The SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS column that normally runs on Thursdays is a place at Shannon Muir’s author website showcasing books from a variety of fiction genres, with an emphasis on interviews and guest posts from other authors. One thing Shannon firmly believes in for readers not only to learn about new books available, but about those who craft the tales behind them. As its name implies, SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS weekly column features writers from all genres of fiction who want their potential audience to get to know them, and their works, better.
However, as we near toward the end of the year, Shannon is going to take these remaining Thursdays to talk about the books most influential to her, and why they have withstood the test of time. These will run every Thursday for the next several weeks.
I’m actually going to lump a set of books together because I think they are all interconnected and really shouldn’t be compared against one another.
The most influential books in my life since my childhood are J.R.R. Tolkien’s THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Growing up, I’ve always felt like I was the underdog or the unlikely hero. Both Bilbo Baggins in the case of THE HOBBIT, or Samwise Gamgee in LORD OF THE RINGS (though he is accompanying Bibo’s nephew Frodo on the quest), very much embody this. I will admit, though, that when I was younger I saw Frodo as the expected hero since Bilbo was his uncle – and I’d been exposed to THE HOBBIT several years before THE LORD OF THE RINGS. It wasn’t until my adult years I could fully appreciate the nuances of Sam as the true hero and “everyman” of THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Looking forward to sharing more about my favorite books in the weeks to come.