How do I get someont to read the books?!

[WallRocker]

I've got a very goos friend who wouldn't read FOTR or even the Hobbit before the movie came out, and now she won't read the books at all! I understand this is a fairly common case, and I was wondering if anyone knew the cure? HELP! No matter how often I tell her, she won't believe the books are way better then the Movies.

[Lizra]

I suggest you back off! She's probably being stubborn, or who knows what. You could mention sometimes that "that whole scene was much cooler in the book", but not very often. You don't want to be annoying. Playing it "cool" always attracts the interest!

[BeardofPants]

Nagging her will never get her to read the books. You have to find a way to entice her, so that she comes to them of her own accord. And at the end of the day, if she doesn't read them, well then she's being a silly twat who doesn't know what she's missing out on.

[Coney]

Boil her in vinegar until she agrees to read them?
Tie her to a chair and read the books to her until she realises that the books are pure genius?
Send her a copy of LotR and a candle as a gift then lock her in her home and disconnect the electricity?

Failing that send her a birthday/Xmas/friendship card and write a cool quote/poem/song from LotR in it and hope it catches her interest:)

[Aeryn]

Well, read the books when you around her, and giggle at all the funny places, and coo at all the sweet places, and gasp at the scary and/or surpiring parts. Like any normal person would do. Play it low, and don't seem to obvious.

[cassiopeia]

Tell her Legolas takes his clothes off in the book! :D Seriously, I would try to get her all excited about what will happen in the TT and/or ROTK, so she can't wait for the movies to come out, and has to read the books.

[Goldberry1]

I got my cousin interested in reading the books. We bought the DVD on vacation and she watched parts of it, even though she didn't want to, but I told her it was the greatest movie ever, and she didnt have anything better to do. And then after we went home she ended up rented the movie and watched it. So when she told me that, I told her that she had to read the books and she said that she had started FOTR. SO, your friend might just come around, but if she doesn't, I would give her one of the books as a present, then she might feel obligated to read it, and then she would probably like it... that's how my family got me to read it!

[Lizra]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
Tell her Legolas takes his clothes off in the book! :D

Very Funny! I noticed the cover is different on the new issue of the Two Towers. I bought the whole set cheap at Walmart after I saw FoTR. (I still have my 30 year old Hobbit, but LoTR disappeared) The set I got had a picture of Saruman on the cover. Now I notice the shelves restocked, the cover is Legolas, looking very ungirly (for Legolas!) girded up for battle. It's NICE!

[WallRocker]

Thanks, that really helps! I think I'm gonna try boiling her in vinegar, that just might work:-)

[Philia]

Hee hee, I've seen those covers at the store, but I didn't know who it was supposed to be. I doubt I will see the movies, they never live up to my standards!:p

[Eowyn of Rohan]

Okay... To begin with, you must gather an important piece of information.

First thing is (if nothing else) first.

Please be sure: ..... that the individual *CAN READ*!

I know, I know! This may seem like a small point, one worth hardly any notice. But I assure you,... it is very important.

Next, ...

Well,....

let's face it.....

having the text readily at hand would be a GOOD thing, agreed?

Alrighty! Next!

Ok. Well,...

Uuuummmm....... well, ... you . .. could .... when the person..... and you ..... with the book....... ::looking around for help::

::Suddenly:: Ooo! Ooo!! PUPPET SHOW!! YEAH!! Works every time, man!! :D

::Long low sigh::
::Smiling widely::
::Eyes: distant and aglaze::
(To self): Oh yeah! ::chuckle:: Puppet shows rock!

......

::Snapping back:: Uh, .. yeah, not that that would help, but ... hey! everybody loves a puppet show, right!? ......... Right???

::clearing throat and exiting room immediately::

[Millane]

Nagging her will never get her to read the books.
i beg to differ... i nagged all my friends and now they have all started... it takes awhile but persistance pays off.
i wrote all these lord quotes and songs in my school diary... i have a heap of the Ride of the Rohirrim quotes work like a charm - 'and they sang as they slew for the joy of battle was on them' gets anyone inyterested.
the other day i just crapped on bout Gil-galad for the whole day... sang Gil-galads song constantly... it got them reading that night

[BeardofPants]

Hmm, you must have a better technique of nagging than I do, Millane, because I have been trying to get people to read Dune as well, and nagging just doesn't seem to work. I've threatened, nagged, pulled out the croc tears (j/k on that one :eek: ), and none of them seemed to work. The BF only read it when I *stopped* nagging. :D

[BeardofPants]

Oh, does anyone want to read Dune? ;)

[Eowyn of Rohan]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Oh, does anyone want to read Dune? ;)

Sure... but I think I'll go see the movie first and then refuse to read it later on, okay?

