# Who HAS NOT read LOTR? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275 "2009-07-16T22:51:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/41 "2009-07-17T15:22:16Z")
There’s a [whole thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=516168)\* by **choie** wondering whether she would enjoy the movies without having read the book. I was the only other person in the thread who announced not having read the books before, either. So we’re thinking about doing a group read here on the Dope. The above linked thread is a good example of what I mean–those of us who haven’t read the books shall ask questions for those of you that have while both offer their opinions. Perhaps even including what parts of the book can be safely skipped. (to be read later, of course, Tolkienites) I feel like the OP of this thread, so I don’t want to read them on my own. But I think it would be a lot of fun in a group. Wanna join with us? ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/42 "2009-07-17T15:28:36Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Inspired by the same Harry Potter thread. > > I am curious because I read and LOVED Harry Potter, but I cannot get into LOTR no matter how hard I try. It’s for a couple of reasons: I can’t remember the weird names, I get confused over the fake locations as well…even with the map in the book, and, most of all, I can’t stand the long winded paragraphs over seemingly nothing. So I just never read the books. Who else is out there? **I have not and will not.** Ironically, I never played D&D, but I do play a well-known MMORPG. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/43 "2009-07-17T15:30:29Z")
I’m not into fantasy so I never even considered reading LOTR. We did play Johan DeMeij’s “Lord of the Rings” suite in high school band and it’s one of the best pieces I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. Still didn’t make me want to read it. I saw the first movie and it put me to sleep. I didn’t see any others. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/44 "2009-07-17T15:37:01Z")
I didn’t know what LOTR meant, but now that I do I must say that the first book was fun. In college, my girlfriend and I read it to each other in bed, laughing all the while. Somehow the words River Withywindle would always crack us up. Good times, the 60s ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/45 "2009-07-17T16:46:49Z")
Have started LOTR because the moderator account names of a board I used t…errr… moderate… were assigned by the owner and taken from Tolkien stories (mine from The Silmarillion)… So in the interests of curiosity I decided to read them… didn’t get past about 25 or so pages of the FOTR…haven’t seen the movies either (including the cartoon Hobbit from back in the day) ---
**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 17, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/46 "2009-07-17T18:32:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Have started LOTR because the moderator account names of a board I used t…errr.. moderate… were assigned by the owner and taken from Tolkien stories (mine from The Silmarillion).. Out of curiosity, what was your name? And for those who’ve said that you’ve read two or three chapters and gave up, I know it sounds trite, but you may want to give it another try. It takes a little while to get up to speed. If you get to the halfway point of _Fellowship of the Ring_ (a very well-defined point; the series is actually composed of six “books” in three volumes) and still aren’t interested, then you can safely conclude that it’s just not your cup of tea and put it down. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/47 "2009-07-17T19:24:19Z")
Like a lot of others I read The Hobbit and liked it. Tried to read LOTR soon after, which was high school, and could not get through it. When the first movie came out I saw it and enjoyed it. Then I tried to read it again. It took me a few months to get through it. Normally I wouldn’t have finished it, but I figured I should. There’s no way I’d go back and read it again, and I don’t remember much of it now. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/48 "2009-07-17T19:28:18Z")
I tried SO HARD to read Lord of the Rings because my husband absolutely loved it the trilogy. I couldn’t do it. I kept falling asleep while I was trying to read it. So I tried the Hobbit, but couldn’t do that, either. I watched the movies as well, but they were “Meh.” ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/49 "2009-07-17T23:33:45Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Out of curiosity, what was your name? Turin ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/50 "2009-07-18T01:39:53Z")
I red “The Hobbit”-it was OK, but I could not get through the LOTR-too much fantasy for me. ---
**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 18, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/51 "2009-07-18T01:47:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Turin Ooh, I’m sorry. I hope you had less drama and angst in your time as moderator than he did. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/52 "2009-07-18T01:57:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And for those who’ve said that you’ve read two or three chapters and gave up, I know it sounds trite, but you may want to give it another try. It takes a little while to get up to speed. The problem isn’t not being up to speed–I’m familiar with and like the actual story buried in all the tortured prose. The problem is being bored titless by the writing style, which isn’t going to magically go away if you force yourself through a lot more of it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/53 "2009-07-18T02:03:13Z")
I have never read any of them; nor have I seen any of the movies. I think it’s because I associate it with all the hippies I knew back in the 60s, who were constantly telling me how groovy it all was. ---
**Author:** ![CircleofWillis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/54ee81/32.png) [@CircleofWillis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CircleofWillis)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/54 "2009-07-18T02:44:01Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Ooh, I’m sorry. I hope you had less drama and angst in your time as moderator than he did. Unfortunately no. Which is why I am no longer a moderator 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/55 "2009-07-18T03:36:35Z")
I’ll admit I have actually read them all, but it wasn’t until the films were coming out. I read The Hobbit and then started Fellowship … but the 70,000 pages that made up the ridiculous nonsense that was Tom Bombadil ruined it for me. It was years before I tried again - skipping over that entire section - and found it more enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/56 "2009-07-18T04:56:20Z")
I’ve tried to read the books. My first attempt was Fellowship, which my dad brought home for me when I was in the second grade. I was probably reading at a fifth or sixth grade level at that point (based on testing out at a 10th grade level by 4th grade), but it was still beyond my grasp, so I didn’t get far. In high school I made an attempt to slog through The Hobbit. The Hobbit has the distinction of being the only book other than Wuthering Heights that I’ve ever thrown against a wall. There is no point to flowery prose you need to spend that much time wading through! I respect the genius that his stories were simply because they’ve inspired so many other writers, but I hate hate hate his writing. I’d far rather read one of the “pretenders” than exhaust myself trying to get through all those pointless adjectives. Life is too short to make another attempt to get through those books. > [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > The problem isn’t not being up to speed–I’m familiar with and like the actual story buried in all the tortured prose. The problem is being bored titless by the writing style, which isn’t going to magically go away if you force yourself through a lot more of it. Is it okay if I tell you that I love you in a sisterly, Christian way?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/57 "2009-07-18T16:40:42Z")
I’ve never read the books, but I absolutely loved the movies. ---
**Author:** ![Jules\_Andre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jules_andre/32/9334_2.png) [@Jules\_Andre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jules_Andre)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275/58 "2009-07-18T17:48:17Z")
I have not read any of the LoTR books. I love the genre (read it almost exclusively), the Hobbit is one of my favorite books ever, loved Harry Potter, but LoTR was not written in a way I could handle. I got probably 20 pages in to the first book when I stopped. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-not-read-lotr/503275.md?page=2)