I'm a first-class putterer trying to make sense of my reads, eats, and travels - among other things. Those other things include raising two young'ns, working at a small, rural library, and learning the ropes of self-employment.
It's that time of year! While it's not my favorite holiday, Halloween does feel like the kick-off my favorite season - fall. As a theater major, I've always appreciated the absurdity of celebrating costumes. (A crucial part of a thespians workload.) This year, I've got my two kids' costumes in the bag, and we're stocked up on candy. But I do need to line up a few more things before this Friday:
Finish my own costume. (This happens every year, I get started, and then - SQUIRREL!)
Line-up a fellow preschooler to go trick-or-treating with.
Since eclectic author Neil Gaiman started this tradition, I'll let him introduce you to his spur-of-the-moment idea that's now 14 years old. How long does this take to qualify as a "ritual?"
While The Hobbit isn't my favorite Tolkien story, this is the one I recommended to everyone. Of his work, it seems to have the broadest appeal or, at the very least, does not take a lifetime to finish. This is the litmus test for the rest of Tolkien's work. If you finished and enjoyed The Hobbit, then venture further into Middle Earth with "The Lord of the Rings" and other stories where the text becomes much more dense and detailed. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)