[entss89]

the way i would get my friends to read the book is i would tell all there deepest darkest secrests! evil mwwwwwamwwwwwwa
:p :D ;)

[Sminty_Smeagol]

write secret evil notes everywhere in Tengwar. Like, "Mr. Smith's a gay one" in school on mr. smith's board (remember to write it in elvish, though). See if they become interested in Tengwar (since it's pretty and you can write evil little notes nobody else can read... v. appealing) and that might spark an interest in reading lotr.

[Lanelf]

I've got a success story!
I told my friend that I'd read a book she wanted me to read (Chinese Cinderella) and then she'd read The Hobbit. Only fault is, I've read CC, but she still hasn't started TH!:mad:
I'll keep trying... Maybe the next step is the boiling in vinegar...;)
Lanelf.

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by Lanelf
I've got a success story!
I told my friend that I'd read a book she wanted me to read (Chinese Cinderella) and then she'd read The Hobbit. Only fault is, I've read CC, but she still hasn't started TH!:mad:
I'll keep trying... Maybe the next step is the boiling in vinegar...;)
Lanelf.

I did the same thing with an entire group that liked romances ("For each time one of you reads LOTR, I'll read this romance novel you've been trying to get me to read"). But, beware, don't use this method unless you can at least stand the books your friends have you read, 'cause my friends are holding me to it! About half the group fell in love with LOTR :D , most of the rest just said "Nice books," and yes, there were the unfortunate few that can't stand Tolkien. :( Well, they'll just miss out, I suppose. :p

[Khadrane]

You could say to her, "You know what I'm looking forward to in TTT... oh, wait, never mind..."

Or you could be talking to a LotR fan friend while she is in hearing range and say "Tom Bombaldil is the coolest character! I can't believe they left him out of the movies!" Things like that might make her curious enough to read the books

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Eowyn of Rohan
Sure... but I think I'll go see the movie first and then refuse to read it later on, okay?

Aarrrrgggghhhh! *Tears hair out in frustration.*

;)

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Oh, does anyone want to read Dune? ;)

I will! In sci-fi/fantasy, I almost always like books better than their movies. I liked the movie Dune but it wasn't my favorite by any means, which means I'll probably love the book.

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Aarrrrgggghhhh! *Tears hair out in frustration.*

;)

LOL! *falls out of the chair laughing picturing BoP as bald*

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Silverstripe
I will! In sci-fi/fantasy, I almost always like books better than their movies. I liked the movie Dune but it wasn't my favorite by any means, which means I'll probably love the book.

Great! If I've made one more convert, I'll die a happy person. :D Now, onto the next item on the agenda: Have you considered reading Asimov's Foundation series? (Just started myself.)

And no, I'm not bald yet! :p

[CrystalBolger]

Hey! ive got a sucess story!
my cuz never wants 2 read ne books. last New Year's Day, her dad, mom, bro (who already read the books), her and me went 2 c LotR:FotR. She loved it and now shes readin all the books!
i have another story.
1 of my best friends brothers got the trilogy and she saw the movie(thot the actin wuz good, wouldnt say ne thin else bout it) and i showed her like 2million pics and she read only like the 1st chap. couldnt get her 2 read nemore. i tried tellin her that i would read a Left Behind book(which she luvs and i cant stand) but i read part of 1 of em and she never even picked up LotR! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr:mad:

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by CrystalBolger
Hey! ive got a sucess story!
my cuz never wants 2 read ne books. last New Year's Day, her dad, mom, bro (who already read the books), her and me went 2 c LotR:FotR. She loved it and now shes readin all the books!
i have another story.
1 of my best friends brothers got the trilogy and she saw the movie(thot the actin wuz good, wouldnt say ne thin else bout it) and i showed her like 2million pics and she read only like the 1st chap. couldnt get her 2 read nemore. i tried tellin her that i would read a Left Behind book(which she luvs and i cant stand) but i read part of 1 of em and she never even picked up LotR! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr:mad:

Well, if you read at about the same rate (or she's a faster reader than you are), you could try reading together, then she'd have to at least pretend to read the LotR.

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Great! If I've made one more convert, I'll die a happy person. :D Now, onto the next item on the agenda: Have you considered reading Asimov's Foundation series? (Just started myself.)

And no, I'm not bald yet! :p

Considered: yes, though I haven't started on it (hey, I have to read Dune first, right:D)

And I'm glad to hear you didn't tear all your hair out (even though it would have been kind of funny ;) ).

[Starr Polish]

Start to make references to little jokes in it that she woudn't get if she hasn't read the book. This is especially effective if you have other friends that like Tolkien.

Also, if she really gets on you about how she refuses to read the books, look at her and say "Oh, you probably wouldn't understand it anyway," or "Oh, it's above you, then." Gets most people riled up, but be careful with that one! If she doesn't hate you, she'll read it to prove that it isn't above her.

