Happy Tolkien Day

So, today is Tolkien's birthday (January 3rd, 1892).

You will often see it stated that he was born in South Africa, but this is not quite right. He was actually born in Bloemfontein ("Flower Foutain"), the capital of the Orange Free State, one of the Boer Republics. It makes for a good shibboleth when picking up a new book on JRRT whether the author says something like 'Tolkien was born in South Africa' instead of 'born in south Africa'. The latter is the more accurate; the former shows he or she has a more casual knowledge of the details of Tolkien's life.

As years go by, and Tolkien becomes more and more mainstream, and the number of books about Tolkien by authors are not themselves Tolkien experts increase, we'll be seeing a lot more stuff like that.  

--John R

P.S.: Here's an old button I've proudly worn at quite a few conventions over the years.

Speaking of Silly Season (Wooster and Jeeves)

So, here's a good note to end the year on: meeting up with our friends Jeff and Kate to see a new play based on the Wooster and Jeeves stories by P. G. Wodehouse.  Wodehouse had an extraordinary career, writing about the same characters for sixty years --something of a record in itself. He aso survived imprisonment by the Germans during World War II (during which he was accused of being a collaborator), being championed by figures like George Orwell (never one to hold punches), and knighted by the Queen. 

More important to his readers, he was also one of the finest writers of his time. 

Highly recommended, if you find yourself in the mood for some silliness in these dark times.

--John R.

current reading: THE COTTINGLEY FAIRY PHOTOGRAPHS: NEW APPROACHES TO FAIRIES, FAKES AND FOLKLORE. ed. Simon Young.  Fairies and Fairylore series volume 14.