Linguistics is Tolkien in my life, of course. At university I studied Latin, because I was fascinated by the way Latin and Portuguese were related as Quenya and Sindarin. It was just recently that I came to begin trying to write fantasy. (I've been envolved with historic fiction, particularly ancient Roman, of course, for one who's studied Latin.) I felt I needed a space to write about dragons. It is tricky to not see yourself copying Tolkien. Although you do find your own ways, I can't deny that my fantastic peoples are a wish to do dwarves and elves, even though they aren't exactly the same... Tolkien has such a peculiar mythos or, as he called, his Legendarium. Anyway, I babble. One more thing I should write here though is about Rings of Power, of Amazon. It's not for me, because I am expecting more faithful adaptation, so I watched three episodes, and let it be. I don't think it was a waste of existence though. I agree that it isn't bad that more people get to hear about Tolkien, in some form. But it was tough to let go the frustration of not having what I wanted, and respecting the fact that there are things and there will be things out there that will be like that, more and more, I guess. I read and read the books again, since the early 2000s. The Peter Jackson movies were responsible for that, I think, and I cannot deny. Nowadays, I think I don't like them so much anymore as I did when I saw them back them, but there is a lot of value in them (one of them being some sort of effort for faithfulness, to me). I'm glad to have found your channel, I think I'll enjoy it dearly. I hope you do well, and manage to cope with your recent success. Cheers, Gus

[@dongray9852]

Really liking your content... enough to want to help if I may? The Hough in Houghton rhymes with through, not rough... "English is a difficult language, it can be understood through tough thorough thought though!"

[@Jess_of_the_Shire]

Yeah, my mom called me out for that as soon as she watched the video...That's on me for not looking it up beforehand haha. Thanks for the correction, friend

[@Sindrijo]

I'm Icelandic, my earlier years I grew up in Norway. I remember getting the Hobbit as a Christmas present from my sister who still lived back in Norway and the book was in Norwegian. It was in a large hardback format with beautiful illustrations. This particular edition was published in 1997, I probably got it that year. As a child I had been told and learning about the sagas from my father and it was also a subject at school. Reading the hobbit felt strangely familiar, I read it probably in only two sittings. I was hooked. The next summer I was gifted with the first volume of the Lord of the Rings in Icelandic, and eventually I had the full set and eventually The Silmarillion too. Simply magical, I became much more aware of how much of my own cultural heritage inspired Tolkien. I started making my own 'elvish alphabet' and drawing fantastical scenes. Then I was shocked to learn about the upcoming movies it was like a dream come true. I cannot describe the feelings I felt when I saw the first film, I was in awe. The following two years, my Christmas experience would be as follows: Go with my family to see the latest Lord of The Rings movie in theatre, then I would open a present and it would contain the extended edition of the previous year and I would immediately watch it that same evening, staying up late into the night with the cold black winter outside, winter storm howling. Snuggling under a wool blanket in a Chesterfield leather sofa. These memories are so strong, I can still recall the smell of the leather from the sofa! This epic story and this imagined world mean so much to me.

[@Thelaretus]

Fun fact, Tolkien was very fed up with the hippy idiots who seemed to follow him everywhere.

[@alang.bandala8863]

It's funny cause the same happend to Robert Heinlein

[@quantumvideoscz2052]

I mean, if American fans called you in the middle of the night (due to timezone difference) just to talk to you about your book, you'd be annoyed too.

[@stevebrickell6645]

Yet another excellent analysis - keep it up! Your summary of the book's link to hippies jells with my own British experience. I was up at Cambridge from the mid 60s into the early 70s, where I bought my copy of the single volume paperback edition when it was published by George Allen and Unwin in 1968. I've still got it, though it's falling apart, since I read it thirteen times in the first few years after I got it... LOTR was hugely popular amongst us undergraduates, and I can still picture the huge 'Frodo Lives' graffito on Silver Street bridge. During this period the London club Middle Earth was a good place to see Pink Floyd and other psychedelic bands of the time. Luckily for my poor paperback, in 1981 the BBC broadcast their 26 part radio adaptation. It totalled 13 hours and I taped it all, and could listen to it while on long car journeys. I've since bought the 10 disc CD version - I'm sure it must be available for download too. I think you'd really enjoy it - the script was agreed by Christopher Tolkien, and sticks almost slavishly to the original text, though, perhaps unsurprisingly, poor Tom Bombadil has bitten the dust. It has a wonderful cast, with Ian Holm as Frodo, presaging his later role as Bilbo in the PJ films, and extraordinarily, Bill Nighy (or William Nighy as he is credited) as a totally convincing Samwise! It was years before I clicked, and it's still hard to reconcile the tall and urbane Mr Nighy with the image of Sam Gamgee his performance conjures up... Please try to track it down - on the box of my CD set it claims that the film actors listened to it while preparing for their roles - to be taken with a pinch of salt, perhaps, but with Ian Holm's involvement in both projects, I'd like to think it may be true😀

[@brucetucker4847]

"Remember that there are two books that can greatly influence teenaged boys: Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is about a fantasy world whose unrealism can seriously warp your personality and outlook. The other is about orcs." - Paul Krugman

[@napoleonfeanor]

I can't stand Rand fanboys but Krugman is a clown who said as late as 2000 that the internet will have no big impact on the economy

[@Kunsoo1024]

@@napoleonfeanor Still, it's a great quote.

