After 40 years in hibernation, Tolkien Conference Returns

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

After 40 years in hibernation, Tolkien Conference Returns


After lying dormant like Mount Doom for 40 years, the Third Conference On Middle-earth (C.O.M.E.) returns on March 25-26, 2011.

The weekend devoted to J.R.R. Tolkien and his works such as "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" includes papers, panels, a party, banquet, and a film screening. C.O.M.E. takes place at the Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center in Westford, Massachusetts (USA), about 40 minutes northwest of Boston.

"It's too long since I chaired the First and Second Conferences on Middle-earth," said Peregrin Took II (aka Jan Howard Finder), who helped organize

the first two gatherings. The first conference took place in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois at the University of Illinois in 1969; the second, in 1971, was held in Cleveland, Ohio.

"Life got in the way of my plans for a third conference,” Finder added. “Years passed. Then a chance meeting, as we say in Middle-earth, brought the idea of holding, finally, the Third Conference On Middle-earth. How could I resist."

After four decades since the first C.O.M.E, passion for Tolkien has far from waned -- it's exploded. Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" movie adaptations have introduced millions to the work of Tolkien. With Jackson's filming of "The Hobbit" in New Zealand beginning the same week as this 3rd Conference On Middle Earth, the timing couldn't be more auspicious.

"I call you here to speak of J.R.R. Tolkien, his works, works based on Tolkien and his works, criticism, teaching Tolkien in the classroom, the impact of the books on yourself, friends, family, and/or the world, the films and the film industry, the music, the art, the fannish side of this universe and its impact, and anything and lots more," Finder said.

Presentations at the first two conferences covered topics such as "Tolkien and Revolution Faculty" and "The Psychological Journey of Bilbo Baggins"; events included a "Costume Party" with music by "the Audi-Badoo" and a "Medieval Tourney" run in cooperation with the Society for Creative Anachronism.

Now, 40 years later, the scholarship and fan communities will again join forces to celebrate all things Tolkien. Among the highlights are the panels "1965! When it, Middle-earth, was turned upside down!" about the impact of the bootleg edition of "Lord of the Rings" that hit college campuses; and "Two films to do The Hobbit is one too many!" which will debate Jackson's plan to turn the single book into two Hobbit movies. Talks will be given on subjects such as "Blondes Have More Fun!: Images of Legolas Greenleaf" and "Between Literature and Movies, Package Tours and the Imagination: A Slide-Lecture Adventure into New Zealand as Middle-earth." There will also be a merchants area selling Middle-earth-themed wares, such as cloaks and cloth works of Middle-earth, Lord of the Rings pewter goblets, Tolkien memorabilia and other items.

The Rev. Michael Frank spoke at the 1971 conference in Cleveland on the nature of loss in the C.S. Lewis “space trilogy” and in Tolkien; this year, Frank will return to deliver a paper on how Tolkien's faith helped shape his world of Middle-earth. “Like a good Hobbit,” Frank said, “I am looking forward to the food, as well as meeting new people.”

The weekend kicks off on Friday evening, March 25, with a "Downfall of Sauron Party” in the Green Dragon. On Saturday evening, the 26th, after the panels and papers, there will be a banquet, followed by a free screening of the film "RINGERS: Lord of the Fans!" a feature-length documentary that explores how 'The Lord of the Rings' has influenced Western popular culture over the past 50 years.

"This is a gathering where you can sit in the Green Dragon and discuss Elvish or Orcish table manners, if they have any," Finder joked. "This is a celebration of Middle-earth, and all that it implies. Welcome! Enjoy the celebration!"

The conference costs $65 and the banquet is $75. Tickets are limited, and may be sold out. The hotel, Westford Regency Inn & Conference Center, is located at 219 Littleton Road, Westford, Mass., http://www.westfordregency.com/. Call for special conference rates: 978-692-8200 or 800-543-7801.


Additionally, Finder seeks kelp in tracking down participants from the original 1969 and 1971 events. Anyone who knows their whereabouts are urged to contact the conference (see http://www.3rdcome.org/1stconference.html and http://www.3rdcome.org/2ndconference.html for a list of past participants and old programs).


