It is 25th March, the downfall of Sauron and the end of the War of the Ring, and therefore Tolkien Reading Day. Most years I forget to take part, but today I decided to mark the occasion by reading the first chapter of The Hobbit. This was my first exposure to Tolkien; it appeared in a book of children’s short stories (fairy tales etc) given to me by my great-uncle Tom when I was about 9 or 10. It was only when I got to junior high school and saw a copy in the library that I realised that it was properly the beginning of a wonderful book, and my love of Tolkien and all things Middle Earth began there. It is also the 75th anniversary of the first publication of The Hobbit, so all seems very fitting.
And now that I have started it I think I will add it to the list of reads I’m making for the Once Upon a Time challenge; but more of that later!
Bride of the Book God 
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March 25, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Susan
I’ve never heard of Tolkien reading day!! Is that something only in the UK? Gosh, I would have read some every year. I was a bit older than you – 13 – when I was read The Lord of the Rings, and I was hooked. I already owned The Hobbit but hadn’t read it (I was still in the Anne of Green Gables stage) when I got it when I was 10. I love the movie poster you have here too. I can hardly wait for The Hobbit to open next December!
March 25, 2012 at 11:31 pm
brideofthebookgod
I think it’s an international thing, run by the Tolkien Society – the link is here:
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/ed/tolkienreadingday.html
March 27, 2012 at 5:39 pm
wherethereisjoy
What a great thing! If only I’d known. I love LOTR; it might be time for a re-read pretty soon…
April 1, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Once Upon a Time VI « Bride of the Book God
[…] also going to add a re-read of The Hobbit; as I mentioned here I read the first chapter and intended to stop there but was drawn in once again so am going to have […]