This is one in a series of posts where the content is provided by a guest who has graciously answered five questions about their experience as a Tolkien reader. I am very humbled that anyone volunteers to spend time in this busy world to answer questions for my blog, and so I give my sincerest thanks to Maureen and the other participants for this.

To see the idea behind this project, check out this page

I want to thank Donato Giancola for allowing me to use his stunning portrait of J.R.R Tolkien as the featured image for this project. If you would like to purchase a print of this painting, they are available on his website!

If you would like to contribute your own experience, you can do so by using the form on the contact page, or by emailing me directly.

Now, on to Maureen Smiley’s responses:

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1. How were you introduced to Tolkien’s work?

I was 12 when my brother recommended The Lord of the Rings. This was in 1967. He was in his first year at Stanford University, California.

2. What is your favorite part of Tolkien’s work?

Reading The Fellowship the first time it seemed really slow to take off, but the second and subsequent readings (there have been too many to count) have made the journey to Bree my favorite part of the entire book.

3. What is your fondest experience of Tolkien’s work?

Meeting with other readers of Tolkien was always wonderful, and the exercise of memorizing the journey bit by bit so I could image it in my mind was excellent.

Also when out in the mountains hiking I could imagine the long walk of Frodo and companions easily.

I find the creative journey of great art always fascinating.

As a musician, I really enjoy listening to the music of the films, though I don’t like the films themselves. Also the music of Morning in Rivendell by the Tolkien Ensemble is very inspiring

4. Has the way you approach Tolkien’s work changed over time?

The last 20 years I have been gathering up all the Tolkien Literature I can find. But now I am more interested in early Tolkien and the fresh inspiration those works have. I am a non-religious person and it is difficult sometimes to overlook the overtly religious contingent of Tolkien fandom and also the militaristic interpretation of some of the fandom. I realize this is inevitable but it does make for a less inspiring outreach than I am comfortable with. Thus, I am reading more in a bubble than I used, ie. isolating from societies and fandom.

5. Would you ever recommend Tolkien’s work? Why/Why not?

I always recommend Tolkien to people who are interested in Trees and wilderness and walking on long adventures.

It is so important to me to write about Tolkien’s use of language and his masterful storytelling skill.  But also to say that LOTR and the Silmarillion are masterpieces of literature, and that is why I am careful to recommend the books to others.  It is intense reading that involves so many layers of study in its secondary world structure and meaning. I owe a great deal of my inner imagination, as an artist and a musician, to the influence of these works. The study of the power of language and the musical sound of the words has been a big influence on me as well.  

I feel that reading Tolkien for fifty odd years has made me a much smarter person!