Fanthropological

## Episode outline ### Fandom Facts **Origins:** Published between 1954-55, the Lord of the Rings is J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy story, following the adventures of Frodo and many others, hoping to stop the evil lord Sauron. **Fandom Origins:** The fandom started early on with letters being written to Tolkien about Middle-earth and the characters. In the 1960s, hippie counter-culture found some resonance with the book and helped it to become a best seller. Several fan groups started around this time: The Tolkien Society, and the Mythopeic Society, to name a few. Anti-fandom seems to have existed since as early as 1969 when co-founders of National Lampoon authored their novel, *Bored of the Rings*. Of course, there are tons of other bits of history, and the books (and fandom) have impacted music and academics alike. Online fandom started around 1993, with newsgroups like `alt.fan.tolkien` and `rec.arts.books.tolkien`. > He wrote of a "deplorable cultus" of fandom, and stated that ""Many young America