the journey of tom bombadil

[Quickbeam]

Tom Bombadil has always been my favorite character in Lord of the Rings. When I learned that he had his own book, I got really excited. Have any of you read the journey of tom bombadil? If you have, whats it like. Should I bother tracking down a copy? Tom Bombadil has always intrigued me, and I wanted to know who he was and where he came from even before I knew about his book.

[Bacchus]

You can find "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" published with several other essays in The Tolkien Reader. Speaking strictly for myself, I was much more impressed with the other writings published in this volume (Leaf by Niggle, On Fairy-Stories). Adventures of TB is written in verse, and I have never been particularly patient with or appreciative of poetry. :(

[Varda]

but isnt that appropriate to a story of tb?

[galadriel]

If you like the fun kind of nonsense poetry that Tom Bombadil is associated with, you'll like The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. I only skimmed the poem (and its sequel, the name of which I can't remember), so I'm not a big expert on them. They are, as I said, nonsensical poems, about the adventures of Tom and other various characters... Old Man Willow, Goldberry... Farmer Maggot even makes an appearance. They're cute.

I personally liked the essays, short stories, and more serious poetry in the Tolkien Reader better. Some of the nonsense poems are good too, but when they get too lengthy I find it hard to stay interested. So I guess it depends on what you like.

[Ñólendil]

I really enjoyed Adventures of Tom Bombadil, but keep in mind it is not a story about Tom, nor is it (as the Tolkien Reader jacket claims) poems in praise of Tom. It is called what it is called because that is the name of the first poem. They're supposed to be Hobbit-children poems translated from the Red Book, and most of them are not about Bombadil at all.

[Quickbeam]

hmmm, I think I'm second guessing the book now.

[Pippin Took]

I have a friend readin that book and he is enjoying it even though tom was one of his lesser favourite characters.