speaking about oral exams in another topic, i have to add that for my exam in german i have to read 15 books from a variety of authors. they have to be native german-speakers (so unfortunately don't include tolkien), but you will probably know some of them (i will give english titles for better reference):
thomas bernhard (the most famous austrian writer of the 20th century) - he is my favourite german-speaking author and one of the points of focus for my exam
i've to read parts of his autobiography, the famous "heldenplatz" and others

other works are
g.e. lessing "nathan the wise"
f. schiller "intrigue and love"
j.w. von goete "iphigenie in tauris"
g. büchner "woyzeck"
j. nestroy "the talisman"
h. ibsen "ghosts"
a. schnitzler "lieutenant gustl"
ö. von horvath "the age of the fish"

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"the invention of languages is the foundation. the 'stories' were made rather to provide a world for the languages than the reverse" JRRT

"...The Silmarillion was not intended to be a historical book, but a novel where the different tales become legendary and not ordinary. Knowing it does not mean being aware of the actions of coutless people from the past, but understanding the superb imagination of only one writer, reflected through the deeds of these heroes. ... Those who criticize it ... stumble on words, whithout having the power to understand and appreciate this splendid work of J.R.R.Tolkien" John Wain

"power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. great men are almost always bad men..." Lord Acton

"you show what you're like when you can do what you like"

Could you tell us a bit about Singer of Souls, Star?

At the moment I'm reading Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter and Dream-Hunter series (they're basically one series).
They're a bit too "romance novel" at times. Each book is about two star crossed lovers who has to find a way to be together, but they incorporate Greek mythology, and occasionally other pantheons, so that's what's keeping me reading. Although each books has it's own story and and main characters there is an ongoing storyline that is actually really good.

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"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - JRR Tolkien

"Too bright were the eyes of Arien for even the Eldar to look on, and leaving Valinor she forsook the form and raiment which like the Valar she had worn there, and she was as a naked flame, terrible in the fullness of her splendour."

What book was it, oulmo? 'The Magician's Nephew', or 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'? I ask because there are several ways the seven stories are ordered, and there is heated debate among readers which is the 'correct' one. Personally I read the books in the chronological order and was satisfied.

Indeed these books are very beautiful. I think they are perfect for any child to read, and while I read them first at around the age of 15, I reread them with equal pleasure last year.

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Tolkien maniac collection! - Amazon (a list that I made for people much interested in Tolkien works and studies)

well, finished with the narnia chronicle's and the story is trully amazing with one unexpected end!

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You have to be very mature to understand what lies behind the story of Narnia. Every story of the seven has something to say but it need's a lot of patience if you want to see the whole story us something precious rather than a tale for children.The story has many messages to pass about children's behaviour and mature age and how it is evoluted.It shows perfectly how kids can become selfish and misbehaviour due to unlucky sircumentances and from bad examples by theyr parents(see character edmond in the fifth book).It hold's many messages about religion and religious misunderstanding's(the final batlle).It gives us a picture of what could happen if a civilization forget's about it's history and the thing's that compose it and tell us that if a civilization forget's about it's history then it's a dead civilization.(see prince caspian).It hit's directly the babrbarian civilization's criticizing the violently ways they use to comfort theyr happiness, as the fact that they make theyr's girl's marry in a very young age and they use brutality to enlarge thery's territorys(see third book). Narnia is a treasure for literature. Try reading it again after some year's when you will be more mature and you will be ble to understand many thing's better. Sorry but the begining's of teenage year's isn't a mature age.

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Oulmo, while I agree with you about the books - meaning that I liked them both as stories in themselves and as allegories of greater things, I do not agree when you invoke maturity.

Probably a 7 year-old would not understand the allegory, but surely Star is capable of this at her age. Rather I believe it has to do with taste: it is reasonable to believe that not everybody likes the same kind of literature.

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Star, books by Stephen King are usually good; if nothing else, at least in their ability to create tension and suspense. I have not read 'The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon' and do not know the plot, but I heard of it before and may eventually get around to owning and reading it. At the moment I still have three books or so by King that I haven't read yet, so I shall start with those.

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Tolkien maniac collection! - Amazon (a list that I made for people much interested in Tolkien works and studies)

Out of curiosity, what do we think of Shakespeare? He is the great classic of English literature, though of course he wrote plays, not novels.

Oh I haven't read a Shakespeare play since school, I think having to do that put me off, although I do enjoy listening to a good audio version. Around the Toddler I've read books on babies and rearing, history books, military history books, Terry Pratchett, various biographies and autobiographies (mostly of cricketers), books on the 'war' in Iraq and Afghanistan by soldiers and journalistsand right now I'm currently revisiting Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara.

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The Tolkien Society President 'in perpetuo' JRR Tolkien. Bringing together 'those who would wander with friends in Middle-earth.'

A one volume edition of Shakespeare’s works would have to be one of the top ten books to represent the human race.
I do enjoy opening one of his plays and browsing through. Of course he is not meant to be read (it is impossible to fully understand him when reading his plays to yourself) but performed. There are so many ways to perform Shakespeare and many great new concepts are still being born. It is amazing how influential he still is today. As Arien mentions his phrases and proverbs are used today. It is also such a great insight as to how language was once used. He may not have come up with all his stories, and he was not one hundred percent historically accurate (people still quote him over real history), but the collection of works under the title of Shakespeare are a true world treasure.


Terry Goodkind started out with so much promise. I could not however go past the sixth book. I thought he just completely lost it. Writing about the same thing over and over again with incredibly weak story lines. I wish I had left it at ‘wizards first rule’ as that was a great book and can stand alone. The television series I will not even mention further.

By the way. A friend recommended me a writer:
Terry Pratchett. He is fantastic!
He writes fantasy to "critize" (don't think that's the right word) fantasy. Everything is stereotypical an cliché. For instance. All witches are ugly and old.
In a fragment a witch is jealous on another witch because she has a wart on her nose and she doesn't. She is jealous on the fact that the wart gives the other witch much respect and prestige.
The world is a disc (like a pizza if you will) and rests on the back of 4 giant elephants who stand on a huge sea turtle (A'Tuin).
Well just read it for yourselves.