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This book club will discus books in the fantasy genre. The series will start with on J.R.R. Tolkien. Meetings are virtual on every last Thursday of March through July.
Spanning from Dungeons and Dragons to the silver screen, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have had a lasting impact on our culture. He is the father of the “fantasy” genre as we know it today. The world that he created, known as “middle earth” was a product of his extensive research into old-English literature and history. But unlike the author before who wrote their stories of myths in, what is assumed to be, our own world, Tolkien wrote about a world entirely of his own creation. The practice of “world-building” became commonplace and from old lore and myth was born Fantasy as we know it today.
In the smokey corners of cafes near Oxford collage, of which Tolkien was a professor, he and his fellow literary enthusiasts would meet and discuss their works. This club of sorts was named “The Inklings,” and in that tradition so will this series.
• March 31st - The Hobbit (1937) o What began as a bedtime story written for his adolescent son would later become one of the most widely circulated children's books to date. The Hobbit is a now classic fairytale about the good-natured (albeit a tad stuffy) halfling Bilbo Baggins who wants nothing more than to live his days in his cozy and respectable home. The arrival of the magnanimous Gandalf the Grey and a host of adventuring dwarves put an end to Bilbo's peaceful life and begin his famous journey “There and Back Again.” In this session we will discuss the lasting historical and mythological effects this story has had, its symbolism, and what gives The Hobbit its “magic.”
• April 28th - The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) o The Lord of the Rings, despite being originally written as a single novel, was published in three parts. The first of which is The Fellowship of the Ring, a sequel to The Hobbit that aged with its audience. The once whimsical tale reaching much farther and to darker depths. Its protagonist Frodo Baggins is a quiet soul much like his uncle Bilbo, and he too is thrust into the adventures of wild world. But now with things to fear greater than Orcs, Goblins, or even Dragons!
• May 26th - The Two Towers (1954) o Written as an interim rather than a sequel The Two Towers follows the fellowships journey on their diverging paths. Frodo and his faithful companion Samwise branch off in their journey to the fires of Mt. Doom, and the remaining to battle the encroaching armies of Urkukai created by the evil wizard Saruman. Both Action packed and somber, The Two Towers never loses sight of the heart within the story. That being, that the fate of the world lies in the hands of the common and the kind.
• June 30th - The Return of the King (1955) o Rounding out the trilogy, the original “epic conclusion” that is now as staple among blockbuster hits and novel series alike is The Return of the King. At the end of the Our brave little hobbits face their fate, by sword or stone. Our group will discuss the conclusion, the feeling it creates, the final tales of our now beloved characters, and the tropes they it created.
• July 28th - The Silmarillion (1977) o Published posthumously as a collection of writings detailing the creation and first through third ages of middle earth, The Silmarillion plays the part of the world history book often cited but never seen in Tolkien's published works about middle earth. It begins biblically with the creation of middle earth and the universe it resides in and carries on until the events of The Hobbit. The volume may seem daunting at first glance, but after finishing the Lord of the Rings series most readers find it exciting to connect the dots and flesh out the world of middle earth. Please see library staff for assistance with the reading materials, which are available upon request. All gatherings are from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. While the branch is currently closed for in-person discussions, we continue to meet virtually. Please email caroline.krafcik@dcpl.dc.gov for additional details
The Inklings: a Tolkien Lovers Book Series
March 31, 2022, 6:30pm – July 28, 2022, 7:30pm ·
Meeting will take place on Google Meet
Email Westendlibrary@dc.gov with the subject line "Inkings"
Or dial: 4444-675-(US) +1 617 PIN: 115 012 338 1861# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/nvh-majp-oah?pin=1150123381861