[Nibs]

How manipulative, Starr Polish... I can't think of a better way.

I think it would be funny if, after seeing the movie and deciding to read all the books, some one gets upset at the book at the controversial Ford part... "Hey, where's Arwen?! That's not how it's supposed to go..."

[Khadrane]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Now, onto the next item on the agenda: Have you considered reading Asimov's Foundation series? (Just started myself.)

My dad made me read one of the Foundation books. (Well, he didn't literally make me, but yeah) Anyway, I hated it. I don't even remember what happened anymore. :)

[Wayfarer]

How about Otherworld?

'Orlando! You came back! Just like Gandalf!'
'What? You actually read it? You're such a scanmaster, fredricks!'

[Vronsky]

Originally posted by WallRocker
I've got a very goos friend who wouldn't read FOTR or even the Hobbit before the movie came out, and now she won't read the books at all! I understand this is a fairly common case, and I was wondering if anyone knew the cure? HELP! No matter how often I tell her, she won't believe the books are way better then the Movies.


Let's be honest here: LOTR is basically an adventure book for boys, not the kind of reading stuff that females are usually attracted to. Give her Donna Tart...

Cheers

[Nibs]

Originally posted by Vronsky
Let's be honest here: LOTR is basically an adventure book for boys, not the kind of reading stuff that females are usually attracted to. Give her Donna Tart...
If you're not kidding, may I suggest...

DUCK.

[Blackboar]

Whats that supposed to mean!

I love the books!! All my mates do too! Its not a boy thing at all ( i am a bit boyish but none of my mates are) Its got like a few pretty women like galadriel and all the bits that arnt fighting are sometimes sad.

[Lanelf]

Are you still in the process of ducking, Vronsky? Yes? Good!;)
I love it! My friends (also girls) love it! My sisters love it! And if my Mum had read it, I'm sure she'd love it! It's all wonderful and high adventure and good Vs. evil and really really good!;)
Ok, done now. Didn't mean to be nasty;)!
Lanelf.

[Arathorn]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Oh, does anyone want to read Dune? ;)

I wanna read it again! :D

The 3 Prequels by Frank Herbert's son have been in the bookstores for ages and I'm still not touching them. I'm still waiting for the "Butlerian Jihad" book to arrive here in Manila. I'm afraid that if I order on-line again, I'd see the book on the stands after having paid a huge sum for shipping. :mad:
_________________________
About getting a friend to read LOTR, I was thinking along the lines as Starr. If that doesn't work, bring out the heavy artillery:

Start talking to your friend in Quenya, Sindar, Khazad, Dark Tongue, or Gollumish Yessss, my preciousssss??

Another great way is to keep quoting the book
If you try hard enough she might just have a look

Tell her 'bout Tom Bombadill Bombadill a dillo
Whose boots are blue and whose hat is yello..

...ummm, sorry. Got carried away there...:o

[crickhollow]

Originally posted by Vronsky
Let's be honest here: LOTR is basically an adventure book for boys, not the kind of reading stuff that females are usually attracted to. Give her Donna Tart...

Cheers That comment deserves a good shoe throwing. Adventure books for boys indeed. How dare you reduce a masterpiece like The Lord of the Rings to mere 'adventure books'? Nibs has given great advice my friend, I also suggest that you duck! *hurls both tennis shoes in Vronsky's direction*

Crystal, do yourself a favor and don't finish Left Behind. I felt dumber after I read it. On the other hand, Tolkien (and this is especially the case with The Silmarillian) always makes me feel smarter for having read his stuff.

[Nibs]

"NO SPIKES! NO SPIKES!!! AAAAARGH"

[BeardofPants]

We don't have the Butlerian Jihad here either. Even Borders doesn't have it. Must be one of those conspiracies I'm always reading about... :rolleyes:

[Vronsky]

Originally posted by Lanelf
Are you still in the process of ducking, Vronsky? Yes? Good!;)
I love it! My friends (also girls) love it! My sisters love it! And if my Mum had read it, I'm sure she'd love it! It's all wonderful and high adventure and good Vs. evil and really really good!;)
Ok, done now. Didn't mean to be nasty;)!
Lanelf.


Hold your ponies, boys!
Whats wrong with adventure stories?
The Iliad, my all time favourite, is an adventure story init?
Love the stuff. Sorry girls.

Cheers!

[Arathorn]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
We don't have the Butlerian Jihad here either. Even Borders doesn't have it. Must be one of those conspiracies I'm always reading about... :rolleyes:

Maybe some customs people are dumb enough to think "Butlerian Jihad" is a handbook for terrorists. :rolleyes: :D

[Wayfarer]

Nah, it's a problem with the computerized distribution system. They keep shipping them out, and they keep ending up in the oddest places: in a third world refugee camp in boxes marked 'fire', for example. ]: )

[Lollypopgurl]

Your friend sounds like mine...

