h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The ones where I can't get drunk so I keep drinking and then suddenly it's like switching on a light and I'm three sheets to the wind and it's not fun any more and I know there will be consequences next morning.

Oh bother

* hands Gosho a glass of water and some anti hangover pills *

* oh and a nice *

Ooh Thankfully I woke up hangover-free because I gave up on the cause before consuming enough booze to tip me over the edge. But I did take a wee glass of bourbon to bed, to drink while reading my book.

Is it a good book?

Lord of the Rings... again

It's been a while, and now that I've read it again I'm reminded of just how much the films left out and messed with the story I'm inclined to leave them alone from here on and not watch them again, and now I'm having second thoughts about The Hobbit too.

Not one of my faves but I am glad you are enjoying it

Oh I'm reading LOTR again too after a long break. I read The Hobit just after seeing the film and have decided to work through the Tolkien catalogue again.

There are two characters that aren't in the films that makes me very cross (although I can see why they aren't included): Glorfindel (I really didn't like Liv Tyler's Arwen so it was a slap in the face to have his part given to her)

And Prince Imrahil. Partly because for such a long time I've been picturing him as Rufus Sewell and I think he would have been great.
(mind you, I really don't miss Tom Bombadill because I don't ever see the point of him)

I know a fair few people don't like the Bombadil character, and to be honest I'd probably want to smack anyone as insufferably cheerful as him, but ever since I heard about the idea that he could be you, the reader, I've come to like him a little better. Tolkien doesn't make the claim that that's how he wrote him, but it's an interesting theory.

Y'know, I'd forgotten all about Imrahil while watching the films, and I don't think I've seen anything with Rufus Sewell in but I see what you mean

Now you've got me wondering who could play Bombadil... Sylvester McCoy? Vic Reeves? Maybe Alistair Sim if he was still around.

How old is your copy, Sho? I bought three hardback volumes in 1976 and I've read them dozens of times since but it wasn't until this time, 35 years later, that I noticed two typos on the same word, and only a few paragraphs apart. In 'Fellowship', nine pages into the chapter 'The Great River' and just after Legolas has shot at something in the air, Caras Galadhon is misspelt 'Galadon', and then again on the following page. It's where Sam and Frodo are trying to work out how much time passed while they were in Lothlorien. Frodo says "And I don't remember any moon, new or old, in Caras Galadon: only stars by night and sun by day.", and then two paragraphs later, "'But the wearing is slow in Lorien,' said Frodo. 'The power of the Lady is on it. Rich are the hours, though short they seem, in Caras Galadon, where Galadriel wields the Elven-ring.'"

interesting idea about Bombadill being the reader - I have The Tolkien Reader for after this and there is a story about him in that. I've never read it so it should be interesting.

As for who could play him - Sylvester McCoy would have been good, but he's made Radagast into something weird so he's out now.

I often picture him as Simon Callow in his 4 weddings persona. I think that would work well (but YELLOW BOOTS???)

my books are from... hmm, not sure 77 maybe or 78. They are the Unwin paperbacks in 3 books, and I think there are typos but I will have to check. This time, because most of my reading gets done in the gym, and because I bought them for for his Kindle at Christmas (so he would finally read them) I've been reading them as e-books. but I open the paperbacks for a smell sometimes, because they are very old friends of mine

I picture him like Brian Blessed - big, beardy and roaring mad songs.

that works for me too

I see Bombadil as a good deal more, shall we say, lithe and a lot less bombastic than dear Brian.