LOTR Read-Along: Foreword & Prologue (Concerning Hobbits, Pipe-weed & The Finding of the Ring)

Our long-awaited read-along has arrived. (Yay!) I'm so glad each one of you is here and welcome!

I've been giving some thought to the pace and how often I'll post -- trying to balance between keeping things moving along and also a manageable speed so hopefully everyone can keep up and we don't lose anyone along the way (also leaving breathing space for periodic catch up sessions, etc). And of course, making allowance for Life and all of us possibly reading other books at the same time. 

At the moment I'm thinking of doing two chapters a week, hopefully posted on Mondays and Fridays (maybe an occasional Tues/Th), so you can have the week and then the weekend to read them and comment etc. (And as we go along definitely feel free to let me know how the pacing's working on your end.)

For each chapter I'll write up any short thoughts I have + any favorite quotes and possibly a thought question or two, then you can comment in response to those or with any of your own thoughts, questions, or explanations. And I know this may be slightly different than general blog etiquette (and I can't remember what I did before with Persuasion), but what do you all think of an open forum style in the comments, where anyone can reply to anyone else's comments? (Of course, keeping everything very courteous and civil -- I'll still be presiding moderator. ;P) I feel like it could open it up to some good discussion. What think ye all?

Again, audio books are absolutely allowed (that's mostly how I'll be doing it ;)), so whatever works out best for you. Along with that, I also have a couple print editions and when actually working on posts will probably end up going back and forth between them so may or may not post page numbers with any quotes. 

Also, I'm trying to keep it fresh and just to the chapter we're reading, but I may get carried away with a connection from later in the story somewhere (and the comments section may very well go on rabbit trails anywhere), but due to the ubiquity of the movies etc. I am assuming most people have a nodding acquaintance with the story as a whole, so I won't be giving spoiler alerts. Let me know if that's an issue for any one. 

Whew! Ok, I think that's it for the general details. Let's begin!

Reading the foreword and prologue aren't required to participate (they're a bit slower reading than the book itself), but they are charming and you may find them of interest and/or helpful. Some names and historical details are illuminating to piece together, and if you're not familiar with The Hobbit, the prologue here gives a tidy summary of those events. I don't usually read forewords, but (as well as being history itself now) this one is valuable I think in capturing some of Tolkien's creative process and what he was getting at (i.e. a few things to keep in mind as we proceed through the story).

Quotes:

• I do like this section from the foreword: "...in that time I changed my house, my chair, and my college, and the days though less dark were no less laborious. Then when the 'end' had at last been reached the whole story had to be revised, and indeed largely re-written backwards. And it had to be typed, and re-typed: by me; the cost of professional typing by the ten-fingered was beyond my means."

• I also like how he speaks of "plodding on" etc. during the creative process. As a writer, it's encouraging to know even for Tolkien it wasn't all glamorous and the plot wasn't all spelled out from the beginning.

• From the prologue: "Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth... in the days of Bilbo, and of Frodo his heir, they suddenly became, by no wish of their own, both important and renowned, and troubled the counsels of the Wise and the Great."
  

For thought:

• Do you consider forewords and prologues to be indispensable or do you hurry over them as fast as possible to get into the story proper?

And I talked about pacing above, but since this is our intro post, I may very well put up the first chapter tomorrow or Wednesday, so let me know your thoughts on that. :) 

(Last but not least, we're going on an adventure together, y'all! Hip hip hurray!)