# Minimum Age to Read "The Lord of the Rings" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 19, 2011, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538 "2011-07-19T02:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/41 "2011-07-19T16:33:50Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > Yes, the problem with TLOTR as children’s literature isn’t the big words, but the **themes**. I guess the problem I have with parents wanting to read it to little ones (well, **one** of the problems) is that there are so many really really good children’s books that speak directly to children and address the things that matter to them that I don’t see the point of subjecting them to this dry… oh, OK - the other problem I have with TLOTR is that as literature, I find it about as engaging as a day old dinner roll. So I suppose I am not the best doper to attend to this thread. Now I’m gonna get smacked down by all you dopers who think it’s grand. I did watch part of the first movie, though, in Walmart, in Mexico, in Spanish, while my parents were shopping for a washing machine. I just finished the first book in the trilogy. I’m not much for fantasy, but it’s one of the most beloved book series of all time, so I had to give it a try. And it just wasn’t engaging enough for me to want to continue. The narrative is long-winded and repetitive (the hobbits walk and get tired, and they stay somewhere and have long conversations and then keep going), the characters are not well-drawn (we don’t really know anything about the major important characters, like Frodo or Gandalf, or what really makes them tick). It’s just…not…interesting. I just don’t see the amazing appeal. And I’m 22. ---
**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/42 "2011-07-19T16:48:41Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Well, Tolkien said he hated _allegory_–one kind of subtext–but some of his readers don’t even _believe_ him at that. Yeah, every time this comes up I think about saying to Tolkien, “And so what would you call ‘Leaf by Niggle’ again?” > [@Stauderhorse](#): > > And it just wasn’t engaging enough for me to want to continue. The narrative is long-winded and repetitive (the hobbits walk and get tired, and they stay somewhere and have long conversations and then keep going) In some essay I’m too lazy to look up right now (in _Language of the Night_, I’m pretty sure), Ursula LeGuin (who read them later in life herself, and adores them) talks about how this style of narrative (calm, action, calm, action) actually makes it ideal to read to small children. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/43 "2011-07-19T17:13:28Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > We went through this at length several years ago. My contention was - and still is - that people who read the book at a maximum of college age tend to love and adore the work and treasure it forever. Those who read it first at older ages tend to wonder what all the fuss is about, or worse, see nothing but the myriad of flaws. That’s true of an awful lot of fiction though. In general, adult readers are prone to be more jaded and critical. There aren’t many books and films these days that engage me to the same degree as my favorites of my childhood and teens. I just don’t get immersed in them so easily, and I think that is fairly typical. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/44 "2011-07-19T17:27:01Z")
> [@Stauderhorse](#): > > I’m not much for fantasy, but it’s one of the most beloved book series of all time, so I had to give it a try. And it just wasn’t engaging enough for me to want to continue. The narrative is long-winded and repetitive (the hobbits walk and get tired, and they stay somewhere and have long conversations and then keep going)… See, if “long-winded narrative” sounds like a negative, then Tolkien just isn’t for you. It’s _supposed_ to be long-winded; people who really like the Prof luxuriate in the language for its own sake, and aren’t impatient for _things to happen_. (The movies both edit and compress, and IMO further disadvantage readers who come to the books afterward.) Ursula Le Guin is indeed wise. And the fact that you felt you _had_ to give it a try suggests anew that these books are “bigger” than they should be. I’m with those who love them almost unreservedly. But I think that at this point it’s safe to say that there are more copies of _The Lord of the Rings_ in print than there are readers of the sort to really appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/45 "2011-07-19T19:40:04Z")
My 8yo nephew has decided to read _LotR_; he’s not interested in reading _the Hobbit_. He has already read all the Harry Potter books. He is reading these books because all of his friends are, and that’s what they talk about. He is not interested in discussing the books with adults, at all. He and his friends are all much more aware of both HP and LotR because of the movies – to them, the books are an extension of the movies. It’s like watching the _Clone Wars_ cartoon for Star Wars: extra material for the movies. So for my nephew it really doesn’t matter if he misses some of the themes of LotR (although, he’s a pretty smart kid; I might be surprised if I ever get him to talk about 'em). The real point to him is that he enjoys lording his massive HP (and now LotR) knowledge over his friends. … I expect he’ll be posting on the Dope soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Feyrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/fbc32d/32.png) [@Feyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feyrat)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/46 "2011-07-19T19:41:53Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > I read them at about age 8, but I might have been slightly precocious. This. I was in second grade when I finished them the first time, and I loved them. I have no idea what I “got” and didn’t, but I understood the story and characters well enough. I’ve been re-reading it every few years since then. ---