For more information, visit http://www.3rdcome.org/ or email thain@3rdcome.org


CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CONFERFENCE FLYER

Thanks to author Ethan Gilsdof for this above info.
Ethan Gilsdorf author of "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms" | NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!

ethan@ethangilsdorf.com |http://www.ethangilsdorf.com | http://www.fantasyfreaksbook.com

Join FF&GG's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fantasyfreaksbook

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ethanfreak

FF&GG YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/egilsdorf

Dedicated video playlist on TheOneRing.Net's YouTube channel: http://tinyurl.com/6knrdpe

"Geek Pride" blog at Psychology Today:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/geek-pride

"Hip Points" Blog at Forces of Geek:
http://www.forcesofgeek.com/search/label/Ethan%20Gilsdorf

blog at Tor.com: http://www.tor.com/index.php?blogger=Ethan_Gilsdorf

Of Wizards and Wookiees: A Panel Discussion on Gaming & Fandom

BOOK EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT

NOW OUT IN PAPERBACK!

 "Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms"
by Ethan Gilsdorf

The Lyons Press 320 pp  US/Canada Hardcover: ISBN 978-1-59921-480-1
Retail  $24.95
US/Canada Paperback: ISBN 978-1-59921-994-3
Retail  $14.95
UK paperback: ISBN-13: 978-0762756759
Retail  £9.99
 
The UK Tolkien Society and NPR have called Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: ""Lord of the Rings meets Jack Kerouac’s On the Road."

Click here to Read the Synopsis

Now author Ethan Gilsdorf teams up with author, Tony Pacitti, MY BEST FRIEND IS A WOOKIEE: One Boy's Journey to Find His Place in the Galaxy (Adams Media), to bring us an evening:

Of Wizards and Wookiees: A Panel Discussion on Gaming & Fandom

PRESS RELEASE

*Attention gamers and geeks! Free Mountain Dew and Doritos!*

“Of Wizards and Wookiees: A Panel Discussion on Gaming & Fandom”

Word Books, Brooklyn, Mon Nov 22

Somerville --- Two local geek memoirists have teamed up to offer an evening of geekery at WORD Books Monday, November 22 at 7:30pm (22126 Franklin St., Brooklyn, NY)

Moderated by Rebecca Carroll, former editor at PAPER, their panel “Of Wizards and Wookiees: A Panel Discussion on Gaming & Fandom” will delve into the appeal of fantasy, science fiction, gaming and other geek subcultures.

Free Mountain Dew and Doritos will be served.

Ethan Gilsdorf, a Somerville, Massachusetts resident, wrote FANTASY FREAKS AND GAMING GEEKS (Lyons Press).

Tony Pacitti, of Providence, RI, is the author of MY BEST FRIEND IS A WOOKIEE " (Adams Media). The authors will discuss their books and the appeal of fantasy, science fiction and gaming, followed by a Q&A and book signing.

Both are heartbreaking works of staggering geekiness --- coming-of-age tales set against the backdrop of Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons obsessions --- that are ultimately quests to make peace with their geeky pasts and accept their "inner geeks."


National Public Radio described “FANTASY FREAKS AND GAMING GEEKS: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms” as "Lord of the Rings meets Jack Kerouac’s On the Road."

Wired.com proclaimed, “For anyone who has ever spent time within imaginary realms, the book will speak volumes.” It was also named a "Must-Read" by the Massachusetts Book Awards.

Gilsdorf’s geek-out travel memoir investigates fantasy and gaming subcultures. In FANTASY FREAKS AND GAMING GEEKS, the author travels from Boston to England, France to New Zealand, Planet Earth to the realm of Aggramar, to ask gaming and fantasy geeks how they balance their escapist urges with the kingdom of adulthood. He hangs out with Harry Potter tribute bands, attends fan conventions and gaming tournaments, camps with 12,000 medieval reenactors, sews his own tunic, learns to sword fight, battles online goblins and trolls, and plays D&D again for the first time in 25 years. FANTASY FREAKS AND
GAMING GEEKS was recently released in paperback.

Author Ethan Gilsdorf

Gilsdorf publishes travel, arts, and pop culture stories regularly in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor and other magazines and newspapers worldwide. His blog
"Geek Pride" is seen regularly on PsychologyToday.com and he has also been a guest on talk radio as a fantasy and escapism expert. He watches the extended edition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy at least once a year.

Follow Ethan’s adventures at http://www.fantasyfreaksbook.com/

Pacitti’s "MY BEST FRIEND IS A WOOKIEE: A Memoir, One Boy’s Journey to Find His Place in the Galaxy" is a hilarious and heart-wrenching tale of a real-life certified geek and official Jedi Knight wannabe, framed around Lucas’ epic Star Wars, the movie that changed one little boy’s life. With the Force on his side, Pacitti survives countless hurdles of adolescence, temptations from the Dark Side, and ultimately lives
to see the day when he can be comfortable in his own skin.

