cOMPArratives Reviews: [Response to Lefnui (Patten) explaining what Lefnui is, i.e., a river in Gondor]

[page 1] Topic of the issue: _J. R. R._ _Tolkien_ J.R.R. Tolkien, a retired professor of English literature (University of Leeds and Oxford), and an authority on medieval literature and linguistics, is the author of the fantastic "trilogy" (really one novel in three parts) _The Lord of the of the Rings_--_The Fellowship of the Ring_, _The Two Towers_, and _The Return of the King_, all published by Ballantine Books in paperback. Also available from Ballantine are _The Hobbit_, a prelude written especially for a juvenile audience, but which can be enjoyed by any adult Tolkien fan, and _The Tolkien Reader_, which gathers between paper covers materials previously available, only in scholarly journals and overpriced hardcovers. If you haven't read Tolkien, put this bulletin down and do so. For those who have, and believe Tolkien has created an immortal masterpiece of English literature and wish to express their enthusiasm with others of a like mind, and/or wish to be entertained by the enthusiasm of others, attend: A Tolkien society exists on campus, and meets Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Union. Go to room <struck through> 260 <end strikethrough> <handwritten between lines> 384 <end handwriting> for information as to the meeting place. It is part of the Free University and the members are in the process of reading aloud the entire trilogy. There are intellectual bull sessions afterwards, and a series of guest speakers is being arranged for the near future. Papers, both light and scholarly, will be read as part of these future talks. _Records_: There is an official record of Tolkien music along with readings by the professor himself on the Caedmon level (and if you don't know who Caedmon was, come to the Tolkien Society meetings and find out). While this is the authoritative music and worth having on that account, most fans dislike it as it seems inappropriate when considered within the various contexts. A very appropriate rendering of one of the songs on the Caedmon record is Chuck Rein's "In Western Lands," sung as a folk song with minimal guitar accompaniment. This is available as a 45 rpm single from Fantasy Records, 121 S. Wickham Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21229, for $1.25, which includes all handling costs. The record will be played at future Tolkien Society Meetings. _Tolkien Society of America_: The main international Tolkien Society is run by Ed Meškys, Box 233, Center Harbor, New Hampshire 03226. A _Journal_ is published with contributions by such notables as [page 2] Professor Clyde S. Kilby and W.H. Auden. Subscriptions are $2 for four issues, and all nine back issues are available at various prices. A newsletter, _The Green Dragon_, comes free as part of the _Journal_ subscription. Ed also publishes _Niekas_, which is devoted to general science fiction and fantasy literature, as well as Tolkien. Subscriptions are 4 for $2, with virtually none of the 19 back issues available. The most active local chapter of the Tolkien Society of America is the one at the University of Wisconsin. Send $1.25 to Richard West, 614 Langdon St., Madison, Wisconsin 53703 for a copy of _Orcrist_ #1 which contains, among other goodies, a 40-page annotated bibliography of Tolkien criticism. It is a must for anyone wishing to do research on Tolkien. _The Fellowship of the Ring_ is the oldest surviving Tolkien society, formed in 1959 and composed mainly of professional science fiction writers and a few others who recognized Tolkien's genius long before the present "fad." To join one must display an encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien's imaginary universe. However, anyone can join in on the society's main activity--reading the irregular journal, _I Palantir_, Issue #1 in available for 50¢, and #4 is available for 25¢. Future issues are 4/$1. Bruce Pelz, Box 100, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, California 90024, has run the society from the beginning. Professor Carrol Fry of the English Department. Mankato State College, Mankato, Minnesota 56001, has available copies of the proceedings of a Tolkien Conference held at Mankato State College in October, 1966, for $1.25. For further Tolkien news watch this bulletin and attend the Local Tolkien society meetings. Watch for future bulletins at the same location you found this one. Topics of future issues include Jules Verne, Robert H. Howard, B. Frank Baum, Edgar Rice Burroughs, _Star Trek_, _2001: A Space Odyssey_, H. P. Lovecraft, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Comic Books, Science Fiction in Pornography, and many others.