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I feel a little out of place here, being that I am a new member and you all seem to be good friends,or at least good respondents, with many posts(and experience) under your belts..but I would like to reply to Fred's question, not only because I have a strong belief regarding his particular question, but also because I am very opinionated and when someone asks for a response I give mine! Anyway, I believe that you should read the Hobbitt first, because you will then be able to start the trilogy with a bit of history in your head, stored away. After you have read the Hobbitt, you will know where the characters are going in the trilogy. You will have stored the memory of the Shire and Misty Mountain and Mordor, and you will have a picture in your head of the world that Mr. Tolkien created. To me this is the best part of reading the trilogy...having a mental picture already in your head of the surroundings...nothing can compare to the images your mind creates when reading a great book. Unfortunately this "kills" many a movie for me. For example, when I was much younger I read many many of Mr. Robert E. Howard's Conan books...I remember to this day many of the images my mind created while reading these. Then, along came Arnold, and completely ruined my images. Even now, I am apprehensive to go watch a film after I have read the book, only because I know I will be disappointed with the translation to the screen. Not to say I don't want to see the Fellowship,on the contrary, I am very much looking forward to seeing it...however, I also know that after seeing this film I will never be able to read the books again without seeing the faces of Wood, Rhys-Davies or Mr. Lee. Nothing at all wrong with that, except you are denying your senses the ability to create mr. Tolkiens world in your head as you would see it... you will be seeing the movie in your head when you are reading the book.
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