Time.com's Techland says, "[My Best Friend Is A Wookiee] is an autobiographical coming of age tale with a bit of sci-fi thrown in for good measure that reminds us all of the good old days when we were being picked on and laughed at." Alec Sulkin, executive producer of Family Guy, calls the book “hilarious, tragic, touching, and most of all, honest. Tony Pacitti deserves a medal from Princess Leia and a hug from Chewbacca.”



Author Tony Pacitti and his best friend

 Tony Pacitti has written for SouthCoast247.com as a features writer and video game reviewer and has had his short science fiction published at 365tomorrows. He has been the writer for the online comics RoboPlanet and The Silencer at Pandemonium Comics. Tony lives in Providence, Rhode Island and is probably watching The Empire Strikes Back on laserdisc at this very moment.

Click here for more info on Tony and Wookiees

The Fellows Hip Movie: Rise of the Gamers

While on our New York Comic Con Quest, we happened upon booth 454 where to producers, cast and crew were speaking to folks about their film.

An homage to The Lord of the Rings and Tolkien the tag line of this films is:"There is a little bit of Geek and Hero in all of us!"

The cast and crew on hand know there Tolkien well, are great admirers of all the adaptations, films, games, audio and have a huge love for the works of the Professor.

We wanted to post today to get the initial word out to our community and readers. We wholeheartedly suggest you check out their website, facebook page, and youtube channel to get a feel for the film and show your love for fellow geeks, gamers, heroes and ultimately Tolkien fans.

The Northeast Tolkien Society is very happy to endorse and support this film and look forward to hopefully bringing it to the NYC area.

Click here for more information and visit the official film website

Celebrate Hobbit Day with The Lonely Mountain Band!

Tolkien inspired album from the Lonely Mountain Band
AVAILABLE NOW!
What better timing, on Bilbo and Frodo's Birthday, for the release of the debut album of The Lonely Mountain Band: Beyond the Western Seas
A musical project created by members of the Celtic rock group Fathom and fronted by Fathom lead singer John Di Bartolo. The album is inspired by the epic literary world of J.R.R. Tolkien, perhaps best known for his The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The scope of Beyond the Western Seas covers the early days of Tolkien’s world, however, giving its intricately detailed history a unique musical life.

While Di Bartolo’s Celtic roots are clear throughout Beyond the Western Seas, The Lonely Mountain Band is a separate musical experience infused with fantasy. In addition to original lyrical content, The Lonely Mountain Band puts several of Tolkien’s poems into new settings for fans to enjoy as free downloads from the band’s website. Di Bartolo is joined by multiple guest performers, including Robert Muller (also of Fathom), Celtic fusion artist Danny McLauglin (Darkwood), and harpist Harperella. Fans of Tolkien’s work will find many details in the album to enjoy from the familiar poetry and names of heroes and battles right down to the cover art provided Ted Nasmith, an artist renowned for his interpretations of Tolkien’s work.

The catalyst for this new collection of songs was the recording of “Let Us Sing Together,” a re-worked cover of a song from the soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings Online written by composer Chance Thomas.

Beyond the Western Seas features three bonus tracks dedicated to the game’s community, included free with the album or online as downloads at http://lonelymountainband.com/

Beyond the Western Seas is having its worldwide release NOW on September 22, 2010, with a virtual release party to be held within the world of The Lord of the Rings Online.

Digital Album


Includes digital liner notes and cover art in PDF format.

Immediate download of 12-track album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

Compact Disc (bonus digital tracks included!)

Buy the Physical CD now and get the 3 bonus free tracks plus two more songs only included on the physical CD (Misty Mountain Air & Lament of Khazad-dûm)

CD comes with a two page insert & picture disc, poly-wrapped.

When you buy the physical CD it ALSO includes an immediate download of the [12]-track digital album in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

NOTE: Expect 2-4 week ship time on physical CD from 9/22 date of your ordering as we rush to fulfill all CD orders. The digital download is immediate. Feel free to contact lonelymountainband@gmail.com with any questions.
Track Listing:
1. Vingilot 03:42

2. Swanships of Alqualondë 02:39
3. The Fall of Gil-galad (free) 03:19
4. Teleri 02:58
5. Ballad of Aiglos 04:34
6. Cuiviénen 03:27
7. Song of Durin's Awakening (free) 04:11
8. Let Us Sing Together 03:12
9. Lament of Eorl the Young (free) 02:40
10. Celduin 03:39
11. Swordsman of the Sky 04:03
12. Beyond the Western Seas 09:38

Latest Newsletter September 15th 2010

Greetings Everyone,
We hope this finds you well. We have a number of things to announce to you all! 10th Anniversary News, Calendar, New Lonely Mountain Band album and more!