[@vorkosigrrl6047]

Lol, love this quote!

[@smurphftw2008]

​@deerecoyote2040 I believe the actual quote I think states "the other has orcs in it", but I could be wrong.

[@Kunsoo1024]

@@deerecoyote2040 It was something he said on the fly.

[@Ned_of_the_Hill]

Great video! I first read “The Hobbit” in the summer of 1979, just before starting 9th grade. By the time I graduated high school, I had read “Lord of the Rings”, “The Silmarillion”, and “Unfinished Tales” one or two times each. My English teachers must have been pretty tolerant, as I recall writing a book report on “Fellowship” and at least one other essay about “Lord of the Rings” (I think it was about Aragorn as an example of a character struggling to achieve their goals). The other thing I recall from those years is our class reading excerpts from “Beowulf” and the sudden realization that it was one of Tolkien’s own inspirations.

[@katheryns1219]

My mom died in January at the age of 101, and I am coming to understand the feelings she had about times in her life being described by those who didn't go through the experiences themselves. Making extremely general conclusions without the emotional fire that lit people's minds at the time. This is inevitable since historians usually go back to times before their birth, so I can't really complain, but it does give me pause now when I read history books. I started high school in the late 60's, and you cannot imagine the excitement of this "underground" set of books. We loved them and were thrilled to be like cool college students. I did not associate it at all with nostalgia to medieval times. Nor the hippie movement. Yes, part of that was about going back to the land, but despite the protests, it was often a sweet and gentle time of trying to base your life on love. (I did, in fact, enjoy medieval history, but that grew from the beautifully written historical novels I read in grade school and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.) I introduced my younger brother, Tom, to the books after I joined the Army. I was seven years older than he, and we'd discuss it while I was home on leave We both had a favorite memory of talking about the story in front of a blazing hearth fire at home. He died unexpectedly three years ago leaving his widow and two small girls. A few days before he passed away, when he it was difficult for him to talk, he asked me to talk about LOTR while he listened. I told him I'd heard once that when you die one of the things you can do in the afterlife is to engage in the stories you love while playing any part you wanted. This cheered him greatly, and we talked about which parts we'd want to play - I thought he should be Gandalf. On his deathbed, he gave the Vulcan salute to my mom, who was a great Star Trek fan. She never read the books but liked the LOTR movies declared the orcs, however, just "Klingons on steroirds."

[@IsraelShekelberg]

Very clear analysis of the growth of the fandom. I remember some of this stuff from the years 1970-1975, mostly in Southern California -- a not very green landscape. My teenage sister (daughter of beatnik) had the Ballantine map of Middle Earth on her room door when I was 7 and I wondered about what looked like pictures of moving trees on it. When I was 9, my mom and I read 'The Hobbit' together and enjoyed it. Then a teenage friend sporting a 'Frodo Lives' button explained that this name came from LotR and insisted I read 'the Trilogy'. He had Middle Earth maps and also an alphabet chart on his wall (across from the bed with the tie-dyed drape overhead), to help him write in the Elvish Feanorian script. I read slowly, and it took me about a year from age 10 to 11 to get through the whole journey, but it hooked me and then my best friend on the world of Tolkien. We wrote letters and messages to each other either in Feanorian or in runes. The milieu was exactly that you cite. My best friend's mother was a radical feminist writer on Goddess spirituality and Celtic lore; my teenage friend's father was in the self-therapy movement, specialising in biofeedback, his mother the counsellor at my small, non-punitive alternative school. So I directly witnessed the odd convergence between the counterculture and the anti-Modernist Catholic-influenced world-view underlying LotR, at least in areas such as concern for the land, spiritual freedom, and the longing for a nobler world. This literary or cultural convergence made the appearance of something like the Society for Creative Anachronism (in which I hold a title) inevitable. Far out, man.

[@jamieparry6420]

Cymru am byth!

