I met Bilbo Baggins when I was thirteen years old, standing in the hallway of DeRidder Junior High. The library door carried a poster that stopped me in my tracks. A curious, round fellow stood in his front doorway, pipe in hand, sending smoke rings lazily into the air. The art looked like watercolor washedContinueContinue reading “The Hobbit That First Opened My Door to Middle-earth — Celebrating the 48-Year Legacy of Rankin/Bass’ Hobbit”
Category Archives: Stories & Sound
Early Waters: First Pages of ‘The Gales of November’
When I was writing a commemorative post about the anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald, I stumbled across a new book on the subject. That put me in a bit of a quandary: since retiring, I’ve been trying to downsize my personal library from four six-foot bookcases to two. Ouch! If you’re a bookworm, you knowContinueContinue reading “Early Waters: First Pages of ‘The Gales of November’”
Walking the Enterprise: How a Video Rekindled Childhood Wonder
GEEK WARNING: PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. Nostalgia levels may spike without warning, so proceed carefully.Hello, my name is Darrell… and yes, I’m a Trekkie. Always have been. Always will be. The Project That Stopped Me in My Tracks Every now and then, some corner of the internet taps you on the shoulder and says, “SitContinueContinue reading “Walking the Enterprise: How a Video Rekindled Childhood Wonder”
November 22: The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Some stories wander through the edges of legend, light and elusive, inviting readers to step into a world both familiar and mysteriously wild. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (1962) A whimsical collection of Tolkien’s poetry, capturing the playful, enigmatic spirit of Tom Bombadil and his corner of Middle-earth. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil collects poems byContinueContinue reading “November 22: The Adventures of Tom Bombadil”
November 21: The Birth of Christopher Tolkien
Some inherit stories. Christopher Tolkien inherited a whole world. Born November 21, 1924, he was the youngest son of J.R.R. and Edith Tolkien — and the first audience for The Hobbit. His father’s voice filled his childhood evenings with dwarves, dragons, and a little hobbit named Bilbo. Before the world knew those names, Christopher did. TheContinueContinue reading “November 21: The Birth of Christopher Tolkien”
Veni. Vidi. Scripsi. 