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The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Saturday 26 March 2011

Saturday Rave: The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Not many writers like The Lord of the Rings very much.

I accept that it's spawned a colossal number of imitators, most of whose books are dreadful, but that's true of the first book in every genre, after all.

I think TLOTR is marvellous.

It's a book in which the small and feeble are more important than the strong and powerful, and in which beauty is more important than evil.
It's about temptation. And love of all kinds. And the marvels of the world. And about how language reflects the way people think.

But autumn was waning fast; slowly the golden light faded to pale silver, and the lingering leaves fell from the naked trees...But low in the South one star shone red...burning like a watchful eye that glared above the trees on the brink of the valley.

And I love it.


Word To Use Today: lord. The word lord comes from the Old English word hlāford, which means loaf-keeper.
JRR Tolkien would have known this because he was an expert in Old English.

1 comment:

  1. It isn't often I disagree with you, O Mistress of the Word Den but on this occasion I do think you're wrong. Almost EVERYONE I speak to ADORES LOTR ...except for me! I am sort of allergic to it. My eyes close as soon as I start reading Tolkien. Sorry!

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