The Bluestocking Women's Pub, where brains can exist in a single state

[Magpiecomplex]

Welcome all. The booze here is minimally intoxicating, the food is calorie free and the staff are warm and cuddly. And if the thread title sounds nonsensical, blame the guy Myrtle was listening to this evening!

I’d like, so totally eat these…

I know he was 'a local', but we just didn't have those kind of books in our universe..
Stories about Maeve and Cuchulainn and leprechauns [proper ones, not the commercialised ones with red hair and tall green hats🙄] were more our kind of thing.
They probably inspired C S Lewis too

I've long believed that Tourism NI should promote a Narnia trail, like the Bronte trail in Yorkshire.

Considering how big a deal Lewis is, it's weird that Belfast didn't start celebrating him until decades after he was dead, and still is a bit half hearted about it. I know there's that statue of him opening the wardrobe - it looks a bit like an electrician working at a junction box.

They could also correct the views of Lewis's American evangelical fans, who seem to believe he was a non-smoking teetotaller. He definitely wasn't.

I had absolutely no idea he was an Irish man. I've just realised I know very little about him, as though he materialised fully grown and smoking a pipe in a pub in Oxford.

It was wild reading Surprised by Joy, because it's usually billed as a spiritual autobiography, but the stuff about his youth is more interesting to me. When he talks about growing up in that house in Strandtown, or walking up by Holywood, I can totally picture it.

I wonder if Brummies are surprised to learn that Tolkien was a local boy.

They have capitalised on the link with CS Lewis - there is a Narnia Trail in Rostrevor
The Narnia Trail - Rostrevor - Visit Mourne Mountains
Lovely part of the world, 'Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea'

It's about time!

The north is a small place, so maybe if you shout long enough someone will notice.

While they're at it, a statue of Gary Moore would be nice.

I lived in the West Midlands for a good few years ( not a native) and we were certainly very aware of the Tolkein connection.

We took our kids to Sarehole Mill (obviously known as "Arsehole Mill" in Brum) and up the water tower, one of the inspiration for the "Two Towers".

I'm not sure that that filling is chocolate ...

🤢

Nice one, Inky - good tactic for keeping all that Tunnocky chocolatey deliciousness for yourself
It reminds me of a joke about a bloke in a pub who noticed that people were nicking his drink when he went to the toilet, so he left a note beside it:
I'VE SPAT IN THIS DRINK.
When he came back from the toilet, somebody had added
SO HAVE I
😂

Bisto gravy filled Tunnocks? Oh my!

No. Just no.
I know Tunnocks are a bit dry, but gravy?
🤢🤮🤢

What else could it be? Marmite?

I'll never know, on account of the wheat. So sad.

I knew a little more about Tolkien including the Brum connection. Young me loved the LoTRs and was slightly disapproving that the author was from somewhere so ordinary. I'm not sure where would have met with my approval. An old cottage half way up a mountain in North Wales probably. Now I think it's midland roots are fabulous. Am desperate to watch a version where all the characters speak with Brummie accents. Rob Halford could play Gandalf. Ozzy Osborne as the voice of Gollum. Tony Iommi, digitally de-aged, as Aragorn. Bill Oddie, i think, is a hobbit. <runs out of famous Brummies>

Gary Moore definitely deserves a statue.

Bill Oddie would be amazing as a hobbit!

I've long believed Bob Shaw is the most underrated of sci-fi authors, and some of his books (One Million Tomorrows springs to mind) would make great movies, but his futuristic characters would have to have Norn Iron accents.

Not a Tolkien or Narnia fan but I did used to drink in the Bird and Babe in Oxford where The Inklings met in the back bar - there’s a plaque. Allegedly they had a bet to see who could be the most successful writer of fantasy or legendary tales. Tolkien wrote LotR, Lewis wrote Narnia, L Ron Hubbard founded Scientology.

So I guess Hubbard won.

Wow, that is a definite debate topic for the Bluestocking lounge. Ideally accompanied by copious amounts of booze. Have to confess I’ve not actually read any Hubbard….

I wouldn’t bother. It’s trite rubbish and I can say that with confidence as someone who read a lot of 1960s trite sci-fi and fantasy in my teens.

I will confess that I've never had the nerve to try reading Battlefield Earth.

Some of his early (pre-Scientology) sci-fi is pretty good if you can tolerate the pulpy 1940s style. Fear is a minor classic of the horror/mystery genre.

I'd never say he was a literary genius, but I think modern SFF fans might enjoy him if it weren't for the offputting cult stuff.

Once I’ve got through my annual review I was planning on reading the 3 Body problem… think I’ll press on with that first, then!

There’s a Tolkien Trail in lancashire
https://thetolkientrail.com/

supposedly he got some of his inspiration while staying in the area.

Oh you should definitely read Three Body Problem. It is excellent. Very weird.

I don't know where I read this, but I believe somebody in the back bar of the 'Bird and Babe' forced to listen to the Inklings' conversation was heard to say in an exasperated tone:
'Oh not another fucking elf!'😄