Remember you can sign up on our website to recieve articles as they are posted and stay up to date on all our news!

Speaking of articles, as many of you know we have had the honor of having as a longtime member Namiko Hitotsubashi, who was so inspired by the talk given by Professor Michael Drout at our 2005 Ringbearers Day event that she is now his student and assistant at Wheaton College. If you have received Tolkien Studies 7 she is also in the acknowledgements for her help on the volume.
In our forthcoming podcast we interview Namiko about her interests in and study of Tolkien and Anglo-Saxon, plus she has contributed her first article to our site.

Musings on Bilbo Baggins the Bourgeois Burglar and Gandalf the Mythic but Door Challenged Wizard

We wish Namiko all the best at Wheaton and stay tuned for more of her studies in Tolkien and Anglo Saxon on our site!
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As you know we are rapidly approaching our 10th Anniversary event on:
Sunday, September 19th 2010
TIME: 5 pm--??
WHERE: Druids Bar & Restaurant
736 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10019-7006
(212) 307-6410

The reservation in in the name of Anthony Burdge, we will be in the back pation area.

This event will include the winners selected for our Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun giveaway. If you wish to be included in the drawing all you have to do for this is CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US, with your name, address, age and why you should win this book


At 630pm on Sunday, Society chairs Anthony and Jessica will lead a toast to you all, the community who has made this anniversary of The Northeast Tolkien Society possible. We shall also be honoring with a toast longtime member of the Mythopoeic Society, Tolkien Society UK, and Northeast Tolkien Society: Alexei Kondratiev. Many of you know Alexei passed away in May and was a very large contributor to many disciplines aside from Tolkien Studies. In due course you will hear more of what is being done to preserve Alexei's papers and publications, but what we can tell you is that an event is being planned surrounding Alexei's Tolkien contribution.

We will be announcing soon a show being edited and produced by Ken Gale (Alexei's friend of 30+years) that will include highlights from their 3.5 hours discussion about Tolkien and all things Mythopoeic.

If you knew Alexei and would like to take a moment to speak on his behalf, regardless of whether its concerning his Tolkien work or not, please reply to this email or call us directly if you have our phone number.

Click here to Read more of Alexei Kondratiev


*****************************************************************

Our 2011 Northeast Tolkien Society Calendar is available for Pre-Order!
We have made it very easy for you to place your order now on our new Online shop!
Jessie and I have created an online store where we are selling alot of sci-fi/fantasy collectibles, including some Lord of the Rings items.
Click here to Place your Calendar Pre-Order Now!

**********************************************************************
As you may know Lord of the Rings Online is free to play http://www.lotro.com/ 

However, September 22, 2010 10:30pm EST - Virtual Album Release Party for "Beyond the Western Seas" : Bird & Baby on Landroval in LOTRO

Join Galenswerd and help me celebrate the release of the Lonely Mountain Band's first full length album!
What better date than Bilbo/Frodo's birthday?
What better place than the home of the Jack Lewisdown, Carlo Williams, Owen Farfield?

The party is open to all! Plenty of free Old Winyards & Old Toby for all!
LIVE INTERVIEW With CASUAL STROLL TO MORDOR - during party.

"Beyond the Western Seas" will be available to order on CD from Sept 22, 2010 - and can be digitally downloaded on that date as well. Links will be available from band's website and facebook page.

Click here to listen to Song of Durin's Awakening, a free sample from the album, free for the Tolkien fan community.

15 tracks - an hour of Tolkien inspired instrumental music and lore related tales. The album's sound combines folk, new age and celtic played on Harp, acoustic guitar and other various instruments.

The Lonely Mountain Band is a musical project created by John DiBartolo and members of the Celtic Rock band "FATHOM".

The creative venture is inspired by a love for J.R.R. Tolkien's works. As an acoustic and independent body of work in tribute to Tolkien's lore began to grow in John's songbook, it was decided to consolidate these new songs into a new "sub-creative" entity.

Follow along on this minstrel's quest to tap into the mithril lined songs of lore. You can stay up to date on the progress of the project by registering on their facebook, myspace and Twitter.

