So, it turns out there's a special one-day exhibit of Tolkien's original Hobbit art at the Bodleian on Thursday. It's in celebration of World Book Day on March 4th -- an event that's new to me, but sounds like it's one I can support. And it's been my experience that, whenever I see Tolkien's original pieces, I find them full of details that reproductions just don't pick up, like all the delicate shadings of green in some of his forests. So, if you find yourself in Oxford the day after tomorrow, take the time to drop by and treat yourself.
Here's the link: thanks to Jessica for letting me know about this (and to Alan R. for passing along the news to her). As Jessica pointed out, it's a v. nice poster, isn't it? I wonder if the Bodleian gift shop will have it available, as they do some other Tolkien art (mainly postcards, last time I was there)?
--JDR
current audiobook: The Legend of Sir Guyon (FQ Bk II).
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I went today, standing in line for about an hour for an approximately 5-minute look at 3 watercolors and a Hobbit 1st edition with dust jacket displayed separately. There was also a sheet of minutes from a 27 Oct 1939 Oxford English Faculty meeting. JRRT had doodled on the back various phrases, including: 'Gandalf caused a curious stir in Alfaromdor by having his whiskers curled - can you imagine anything more inept'; 'In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit, curious and egregious little person any of his friends would have told you'; 'much influenced...by the Anglosaxon bookhand'. (He seemed to be trying out his 'bookhand' script, as that last phrases is repeated several times with variations in the lettering. Best use of meeting minutes I can think of.)
I also saw Walter Hooper and, I think, Priscilla Tolkien while waiting in line.
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