I wanted to share some photos from our Hobbit Party this past September. Better late than never, right? This was our first year hosting our Hobbit Party at our new house, and it turned out quite well! I’m so grateful to the friends who came over, several of them driving in from out of town, to spend the evening with us. I cannot wait until next year!
As a Middle-earth aficionado, I have read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Currently, I am navigating the land of Beleriand as I am reading The Children of Húrin. While these books are creative and profound, my personal favorite Tolkien work [so far this may be subject to change!] does not take place in a mythic land or through the medium of an epic adventure tale. Instead, a short story published in 1945 wins my personal Pulitzer. Leaf by Niggle does not follow hobbits, elves, dwarves, or contain any sinister evil such as Sauron or Morgoth. Instead, the plots details of a simple painter’s journey in the afterlife.
It’s been nine years since my family hosted our first Hobbit Party, a Sept. 22 celebration to honor the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. (Just in case you’ve been living in a cave deep below the Misty Mountains: yes, these are Lord of the Rings characters we’re talking about here)…
When watching a non-fiction biographical film, there are two separate and fundamental questions which deserve to be asked – and answered. First off, does the film present genuine characters, a decent plot, and inevitably an entertaining product? High standards, yes. But cinema is an art form, and these points are just as good as any to begin a critique. Secondly, and primarily in regard to non-fiction productions, does the film portray historical events and figures accurately?
A Grief Observed knocked me over in the best way possible. It felt like someone running up and tackling you with a giant bear hug, if that makes sense. Although Lewis was writing about the death of his wife and I was (and still am) mourning the loss of my sweet baby, our experiences are similar in so many ways.
This weekend, I was able to get started on my first project in our home: repainting the back of this bookshelf! After seeing the way Haleigh of Sweet Sequels painted her bathroom walls, I knew I wanted to do some kind of a mural too!
Since we would be moving before September when we host our family’s annual Hobbit Party, we wanted to throw one last Hobbit Party in our house with the friends we’ve made over the past three years here. This one was a bit different because it was in the middle of summer rather than the beginning of autumn, so I tried to keep things a little more bright and refreshing rather than cozy and warm.
I wanted to put together a list of some resources and recommendations for those of you who might be considering reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time. Keep in mind that these are simply things that I’ve found helpful personally, and not a comprehensive list. I also answered more questions here. Happy reading!
I was reading through some of Tolkien’s letters this evening (compiled and available here) and I was so moved by this passage that I thought I’d share it with all of you. One sentence in particular stood out to me the most, “All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labours with vast power and perpetual success --in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.” That is such an encouragement to my weary soul, and I hope it is for you, too.
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, a compilation of letters written by Tolkien to different members of his family, his friends, editors, colleagues, and fans offers a glimpse into Tolkien’s writing process, his personal life, and in particular — his faith.
Today I wanted to share a passage from one of these letters in which he recommends several prayers to his son Christopher…
It comes as no surprise that Tolkien, being both devoted to his Catholic faith and the study of language, found a way to combine his two passions — by translating several prayers into Quenya. Almost enough to pray an entire Rosary if you wanted to.
Peter Kreeft’s The Philosophy of J.R.R. Tolkien has been one of my favorite resources in understanding the role Tolkien’s Catholic faith played in the shaping of Middle-earth, so I was incredibly pumped to learn of Kreeft’s latest book, Symbol or Substance?: A Dialogue on the Eucharist with C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and J.R.R. Tolkien. And it was incredible. 10/10 recommend.