Click here for their facebook page

The website - (full music site to be launched very soon - right now it is gaming group site) http://www.lonelymountainband.com

STAY TUNED FOR MORE ABOUT THIS ALBUM and ALL THINGS LONELY MOUNTAIN BAND

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On October 3rd Join us for our Pre-LOTR Concert The Two Towers Discussion

4:00pm - 8:00pm
Location:
Fiddlesticks Pub & Grill
56 Greenwich Ave
New York, NY
http://www.fiddlesticksnyc.com/

A short 5 days prior to the 2nd of the LOTR Concert Series, The Two Towers at Radio City

http://www.theradiocitylotrconcert.com/index.html

The Northeast Tolkien Society will be meeting in the back room area of Fiddlesticks Pub to discuss as a whole the events of The Two Towers Book and Film, plus everyone's plans for attending the LOTR Concert on October 8 & 9

Bring your copy of The Two Towers, be prepared to read and discuss your favorite moments from this chapter in Tolkiens epic!


Cheers!
Anthony and Jessica
Founders/Chairs
Northeast Tolkien Society
http://www.herenistarionnets.blogspot.com

Musings on Bilbo Baggins the Bourgeois Burglar and Gandalf the Mythic but Door Challenged Wizard

It is interesting how one notices such different things when one has read a book more than once but less than half a dozen times, especially when the handful of readings spans the period of nearly ten years. In the case of The Hobbit, the last time I read it, I had not yet read Tom Shippey’s The Road to Middle Earth and so the concept of an every day figure walking the path of the epic was something that had spoken to me as an every day person, but which I had not been able to name or put my finger on. As discussed in my Tolkien class , the journey of Bilbo the hobbit from the mundane world to the mythic is one of the key elements that allow the reader to slip into the world of Middle Earth and not really notice until they’ve already been carried away. For as Bilbo himself would later say, “if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”[1]

Bilbo at first is extremely conscious of the fact that he is not quite on the same level as the Dwarves, he knows he is not fierce, but “would go without bead and breakfast”[2] to be thought so. He gives his boast, Beowulf style to the Dwarves saying what he will dare and that it is in his lineage, which links him, if tenuously to the world in which the Dwarves belong. That is the mythic world. Similarly, when he encounters the trolls, he draws on what he has read of the mythic world and tries to apply it to the current situation with questionable effect. He has spent too long thinking of what a “really first-class and legendary burglar” would do.[3] In the tunnels of the goblins, Bilbo doesn’t have much time to think of what his heroic counterparts might do as he gets carried about by the goblins and Dwarves and then stumbles into Gollum’s cave. I would argue that this is truly where Bilbo begins coming into his own. He must rely solely upon his own wits, cunning and skill to save him and doesn’t have time to ponder what a heroic burglar would do in his situation, freeing himself to demonstrate these very traits on his own. By the time he arrives in the domain of the spiders, he is capable of coming up with fantastically audacious plans tailor made for his situation, without reference to past heroes, and not only of coming up with them, but carrying them out, proving that Gandalf is right. Bilbo does possess the necessary skills to take his place as a burglar and even a hero in the mythic world.

Speaking of Gandalf, there is no doubting that he is a great wizard. He is a learned lore master, is not above speaking to the “lesser” folk, and has the ability to make discussions that affect all of Middle Earth and change it for the better. But is it not odd that our dear and learned lore master either does not see the runes on Glamdring and Orcrist or cannot read them, and is unable to open a door (in this case the door to the troll’s lair) without the help of a hobbit?[4] Of course, one could argue that to the latter, there is the problem of a key, but given Gandalf’s use of magic in The Lord of the Rings one could imagine that if he could use magic to hold a door shut, he could perhaps use magic to open a door without it’s key. Yes, magic often has complex rules, so perhaps there are ways in which this would not be possible. In the door incidents, there is a good deal of comic relief as the wise wizard mutters furiously and attempts multiple complex incantations, only to be halted by the simplicity of a key or the elvish word for friend. Almost a reversal, if you will, of the Bilbo journey. Gandalf is firmly in the epic world, except when he has a “senior moment” and can’t recall the precise word for something. In fact, I would argue that Gandalf is the reverse of Bilbo. He is firmly placed in the epic world. He’s a wizard! What is more epic than that!? However, he makes mistakes. He is an old man, with some of an old man’s limitations. He is the ambassador of the epic and mythic to the bourgeois and mundane, just as Bilbo is the representative of the mundane and bourgeois to the epic and mythic. So these lapses of memory or inability to see things or read things bring the epic down to us, even as Bilbo’s deeds lift us closer to the epic.

---

[1] J.R.R. Tolkien, FOTR, p. 72, Houghton Mifflin paperback.

[2] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, p 18, Houghton Mifflin paperback.

[3] J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, p. 33, Houghton Mifflin paperback

[4] This incident is very similarly mirrored in FOTR when Merry’s phrasing suggests the opening words of the Moria gate.