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The theme of this year’s reading day is ‘Tolkien’s Landscapes’. From the cultivated plots of the Shire to the untamed beauty of Wilderland, find yourself a location, or region (or even a Little Kingdom) and enjoy Tolkien’s vision of land, sea and sky.
Since 1937 and the publication of The Hobbit, generations of readers have been drawn to the world of hobbits, dwarves, elves and men. From the classical portrayals in The Silmarillion, to the epic vistas of The Lord of the Rings the descriptions of the landscape of Tolkien’s Middle-earth make this sub-created world both enchanting and familiar. Tolkien himself drew many illustrations of these imagined lands and many of the word-picture sketches in his writing have been an inspiration to artists. Many readers have found aspects of Middle-earth in their own surroundings though, on the moors and downlands and the mountains and coasts of the British Isles and beyond.
In recent years the grandeur of New Zealand has provided the backdrop to cinematic presentation of the epic stories of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and in doing so has served to enhance the artistry of the original prose.
On the 25th of March the Tolkien Society invites you to join with readers around the world to enjoy the variety of ‘Tolkien’s Landscapes’. From The Silmarillion through The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings and many others there are descriptions of lands that seem familiar and yet retain the essential elements of a mythic landscape, and enjoy Tolkien’s appreciation of the beauty of the land, sea and sky.
Launched in 2003, Tolkien Reading Day is an open invitation to discover and enjoy the books written by J.R.R. Tolkien through talking about them or through activities associated with them. The 25th March has significance to Tolkien's readers, as it is the day of the Downfall of Sauron at the conclusion of the 'War of the Ring' in The Lord of the Rings.
Schools and libraries can contact the Society for copies of education packs, bookmarks and posters. Members of the public, libraries, or reading groups wishing to hold an event near to rather than on the 25th can contact the Society for free posters to help with publicising their event. e-mail publicity AT tolkiensociety DOT org
‘At first they had passed through hobbit-lands, a wild respectable country inhabited by decent folk, with good roads, an inn or two, and now and then a dwarf or a farmer ambling by on business. Then they came to lands where people spoke strangely, and sang songs Bilbo had never heard before. Now they had gone on far into the Lone-lands, where there were no people left, no inns, and the roads grew steadily worse. Not far ahead were dreary hills, rising higher and higher, dark with trees. On some of them were old castles with an evil look, as if they had been built by wicked people. Everything seemed gloomy, for the weather that day had taken a nasty turn. Mostly it had been as good as May can be, even in merry tales, but now it was cold and wet ..’
'.. they crossed the Water, west of Hobbiton, by a narrow plank-bridge. The stream was there no more than a winding black ribbon, bordered with leaning alder-trees. A mile or two further south they hastily crossed the great road from the Brandywine Bridge; they were now in the Tookland and bending south-eastwards they made for the Green Hill Country. As they began to climb its first slopes they looked back and saw the lamps in Hobbiton far off twinkling in the gentle valley of the Water. Soon it disappeared in the folds of the darkened land, and was followed by Bywater beside its grey pool. When the light of the last farm was far behind, peeping among the trees, .. '
‘There they dwelt, and if they wished they could see the light of the Trees, and could tread the golden streets of Valmar and the crystal stairs of Tirion upon Túna, the green hill; but most of all they sailed in their swift ships on the waters of the Bay of Elvenhome, or walked in the waves upon the shore with their hair gleaming in the light beyond the hill. Many jewels the Noldor gave them, opals and diamonds and pale crystals, which they strewed upon the shores and scattered in the pools; marvellous were the beaches of Elendë in those days. And many pearls they won for themselves from the sea, and their halls were of pearl, and of pearl were the mansions of Olwë at Alqualondë, the Haven of the Swans, lit with many lamps. For that was their city, and the haven of their ships; and those were made in the likeness of swans, with beaks of gold and eyes of gold and jet. The gate of that harbour was an arch of living rock sea-carved; and it lay upon the confines of Eldamar, north of the Calacirya, where the light of the stars was bright and clear.’
