Re-reading

I think it's always risky to re-read a book you once passionately loved--especially something you read when you were young. In my experience, re-reading is often a recipe for disaster. But I'd been in the mood to revisit Middle Earth, and so on Bilbo's birthday, September 22, I began listening to THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING on tape. (DISCLAIMER: the September 22 thing was purely accidental. I can't remember my family's birthdays let alone Bilbo's.)

Anyhoo. I'm happy to report that I've enjoyed the journey again. The quest archetype has always spoken to me, and I'm still enthralled by the story's nature imagery. Middle Earth is suffused with starlight, and because I am the kind of person who steps outside every night just to look at the moon, I love that.

I will say this, though. When I first read FELLOWSHIP as a romantic sixteen year old girl, I thought Strider was dead sexy--all dark and moody-broody and probably leanly muscular because of all that wandering around the Misty Mountains he did. I LOVED him. I wanted him to forget Arwen, invite ME to the prom, and whisper the lyrics of "Pieces of April" in my ear.

But now I find Strider kind of pedantic--always reeling off loooooooong-winded stories about his ancestors and so on. Yawn. Also snore. Dude, I want to tell him. Lose the boring elf stories and stick with swordplay so I can get all weak in the knees about you again.

I doubt he'll listen to me.