Patricius is learning...

When my beloved Latin teacher introduced me to a monk from Ealing Abbey, she said of me ''he knows everything about Tolkien.'' Now, while I do enjoy the occasional censing (such as during the Holy Sacrifice), I believe that she erred on this particular occasion. While going through The History of Middle-earth this evening, Volume IV, I turned to the altogether unknowable Anglo-Saxon version of the Annals of Valinor (interestingly, these Annals were first composed in Anglo-Saxon). Now, I know no Anglo-Saxon at all (my cousin suggested that I learn it in order to better understand Tolkien - yeah right!), but I discovered for the first time this evening the etymology of the famous Arkenstone from The Hobbit, which Thorin prized over all the riches of Erebor. Tolkien renders ''silmarils'' as ''Eorclanstánas'', which Christopher Tolkien speculates is related to the Gothic airkns, which is ''holy.'' When I first read The Hobbit (now many years ago), I assumed (then knowing nothing about Tolkien the man) that all the strange names were arbitrary, just as they seem to be in inferior works of fiction, and in all honesty, I haven't given it any thought since then. I seldom read The Hobbit, and haven't read it at all this year - this must be rectified soon.

I have spent a while in pain this evening, and when I came in from work, longed to read something very personal and resonant, but not even Tolkien worked, and I didn't even like my music - it all seemed very stale and ''samey.'' Any suggestions for November reading (other than academic stuff) would be welcome...