by Adam Linton » October 1st, 2005, 5:48 pm
Coming out of conversation among A# minor, Leslie, and myself…
Welcome, All, to The Silmarillion Reading Group
First, the text I myself use (just FYI) is The Silmarillion, Second Edition, by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien, published in the US by Houghton Mifflin in 2001 (ISBN: 061813504 [hardbound] and 0618126988 [paperback]). The same text was published in the UK by HarperCollins in 1999.
It seems to me, considering the sweep material and allowing for focused questions and comments, that seven weeks would make for a good pace. This is, in my text, about 45 - 50 pages each week.
Here’s my proposal:
October 2 - 8
Foreword
Preface to the Second Edition (including Tolkien’s letter to M. Waldman)
Ainulindale
Valaquenta
October 9 - 15
Quenta Silmarillion
Chap I “Of the Beginning of Days” through VIII “Of the Darkening”
October 16 - 22
Quenta Silmarillion
Chap IX “Of the Fight of the Noldor” through XIV “Of Beleriand”
October 23 - 29
Quenta Silmarillion
Chap XV “Of the Noldor” through XVIII “Of the Ruin of Beleriand”
October 30 - November 5
Quenta Silmarillion
Chap XIX “Of Beren and Luthien” through XX “Of the Fifth Battle”
November 6 – 12
Quenta Silmarillion
Chap XXI “Of Turin Turambar” through XXIV “Of the Voyage of Earendil”
November 13 – 19
Akallabeth
Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
Good reading to you; may our discussion be lively.
Regards,
Adam Linton
we have not loosely through silence permitted things to pass away as in a dream