**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/47 "2011-07-19T20:18:52Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **spark240** :Actually, let me amend that: I’d _start_ them on Narnia and Prydain first. But both of those series mature considerably over their courses: _Taran Wanderer_ and _The Last Battle_ are both at a significantly older reading level than _Lord of the Rings_. …I need to go read Taran Wanderer again. I remember not liking it much, but in retrospect I suspect I was simply too young to appreciate it. (I liked all the other books, but I think they are a little more accessible to kids, if only because of Eilonwy!) ---
**Author:** ![Deegeea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Deegeea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deegeea)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/48 "2011-07-19T20:25:19Z")
I read the Hobbit when I was 9 or so, and Lord of the Rings series when I was almost 11 (started a month before my birthday, finished a couple months after I turned 11). About 18 months after the Hobbit if I recall accurately. In between I had read 1984 (bad idea, I found it disturbing, the rats stuff mostly) and David Copperfield (loved it). Also in the same time frame, I read quite a few books by Beverly Cleary (whose work was more at my age level at that time, some were, according to my teacher, below my grade level. I didn’t really care about age level. Runaway Ralph, Beezus and Ramona, etc) And probably a lot of other books that I don’t clearly recall right now. I think one of them was Below the Root by Zilpha Keatly Snyder? Anyway… I enjoyed both Hobbit and LOTR very much, though I liked the Hobbit better. I read the Hobbit again in 7th grade for school (which made it boring) and Lord of the Rings again out loud with my husband just before we got married (which made it way better). Overall for any child, try to find books they like for them to read. This may mean offering some that are above and some that are below their official reading level and age level. Even disturbing images are likely not to be too bad, though if possible help the child avoid them… ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/49 "2011-07-19T21:15:04Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > My 8yo nephew has decided to read _LotR_; he’s not interested in reading _the Hobbit_. He has already read all the Harry Potter books. He should read the Hobbit posthaste! Doesn’t he know how it works? You read the book, then watch the movie when it comes out, and spend the whole time complaining about what they got wrong. > [@raspberry\_hunter](#): > > …I need to go read Taran Wanderer again. I remember not liking it much, but in retrospect I suspect I was simply too young to appreciate it. (I liked all the other books, but I think they are a little more accessible to kids, if only because of Eilonwy!) I need to reread those, too. I remember liking Taran Wanderer a bit because it was so different than the other ones. Exactly one character is shared in common, and I remember it being a bit darker. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/50 "2011-07-19T21:17:41Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > He should read the Hobbit posthaste! Doesn’t he know how it works? You read the book, then watch the movie when it comes out, and spend the whole time complaining about what they got wrong. Heh. That argument might actually convince him. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2011, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/51 "2011-07-19T21:45:55Z")
And I should also amend my amendations: If they’re any true child of mine, they wouldn’t be deterred by any adult telling them they shouldn’t read something, or that it’s above their age level, and I wouldn’t think of prohibiting. All I’d be able to do, I imagine, is encourage or recommend some books over others. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/52 "2011-07-20T02:26:41Z")
I had a copy of _The Hobbit_ on record in the mid-70’s, with an illustrated book that went with it. I loved it, and went on to read LotR when I was 12, I think. I also read _The Shining_ the same year, and got hooked on King then through high school. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/53 "2011-07-20T16:18:01Z")
