You must be lost

Heh, I kind of feel like the stupid one, too. I haven't read any of the lesser known stories until now and I certainly haven't studied Tolkien's works or know how they fit into his life and such and definitely don't speak any of his fictional languages. Marie and some of the others are regular scholars on the subject of Tolkien and his works. But no one talks down to anyone for not knowing something and everyone seems willing to share their own knowledge and perspective on the stories and not be condescending to those of us who perhaps are not as well read.