Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1937

Yeah, Hobbit is the first book I ever read by myself and it's kind of my happy place, can't be very objective about it. Those damn movies were a travesty.

Apart from that I've only read the Heyadat and while I can certainly agree with James that it's mad, I'm not really wired to enjoy decadentist dirges about how the protagonist is such a perv and a drug fiend. Points for not being at all what I was expecting from an Iranian (or anywhere, really) novel of 1937.

must get around to making a list of the titles in this series and then never get around to reading through it.
But would at least have a starting point, I have a list of Ford Maddox Ford's essential books over time from teh back of his book trying to establish a canon. Not got through that either. BUt did finally read through his text after a couple of different goes with a loing interval in between.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I have to say, ilx loving Tolkien without shame has been shocking me this week, what with the ~problematic~ aspects, the fact that he's a bona fide English Culture Hero, and the overwhelming odour of nerd-dom, I expected someone to take a serious crack. (tbc I like the books, and my mother reading us The Hobbit from the fronts seat during road trip vacations is a cherished childhood memory)

loving Tolkien without shame has been shocking me

so, your point is that we should all be ashamed of ourselves?

Ilxor are nerds.

I'm considering giving the hobbit and lotr a go this year, once I'm finished with proust (so no time too soon)

i went to reread the Hobbit last year and decided against it within 5 pages.

I intensely dislike Tolkien and all he inspired to the point of complete indifference, and I get a lot of people feel different about it. Having said that TEN votes is still more than I expected. Onwards and upwards imo.

I dislike high fantasy that has different "races" of human-like beings inspired by racial or cultural stereotypes. I don't think designing the world before designing the story is a particularly good idea either. But I have never finished one of Tolkien's books so take that with a grain of salt.

You could probably come up with problematic aspects for all sorts of books that have won this! Also note UK ilxor allergy to National Culture has a cut-off date - not like there's any screeds on here against Ealing studios or Enid Blyton.

I was indoctrinated into fantasy nerdom at an impressionable age and so love Tolkien unreservedly, though I can totally understand why others wouldn't. But The Hobbit is just a nice warm children's book, mostly unconnected to any high fantasy world building. The movies tried to make it fit that mold and that's part of why they're an absolutely rotten experience.

People surprised by this result should steel themselves for the moment the Moomins start showing up here imo.

UK ilxor allergy to National Culture has a cut-off date

Ah that's a good point, which hadn't occurred to me.

wd have voted for journey by moonlight. love that book.

Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1938

not like there's any screeds on here against Ealing studios or Enid Blyton.

Enid Blyton was a fucking racist iirc

Look away if worried about spoilers:
Happy Ending of T's saga (incl. The Hobbit as seemingly lighter-weight genesis seed etc.) is actually so tragironic---Anti-Quest and sacrifice of magic is nec. to deliver from evil, but Middle Earth will become Western Europe, and the King is White Male Saviour, dominant species at last, and we all know how that's gone, and author, between the World War he barely survived, like some of his patched-up characters, and another WW just ahead, provides the one of this clearly enough that tragirony extends to and through order of race, species etc.. not to say it nec. absolves him from all other judgments/readings)(but that was my take on it when reading several years ago)

*Savior*, sorry.

Provides the "tone* of this clearly enough

The Blind Owl is really something out of time, as is Journey by Moonlight. We should leave the Tolkien to ILE lol.