I encourage you to get _The Annotated Hobbit_, which has a lot of cool stuff, including the folklore and attributed origins of Bilbo’s and Gollum’s riddles, notes on changes made by JRRT in each successive edition of the book, and a big, detailed appendix incl. “The Quest of Erebor,” originally written for LOTR, in which Gandalf explains his own goals in throwing Bilbo in with the Dwarves. It really opened up this long-beloved book for me even more. Highly recommended. > **[Amazon.com: The Annotated Hobbit: 9780618134700: J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas A....](https://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Hobbit-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618134700)** > > Amazon.com: The Annotated Hobbit: 9780618134700: J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas A. Anderson: Books ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/54 "2011-07-20T17:20:59Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I encourage you to get _The Annotated Hobbit_, which has a lot of cool stuff, including the folklore and attributed origins of Bilbo’s and Gollum’s riddles, notes on changes made by JRRT in each successive edition of the book, and a big, detailed appendix incl. “The Quest of Erebor,” originally written for LOTR, in which Gandalf explains his own goals in throwing Bilbo in with the Dwarves. It really opened up this long-beloved book for me even more. Highly recommended. > > [Amazon.com: The Annotated Hobbit: 9780618134700: J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas A. Anderson: Books](http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Hobbit-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618134700/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311178589&sr=8-1) Absolutely agree with this. If it’s not enough _Hobbit_ for you, John D. Rateliff’s 2 volume _History Of The Hobbit_, in the style of Christopher Tolkien’s _History Of Middle Earth_ should be. I’d definitely recommend it to a fan, but simply because _The Hobbit_ is less in-depth than the later works, it’s less interesting than _The History Of Middle Earth_. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/55 "2011-07-20T17:51:31Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I need to reread those, too. I remember liking Taran Wanderer a bit because it was so different than the other ones. Exactly one character is shared in common, and I remember it being a bit darker. _Taran Wanderer_ is wonderful and heartbreaking and tastes like truth, because it is about growing up. ---
**Author:** ![SlyFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SlyFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlyFrog)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/56 "2011-07-20T17:57:15Z")
I recall reading it in the womb; one day, my mother walked by a coffee table that had a copy sitting on it and I somehow managed to reach my hand out and snatch it. Of course, I was an exceptionally precocious and gifted child. Sadly that did not last. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/57 "2011-07-20T23:07:26Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > i’ll let my kid read harry potter while still in primary school but defer LOTR until all the hype has gone down, maybe in her sophomore year. would you agree? I read it in 6th grade (by choice, not as a school assignment). I say if a kid wants to read it at any age good for him. If he tries and it’s too hard, oh well, he can wait and try later. IMO, if a kid wants to read, you let him, and you let him pick what he wants to read, within reason. LotR is well within reason. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/58 "2011-07-20T23:28:39Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > _Taran Wanderer_ is wonderful and heartbreaking and tastes like truth, because it is about growing up. Yep. I knew I was a man when I slayed my first wizard. He kept protesting that he was just a retired clerk, but I wasn’t having any of it. Looking at Wikipedia, I guess I was wrong about the characters. Still, it’s mostly Taran and new characters. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/59 "2011-07-21T18:20:26Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Yep. I knew I was a man when I slayed my first wizard. He kept protesting that he was just a retired clerk, but I wasn’t having any of it. Not sure I get what you are implying. If it’s a quote, I’m unfamiliar with it. If it’s a criticism of the series, I don’t get it, because the series does not equate killing with growing up. I was referring to the whole series of moral choices Taran faces, where doing the right thing and doing what he personally wants are not necessarily the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538/60 "2011-07-22T01:41:39Z")
Our parents read to us most nights until I was 12 or so. I think my youngest sibling was 6 when we started on LOTR. In retrospect this may have been a bit young, since there were tears at the end of the Moria journey that could only be quelled by plot spoilers from our father. I didn’t entirely believe him, so I started reading ahead at this point. I was 8 or 9. I really cherish the memories from our evening story sessions, even well past the point when I could have read the books on my own. My poor father. He’d be exhausted and literally nodding off between sentences yet he still got as through at least a chapter a night six or more nights a week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimum-age-to-read-the-lord-of-the-rings/589538.md?page=2)