[@ItsJayCross319]

Wow! I am so glad I stumbled upon your channel today. Your presentation of information is so refreshing, and the thought you put behind each point is insightful and inspiring to those who want to dig deeper. I am very much in your same boat where I was born just a bit too late to enjoy all the megahype. Of course, the films and books were a cornerstone of my childhood, but now that I'm an adult rekindling my passion for the gargantuan impact that Tolkien generated for the fantasy genre, I'm learning a much deeper appreciation for what the Lord of the Rings means to me as an individual and the global cultural zeitgeist as a whole. I am an active member of my local SCA group, a medieval fantasy fanatic, an RPG enthusiast, an avid reader, a linguistics degree holder, a history nerd, and more; and my life wouldn't be enriched every single day by these things if it weren't for the influence that Tolkien's works have had on my life. Becoming a sort of hobbyist Tolkien scholar recently, I've come to find an appreciation and understanding amongst Tolkien fans that I believe will last through many ages. Your research and commentary accurately represent the undying enthusiasm, passion, and hunger for knowledge that makes being a Tolkien fan so special. It is truly amazing what one man's perspective on life and his fairy tales have done to represent so many people for so long, and I hope it continues to be that way. "May the blessing of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces!”

[@Dundien-ix4kd]

Yeah you tought me that to be a nerd is the better life

[@danielmejorado6098]

This was a real treat. Your research, your cadence, andnyour delivery are only overshadowed by your joy and passion for the subject matter. This is an excellent video.

[@steveknows_420]

Pipe weed, anyone?🌿👌

[@jeffreysommer3292]

When I was 13, I took up pipe smoking (English tobacco blends!) because of LOTR. I'm still nostalgic for the first blend I smoked, almost 50 years ago.

[@steveknows_420]

@@jeffreysommer3292 I prefer Cannabis, I also started smoking since I was 13.😁🤙

[@mutterslog785]

When Tolkien wrote pipe weed, he meant tobacco.

[@allenmunich2816]

​@@steveknows_420 still pipe weed

[@allenmunich2816]

​@@mutterslog785 there was many types of pipe weed and yes you are right he meant tobacco but it's fantasy so some of the pipe weed could have been Marijuana maybe the elf or wizards blends

[@paulfeist]

Wonderful overview! I just wanted to mention/emphasize three points that bear a little extra emphasis; 1. Lord of the Rings, in some ways, was an expression of Tolkeins own PTSD from The Great War (WWI). I didn't know about PTSD or his WWI service until long after I read the books, but, when Frodo said "The Shire has been saved, but not for me....", I cried real tears. Tolkien spent time in the horrifying meat-grinder that was the Battle of the Somme - if you want a look at what Mordor looked like, look at what the area of the Battle of the Somme looked like. 2. Tolkien wasn't just "A" professor at Oxford. He was the Professor of Anglo-Saxon Studies. He was considered one of the leading experts on the early English Language in the world. He INVENTED languages for fun. He put a LOT of his knowledge of Old English into creating his LotR languages. 3. Having "lived" the "early internet", your view of the late 90's being the "early" internet made me smile... I was participating on Usenet Newsgroups (anyone else remember those??? like web forums, only 20-30 years earlier) in 1988-1990.... and vaguely recall the earliest of rumors of a live action Lord of the Rings in the early 90's... Lastly, after again complimenting your treatment of the history of LotR in popular culture - I am forever a fan of the books, but, for sheer scope and scale and production values, despite a few flaws in books-to-movie translations - Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy should have a place on the list of the 5 or 10 greatest epic movies in ALL of cinema history up to today!

[@RP-ve7bl]

now I want to hear your English accent....

[@pbh81]

I would just like to say i was very impressed with your ability to speak directly to camera and keep an audience engaged for 25 minutes. All while using few visuals.

[@JulieAiken]

My high school boyfriend -- my first "real" boyfriend -- got me the trilogy for my birthday. This was an extraordinary gesture, as he was not interested in it AT ALL, and thought it was kind of silly for someone as smart as me. But he knew I would love it. We didn't last past high school and really haven't seen each other in the intervening 40-some years, but he will always have a huge part in my life story. Because everything changed when I discovered Middle Earth, and there is a direct line between that birthday present (another auspicious birthday present!) and my waiting in line at Borders at midnight for each Harry Potter book. Thanks for all your great videos!