I DID get her to read it, but she is only at the Dead Marshes and she has been reading for a long time.

I can partly understand. At a first glance, the Lord of the Rings is an extremely boring book. But if you really get into it, it's wonderful.

Well, what I did with my friend is
1)Persuasion
2)Threatening to tell her what happens after FOTR (:D :D )

[Eowyn of Rohan]

Originally posted by Vronsky
Let's be honest here: LOTR is basically an adventure book for boys, not the kind of reading stuff that females are usually attracted to. Give her Donna Tart...
Cheers

.....???
what? Did you just.... ?
Okay... Vronsky.
I'm going to stay calm (for a moment) and ask you to explain your reasoning.

And you better make it good.....

[markedel]

I saw a copy of Butlerian Jihad at Indigo. But I instead bought Harry Turtledove's-Ruled Brittania convince your friend to read that too. It'll make them love and appreciate shakespeare.

[BeardofPants]

Well, I picked up a copy of Butlerian Jihad yesterday... they must have come in pretty recently, cos they weren't there last time. And from what I've read so far, I'm guessing I'll be forcing a few people to read it. :D

[Arathorn]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Well, I picked up a copy of Butlerian Jihad yesterday... they must have come in pretty recently, cos they weren't there last time. And from what I've read so far, I'm guessing I'll be forcing a few people to read it. :D

Now I'm left yearning for it in this Dune and Tolkien deprived country of mine! :mad:

Anyway, it's good to know you like Brian Herbert; at least this book. Just one more week of not being available in Manila and I'd order the Extended FOTR DVD and Butlerian Jihad on-line. Enough is enough.

[Firekitten2006]

Originally posted by Eowyn of Rohan
.....???
what? Did you just.... ?
Okay... Vronsky.
I'm going to stay calm (for a moment) and ask you to explain your reasoning.

And you better make it good.....


I agree! lol

[Starr Polish]

Sheesh Vronsky.

Yes, LOTR is an epic adventure story, but it also many, many other things.

And who told you that girls don't like adventure stories? I find a lot of books written for 'girls' very boring and cliched (I'm not saying that adventure stories can't be cliched, because they can).

[durin's bane]

Maybe you could look at some points:

1) Does your friend enjoy reading?
2) If so, what kind of genre does your friend prefer? Some people are not into fantasy or don't have the attention span to small printing, long chapters, or lots of dialogue.
3) Does your friend tend to stick to what he/she thinks? Some people, and I know plenty of people like this, trust only their own thoughts of what seems right.

Overall, maybe you could point out some stuff she might enjoy better in the book. Or maybe just ask oooone last time. :)

[Maren]

I just carry the book around all the time and read it in snippets whenever I have a minute. It drove most of my friend's to a frenzy of curiosity: Why would I read those books all the time, starting over at the beginning when I finished?

Plus, it helps to simply talk about them all the time, in a non-annoying way if possible, it gets their interest and curiosity up.

Maybe also apply it to your life, like "this reminds me of the moment when Aragorn wishes Eowyn happiness, :::sniff:::!" That worked for me a lot too.

Hope this helps,
Maren

[Blackboar]

I always read the LotR Series over and over again without reading
other books inbetween too.

I would stop going on about it. If you are not nagging about it she
might consider reading it though maybe it just isnt her thing and
she might not enjoy it but I bet you she will definately read
it sometime in her life.

[Silverstripe]

Originally posted by Vronsky
Let's be honest here: LOTR is basically an adventure book for boys, not the kind of reading stuff that females are usually attracted to. Give her Donna Tart...

Cheers

HUH??????!!!!!! *whips out sword and points it at Vronsky*

I have one friend who is very, very, ah, well, what could be called "feminine;" I suppose, and she NEVER reads adventure stories or sci-fi/fantasy, but SHE LOVED LOTR!!!!!!!!

I, on the other hand, hardly ever read anything except for sci-fi and fantasy, and yes, I like many of these so-called "adventure books," and I just happen to be female!

Okay. I feel better now and have decided not to kill anyone.

*sheaths sword*

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Arathorn
Anyway, it's good to know you like Brian Herbert; at least this book. Just one more week of not being available in Manila and I'd order the Extended FOTR DVD and Butlerian Jihad on-line. Enough is enough.

Well: the verdict is in. A good read for the information and background leading up to Dune, but certainly not a classic. All in all, I think I'll skip the rest of what Brian has to offer.... unless he's got a good hook.

[iowyth]

Why is it necessary that your friends read the same books you do? Do they have to go to the same movies also? Wear the same style of clothes?
Of course, when we find something we enjoy we want to share it with our friends but if we find they are not interested.... back off! It's their life. They are your friend, not your intellectual slave.
Tolkien has lots of fans. One or two less here and there won't hurt