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Peek at the Week: September 19

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, “There is nothing like looking if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”

We’re all here at Villanova to obtain some type of deeper knowledge or experience, in most cases a degree, but sometimes what you find in college is much more than a (still important) framed diploma or a resume-booster. You find friends, you find hobbies, you even find yourself.

This week, give yourself some time to go out and find something, something that makes you happy, something that makes you mindful, even something you hate. You never know what you might find if you look.


THIS WEEK AT FALVEY

Monday, September 19

Mindfulness Monday | 1-1:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free & Open to Villanova Students, Faculty, and Staff

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Wednesday, September 21

Fall 2022 Falvey Forum Workshop: Using Zotero Citation Manager | 12-1 p.m. | Virtual | Free & Open to the Villanova Community | Register Here

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Thursday, September 22

The Learners’ Studio/Center for Speaking and Presentation | 4-9 p.m. | Room 301 | Free

Friday, September 23

Villanova Gaming Society Meeting | 2:30-4:30 p.m. | Speakers’ Corner | Free & Open to the Public


HOLIDAYS THIS WEEK

As many of you may already know, tomorrow is 1842 Day, our very own Villanova holiday of gratitude and giving. You can celebrate by showing your support and making a donation to a campus resource that you feel passionate about or has impacted your ‘Nova experience for the better. To return some of the gratitude, five lucky people who give a gift to the library will receive some Falvey swag.

Tomorrow is National Voter Registration Day. Celebrate, if you haven’t already, by registering to vote (and check out this blog if you want some helpful links and information about the Pennsylvania midterm elections).

Thursday, Sept. 22, is Hobbit Day. If you’re a fellow LOTR fan and feeling festive, celebrate by reading any part of the classic series, watching the movie adaptations, or by eating “second breakfast” and “elevensies,” as Tolkien’s Bilbo Baggins would have wanted. I know I’ll be rewatching The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. How could you go wrong with Christopher Lee, Treebeard, and the Battle of Helm’s Deep?

Friday is Celebrate Bisexuality Day. Did you know that according to research from Gates in 2011, bisexuals make up more than half of all LGB individuals? That’s a significant portion of the LGBTQ+ community that identifies with bisexuality. You can celebrate by showing your own bi pride, engaging with a bisexual artist or performer (with options like David Bowie, Alan Cummings, Megan Fox, and Amy Winehouse, the options are endless), or by learning more about the community.

 

 


Annie Stockmal is a graduate student in the Communication Department and graduate assistant in Falvey Library.

 

 


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‘Cat in the Stax: Celebrating with the Hobbits

By Jenna Newman

 

History of Hobbit Day

Sept. 22 is a big day in the Villanova community from 1842 Day to Voter Registration Day. However, another arguably important holiday on the same day is Hobbit Day. Hobbit Day takes place on the day of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins shared birthday, the date of the Long Awaited Party. 

The American Tolkien Society first proclaimed Hobbit Day in 1978. They refer to it as essentially the ideal holiday, combining the costumes of Halloween, food of thanksgiving, gifts of Christmas, picnic atmosphere of Labor Day and Memorial Day, and the fireworks of the Fourth of July. You can also celebrate by diving into the literary world of Tolkien and Middle Earth.

What to read? 

The great thing about The Lord of the Rings is that the ideas from the trilogy and the world that J.R.R. Tolkien created can be examined in conjunction with many of the subjects we study today including philosophy, history, religion, and international relations. Below is a list of books in Falvey’s collection that have Hobbit ties to a variety of disciplines. 

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again

In compiling a list about books to read for Hobbit Day, it would be ridiculous to have anything other than the book where it all started at the top of list. For adventure lovers or Lord of the Rings newbies, The Hobbit is the place to start. Before taking a deep dive into some of the theories at work behind the story, it is imperative to answer the two questions of, “Who are Hobbits?” and “What is the world they live in?”

The Hobbit Party: The Vision of Freedom That Tolkien Got and the West Forgot 

This book combines the world of Middle Earth with the politics of today. Providing a critical look at Tolkien’s political beliefs of small government and economic freedom, authors Jay W. Richards and Jonathan Witt examine how these beliefs can be seen within the storylines of the Shire. It can be argued that the political message of The Lord of the Rings series is second only to its  religious message. 

A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918

If you have any interest in history, biographies or the faith that became the basis for The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia, this is the book to grab off of the shelves. This book explores how the Great War led to a friendship between authors J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis as well as the foundations for what we now know as the worlds of Narnia and Middle Earth. 

The Lord of the Rings: Popular Culture in Global Context

Ernest Mathijs appeals to readers interested in the fields of media and film studies as he examines the impact of The Lord of the Rings on both the regional and global industries. Throughout the chapters the impact of the franchise, reception by critics and fans, and the success of spin-offs are all discussed. This book offers yet another perspective on the wide-spreading impact of the franchise.

The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind the Lord of the Rings

For anyone either well-versed or just interested in philosophy, this book looks at 50 philosophical questions in 13 categories and then examines Tolkien’s work to answer each question. Author Peter Kreeft relies on Tolkien’s texts to answer each question, providing a strong framework of analysis. The deep-dive into the philosophical world of Middle Earth is an adventure separate from the literary works themselves.

The International Relations of Middle-Earth: Learning from the Lord of the Rings

Based on a course taught at the University of Southern California, this book examines how the world of Middle Earth can help us learn about our own world. Many of the common themes in international relations such as good versus evil and human agency versus determinism are explored in Tolkien’s works. 

 


Jenna Newman is a graduate assistant in Falvey Memorial Library and a graduate student in the Communication Department. Current mood: Planning my next Lord of the Rings movie night. 

 

 


 


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Last Modified: September 16, 2020

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