Eä Tolkien Society Meeting Notes for March 2018
*Notes from March 17th 2018*
*Ëa Tolkien Society (of the Inland Northwest)*
*Attended: Hawke, Brian , Chris, Corey, Richard, Wes, Stephanie, Andy*
1. Brian read Feb notes.
2. Discussion of last point on physical characteristics of elves of
Middle-Earth & Peter Jackson’s iteration of The Lord of the Rings. Salience
& stereotypes & appearance.
3. Discussion of fantasy & horror. Even H.P. Lovecraft vs. Stephen King.
Tolkien’s view of evil is different.
4. Tolkien Society’s blogpost on re-released FOTR soundtrack and LPs
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2018/02/the-fellowship-of-the-ring-soundtrack-to-be-re-released/
5. Wes mentions Signum University… platform Outschooltaking classes online.
Wes has been leading class on the LOTR. Free course on the Hobbit this
summer (lectures). Link https://signumuniversity.org/academy/
6. Hawke put classes online (RPG research) to certify using RPGs in
recreational therapy… much of it Tolkien-based. http://rpgeducation.com/
7. Brian making comment on forms of government… 5th graders interested in
anarchy. The need for the heroic in us & how it changes outlook and
character of a role-player.
8. Since it's St. Patrick's Day, we read all the Irish & Ireland references
in the Letters of Tolkien.
9. Andy asked about whether Tolkien comments on African languages. Not
specifically. He was born but not raised in South Africa. But see
http://forums.theonering.com/viewtopic.php?t=89754 which says "The S.S.
Guelph carried Mabel and the boys from South Africa at the beginning of
April 1895. In Ronald’s mind there would remain no more than a few words of
Afrikaans and a faint recollection of a dry dusty barren landscape, while
Hilary was too young even to remember this." Also another source says,
"There is a letter (71) where Tolkien talks about there being "something in
nativity...a curious sense of reminiscence about any stories of Africa,
which always move me deeply."
10. *Next month: discuss his view of African, Slavic, etc. languages.*
11. Cyber security reading from Chris “Nod to Tolkien”.
https://www.techspot.com/news/73671-malware-lingshot-found-infecting-routers-middle-east-africa.html
“Most
of the debug messages found throughout the platform are written in perfect
English,” the researchers were quick to point out. “The references to
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (Gollum, Smeagol) could suggest the authors are
fans of Tolkien’s work.”
12. Other Minds magazine just released. All Tolkien focused, in gaming
community. Asking
questions which lead to research. Scholarly material. 18th issue:
http://www2.omzine.org/downloads/om-english/other-minds-issue-18/view
13. Rankin Bass hobbit film. Fun. When did each of us encounter stories of
Middle Earth?
14. Hawke read Letter 147. Discussion. Dustjacket.
15. Corey read Letter 148. Quibbles over words & misprints of 1st edition
of The LOTR.
16. Wes read Letter 149. Discussion of how Tolkien was reviewed.
17. *Our next meeting will be on the 3rd Saturday of April, 4/21/2018, at
Hawke's home.*
18. First on the agenda, after reading the notes: have you all heard the news??
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2018/04/the-fall-of-gondolin-to-be-published/
https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780008302757/the-fall-of-gondolin/