The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

Welcome to The New Hobbit Hole
Concerning Hobbits
The New Hobbit Chronicles

This is a continuation of the infamous thread New Zealander Builds Hobbit Hole originally posted on January 26, 2001 by John Farson, who at the time undoubtedly thought he had found a rather obscure article that would elicit a few replies and die out. Without knowing it, he became the founder of the Hobbit Hole. For reasons incomprehensible to some, the thread grew to over 4100 replies. It became the place for hobbits and friends of hobbits to chit chat and share LoTR news and views, hang out, and talk amongst ourselves in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

In keeping with the new posting guidelines, the thread idea is continuing here, as will the Green Dragon Inn, our more structured spin-off thread, as soon as we figure out how to move all the good discussion that has been had there. As for the Hobbit Hole, we will just start fresh, bringing only a few mathoms such as the picture above with us to make it feel like home, and perhaps a walk down memory lane:

Our discussion has been light:

It very well may be that a thread named "New Zealander builds Hobbit hole" will end up being the longest Tolkien thread of them all, with some of the best heartfelt content... Sorry John, but I would have rather it had been one with a more distinguished title!… post 252 - HairOfTheDog

However, I can still celebrate, with quiet dignity, the fact that what started as a laugh about some wacko in New Zealand has mutated and grown into a multifaceted discussion of the art, literature, and philosophy that is Tolkien. And now that I've managed to write the most pompous sentence of my entire life, I agree, Rosie… post 506 - JenB

Hah! I was number 1000!! (Elvish victory dance... wait, no; that would be too flitty) … post 1001 - BibChr

Real men don't have to be afraid of being flitty! Go for it. – post 1011 – HairOfTheDog

Seventeen years to research one mystical object seems a bit excessive… post 1007 - JenB

Okay...who's the wise guy who didn't renew Gandalf's research grant?… post 1024 – Overtaxed

To the very philosophical:

…Judas Iscariot obviously was a good man, or he wouldn't have been chosen to be one of the Apostles. He loved Jesus, like all of the Apostles, but he betrayed him. Yet without his betrayal, the Passion and Crucifixion would never have occurred, and mankind would not have been redeemed. So without his self-destruction infinite good would not have been accomplished. I certainly do not mean this to be irreverant but it seems to me that this describes the character of Gollum, in the scenes so movingly portrayed above… Lucius Cornelius Sulla

To fun but heartfelt debates about the integrity and worth of some of the characters…

…Anyone else notice how Boromir treats the hobbits? He's very fond of them but he seems to think of them as children - ruffling Frodo's hair, calls them all 'little ones'. He likes them, but I don't think he really respects them… post 1536 - JenB

Yes... Tolkien told us not to trust Boromir right off the bat when he began to laugh at Bilbo, until he realized that the Council obviously held this hobbit in high esteem. What a pompous dolt… post 1538 - HairOfTheDog

…I think almost every fault of his can be traced directly back to his blindness to anything spiritual or unseen. He considers the halflings as children, because that is what they look like. He considers the only hope of the ring to be in taking it and using it for a victory in the physical realm. He cannot see what the hobbits are truly made of, he cannot see the unseen hope of what the destruction of the ring might mean--the destruction of Sauron himself, and he cannot see the unseen danger that lies in the use of the ring itself… I just feel sorry for Boromir--he is like a blind but honorable man, trying to take the right path on the road but missing the right path entirely because he simply cannot see it… post 1548 - Penny1

Boromir isn't a jerk, he's a jock… post 2401 – Overtaxed

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Oh, I think by the time Frodo reaches the Cracks, he's not even himself anymore! I think he's not only on the brink of a dangerous place physically, he's on the brink of losing himself completely during the exchange with Gollum. But for some reason, the take-over isn't complete till he actually has to throw the Ring in. The person speaking to Gollum is not Frodo, but the "Wheel of Fire" that Sam sees. After the Ring is destroyed, Frodo not only comes back to himself, but comes back with the unbearable (to him) knowledge of what it's like to be completely without compassion. I think that's why it's so important to him to be compassionate in the Shire… post 2506 - 2Jedismom

…Regarding Frodo's compassion... it's a little too much at the end. Even Merry tells him that he's going to have to quit being so darn nice. But you're right. He's learned a lesson about evil that very few ever learn since it wasn't an external lesson but an internal one. (Those kinds of lessons have the greatest impact) Not only did he totally succumb to it, but he was rather ruthless to my little Smeagol… post 2516 - carton253

Well that Frodo was a big mean bully! (to Smeagol)… post 2519 – Overtaxed

So as you can see, everything JRR Tolkien (and Peter Jackson) is welcome here in our New Row, our soon-to-be familiar New Hobbit Hole…; philosophy, opinion, good talk and frequent silliness.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

It's kinda odd that on a Tolkien thread we seem to have so few hardcore fantasy/sf people

Actually I started reading hard core Science Fiction (Surface Tension, The Demolished Man, The Stars My Destination), nearly 50 years ago. Didn't read The Hobbit, then The Lord of the Rings, until the early 1960's.

