Day 17: If you could sit down with one author . . .

One author, just one!?

Well first off, JRR Tolkien is the man who got me into high adventure fantasy. The Hobbit, is my all time favorite book. Of course, Mr. Tolkien passed away on September 2, 1973. His words have reached millions of people over the last 74 years. The Hobbit  was first released back in September of 1937. The original printing numbered 1,500 copies and sold out by December due to enthusiastic reviews. This first printing was illustrated with many black-and-white drawings by Tolkien, who also designed the dust jacket. Houghton Mifflin of Boston and New York reset type for an American edition, to be released early in 1938, in which four of the illustrations would be colour plates. Allen & Unwin decided to incorporate the colour illustrations into their second printing, released at the end of 1937. Following the successful release of The Hobbit, Tolkien began his work on what will be known as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Although known to most readers as a trilogy, the work was initially intended by Tolkien to be one volume of a two-volume set, with the other being The Silmarillion.^[3][4] However, when Tolkien submitted the first volume entitled The Lord of the Rings to his publisher, it was decided for economic reasons to publish the work as three separate volumes, each consisting of two books, over the course of a year in 1954–55, creating the now familiar Lord of the Rings trilogy.^[3][5] The three volumes were entitled The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Structurally, the volumes are divided internally into six books, two per volume, with several appendices of background material, much abbreviated from Token's originals, included at the end of the third volume. The Lord of the Rings has since been reprinted numerous times and translated into many languages, becoming one of the most popular and influential works in the field of 20th-century fantasy literature and the subject of several films.

If would be  real treat to be able to sit down with a man who created a whole new fantastical world. He has thus inspired many authors who have come after him to create their own fantastical worlds. Which I've had the great privilege of reading. 
. Thank you Mr. Tolkien for your beautiful world of Middle Earth. I have a special shelf dedicated to all your works and books written on you.


-Lacey

Day 6: An Experience That Made You Who You Are Today

Two words:


Harry Potter.
I know, really? Harry Potter, to be completely honest was one of the initial reasons I returned to my all time favorite past time, reading. I remember making fun of the kids around my school in freshman year reading these huge hardbacks with size 32 font. Esh, I was so put off. Don't even get me started on my first initial thoughts on Lord of the Rings and my most favorite book of all time,  The Hobbit.
Once I devoured Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, I began searching high and low for new fantasy, high adventure books. This is when I took my general love for reading and became passionate.
It's really true, don't judge a book by its cover.


Now I am constantly encouraging those around me to read. I really do believe there is something for everyone.
And Morgan, I too have been collecting different HP editions. Gotta love it