[@sandihj]

In 1963, my middle school librarian recommended The Hobbit to me. I loved it, and read it multiple times. Then, in 1965 a paperback bookstore opened up (literally in an alley) in my town. Of course I checked it out, and was elated to discover LOTR (Ballentine version). I snapped it up and read it, and read it, and read it til the books literally fell apart. One copy or another of it has come with me on every move since then, over 50 years. When I went away to college in 1967, a few of my new friends were aware of it, but after a year or two, every student with any inclination toward hippiedom was obsessed. People did dramatic readings of pivotal speeches and declared themselves elves and hobbits. I was living out in the sticks, and wasn’t sufficiently affluent to travel to conventions,so I only observed that scene from afar, but I still re-read the books at least annually. I loved the movies, and understood why certain of my favorite parts were omitted or changed, but I made sure my grandchildren are at least are aware of the Scouring of the Shire, arguably the most important chapter in the entire trilogy, even if it deprives us of the magical happy ending we all wanted and expected. I’m thinking it’s about time to read it again now. Thanks for your thoughtful presentation.

[@lmc108]

I could add hours worth of LOTR stories. These have taken up a significant piece of my adult life since first reading in 1972. I just wanted to say I was thoroughly delighted watching this video. You are utterly charming and summarized this amazing phenomenon beautifully. BRAVO!

[@thomasgomez4263]

I was born in 1988, so i wasin 8th grade when the first movie came out. I had a vague notion of the lord of the rings at the time. However after watching fotr, my parents bought the books for me and i read the whole trilogy within weeks. Easily the fastest I've ever gone through a book that size. I hugely anticipated ttt and my dad surprised me after school on opening day and took me to go see it. One of my favorite memories of that time in my life. The movies and books have an impact on me, with the themes especially that they still remain my favorite books. The love of nature, determination, horror of war, so many great elements. My PhD advisor is also a lotr fan and even attended a lecture my Tolkien himself. I have a lotr tattoo. Now, I'm reading the books to my kids every night, and they absolutely love it.

[@rexharrison6827]

A wonderfully presented overview of the Rings phenomenon. Thank you from a new viewer and new subscriber! I first became aware of Tolkien in 1966, maybe 1967, when I found the trilogy in my high school library. This was the hardback Allen & Unwin edition. I was immediately captivated and plunged into this world of fabulous realms at just the right time in my life (things weren't going so well, at all). I happened to grow up in New Zealand's Waikato province, the same general area that, many years later, would be the site of Peter Jackson's Hobbiton set (it's about an hour's drive). The landscape around me was perfect. I could literally step out into Middle Earth! From a willow-fringed river, open fields, swamplands, rugged bush-clad hillsides and high country farms, it didn't take much effort to imagine the world of Hobbits and Elves. About six or seven years later I hitched around the North and South Islands to places that either would later feature in or were close to, the sites portrayed in the films, never dreaming, of course, that such a thing would ever be possible. Ngauruhoe (the stand-in for Mt Doom) actually erupted at the time I was camping on the Western side of the National Park. Spectacular. I never really fully identified with the hippie movement at the time, though I was fully aware of it. Music? For me, Bo Hansson's ethereal "Lord of the Rings" and "Magician's Hat" albums eclipse Howard Shore's often ponderous orchestrations that tend to lose the element of mystery; too much Wagner, not enough madrigal! I'm sure other readers also grew up or lived in areas that mirrored descriptions from passages in the books. There's a tiny patch of park in a reserve that is primarily sports fields in the middle of Auckland City that I swear could be a stand-in for a number of scenes in the Rings; I'm always reminded of Entwood or the area where Boromir is attacked and killed or even parts of the Old Forest. So one doesn't have to go far to discover faerie! I would say that the nearest in spirit to Tolkien in modern writing would be Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" and more recent "Book of Dust" trilogies. They're as unique in their way as Tolkien's works are, and are journeys of self discovery and change for Pullman's characters as were the journeys of the Hobbits for Tolkien.

[@michaellong5714]

Thank you for your dive into the history and social significance of Tolkien's world of which I can relate to quite well. Way back in 1964/5 in high school, (a very suburban middle/upper middle class school that still had dress codes - which I tended to skirt here and there), in a study hall period with about 80 students, I looked up to see what others were doing, those not doing homework (most) were reading books, and the top three were Catch 22, the latest James Bond novel, and Lord of the Rings. Although we had very few hippies there at that time, I remember back then going into a drugstore that still had a penny/nickel gumball machine and one of the 'prizes' was a Frodo Lives button. Not wanting to be left out, but looking at the page length, I turned to and read The Hobbit, found it interesting, wasn't sure I cared to go deeper, then around a year later, I was in a small bookstore, and on a shelf, there was 'The Tolkien Reader' with the Fairy Story essay, poems, and short stories. I purchased it and besides the other stories, I read Leaf by Niggle and began to understand and feel the appeal. Watched the Bakshi and Rankin/Bass attempts, watched both Trilogies, joined an online RPG site that was also heavily into lore discussions, have two medium bookshelves 1 to Tolkien and the 2nd to analyses, and now attend a yearly conference where about 20-30 papers are presented and discussed.