I have not read as much science fiction lately, much of it seems less imaginative, and often heavily derivative, compared to the earlier work.

[Penny1]

I used to be heavily into sci-fi, just not so much anymore, only because there's nothing out there right now that's really grabbed my interest and I'm too lazy to look very hard. ;)

I think a lot of people were pretty busy today, so we haven't had time to celebrate the Hugo nominations yet.

[Overtaxed]

I have not read as much science fiction lately, much of it seems less imaginative, and often heavily derivative, compared to the earlier work.

You can say that again! The earlier work had more of a sense of wonder about the universe.

I started on SF reading my Dad's old paperbacks and I still prefer them to newer works (on the whole.)

[Corin Stormhands]

I have not read as much science fiction lately, much of it seems less imaginative, and often heavily derivative, compared to the earlier work.

Well, you'll just have to wait until my books are published...(be patient, be very patient)

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

The earlier work had more of a sense of wonder about the universe.

Oh for that sensawonda!

In some cases you could think you were getting a glimpse of a real, different world, a bit of the feeling you get when you become involved in the 'reality' of Middle Earth!

[Overtaxed]

Oh for that sensawonda!

Sensawonda...that's the word! Those books (to me) seemed rather "joyous" about exploring the universe and meeting new species. I haven't really been looking at the new SF that's coming out now. I got rather discouraged by all the "gloom and doom" or people's "issues" that I found the last time I looked. Either that or there's nothing original and the work is just...ho hum rehashes.

Now I'll have to go raid the old library again. Just can't beat that "sensawonda!"

[JenB]

I know exactly what you mean - sensawonda. That's what I get from those early Heinlein novels that have pride of place on my shelf; from the silly short stories with green Martians and amphibious Venusians; from the books with pictures of improbable skyscapes and gorgeous rocket ships... there are a few recent books that manage to have that sense, but not many. That's why I spend a few dollars a month in the used bookstore, looking for books with little rockets on the spine.

And LotR has that same sense, doesn't it? Just because it's about Elves and hobbits doesn't mean there's no wonder - but I can't think of many other fantasies that are the same way. I think it's because LotR is closer to the original myths and fairy tales than the books that are basically derivatives of LotR. And science fiction is, in a way, a new sort of myth, so it would have that same sort of wonder about it.

[Overtaxed]

That's why I spend a few dollars a month in the used bookstore, looking for books with little rockets on the spine.

There's two bookcases of those sensawonda books at "the house." Hmmm...maybe I should start moving them to "my house."

[JenB]

I had two bookcases worth in my room before I went to college. Now I have three shelves worth, plus seven boxes in the attic... Nothing better than a sci-fi novel from the 50s, unless it's one from the late 40s...

[Overtaxed]

I don't know if there's anything there from the late 1940's. Most of it is 50's and 60's and a few 70's. That's just what I need at my house....more books! It's a wonder the floors don't collapse already. :)

[JenB]

Books are just such good friends. You can pick one up and be instantly somewhere else. They don't mind being left on the counter for hours, they're portable, and they look so nice sitting on a shelf. My mom used to try to get me to organize my collection alphabetically by author, but after I explained carefully that I had already organized by favorite author and then alphabetized the titles by a particular author (and justified why I was doing that) she left me alone. Actually it was a defense against sisters; they could never find what they wanted, so they couldn't steal my books.

[Overtaxed]

Every time I try to organize something like that (books, spice rack, whatever) I never can find anything! I prefer "chaotic organization" schemes.

[JenB]

The only things I organize are my books and code. Even papers, I write in a chaotic fashion. This annoys my mother to no end, but hey, my dad's the same way so I can usually get away with it.

[Overtaxed]

Hehehe

My place is kind of like the movie Bag End. Papers and books all over the place.

[Overtaxed]

Can't wait all day for sleepy-head hobbitses to get up! I'm off to "play in the yard" but I'll check in from time to time.

[JenB]

Sounds really nice! I have to clean up the house at some point, my parents will be back this evening and it's kind of a pit. That's what little brothers do for ya...

Where's everyone else? I don't know if we should ping them or not, there's a 00 coming, and I'd like to get it - but I'd like to get it fairly.

[JenB]

Well, if the sleepy hobbits are not here....

[JenB]

Carton would be proud of me!

[JenB]

Going for it...

[JenB]

Do I get it? (Now I will go clean the kitchen)