Morgan,

I know it is possible to obtain a copy of a dissertation (usually in electronic form) because I have some. However, I suspect that Dr. Brown has not completed it yet. Here is a little more info from the Mythgard Institute: http://www.mythgard.org/academics/our-faculty/sara-brown/

Morgan: what is it that everyone was talking about? I haven't heard...

BH

Khamûl: Based on how the text reads in the newspaper article (my first link), people have been accusing Sara Brown of referring to a quote falsely attributed to Tolkien ("a single dream is more powerful than a thousand realitites"), making the conclusion that she must be a bad scholar. However, I did a bit of research and it appears like the author of the article has just re-arranged an earlier article (my second link), making it sound like Dr Brown is providing the quote (which she isn't in the original article).

Josh: No, I believe the Mythgard webpage is outdated. See her LinkedIn profile: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/dr-sara-brown/12/220/b61

Ahh, I see; I thought that would be it. Either that or her (again probably just the article) misspelling of Middle-earth!

Her thesis entitled ‘From Abjection to Alchemy: Tolkien’s Middle Earth Legendarium’ is the result of over six years work under the supervision of Professor Lucie Armitt at the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences in the University of Salford.

BH

Hi Morgan. I am Sara Brown and I can tell you that I had nothing to do with what was written in the article. The school I work for (Rydal Penrhos) sent a short note to the local paper thinking it might be nice publicity for the school, and the paper made up the rest. I can assure you that 1. I have indeed completed the thesis, which is why I am able to call myself Dr Brown, 2. I am perfectly capable of spelling Middle-earth, unlike the newspaper journalist, and 3. I know my Tolkien quotes. Goodness only knows where the journalist got it from.

I had no idea I was getting such stick online for this article. It's a bit sad, as I dedicated 6 years of my life to this study and I am very proud of my work. You are welcome to read the thesis - a copy is lodged at the university and in the British Library, as is standard practice.

A great pity that substandard journalism has undermined something I put my heart and soul into.

Anyone who cares to ask any questions about my work, and get actual answers from me, is welcome to contact me at [email protected].

Sara

Hi Sara. Many thanks for your post and for your clarifications. I'm happy to learn that my suggestion about the newspaper article being a "construction" (based on the journalist's own fantasies) was correct.

Perhaps I should spare you some of the rash comments that people have posted, but the posts below were published in "open" forum. I urged people not to jump to any conclusions, but maybe you also want to offer a clarification yourself (otherwise I can post a link to your message at this website):

http://newboards.theonering.net/forum ... _collapsed;guest=85275505

One of the reason why I've asked critical posters not to base their opinion of your work on the newspaper article, is that I myself experienced something similar about twenty years ago. A couple of close friends in my hometown suddenly become national news in Sweden and were harassed by tabloid newspaper journalists. When I read some of the articles, it was obvious to an "insider" like me that the texts consisted of 5% fact and 95% pure speculation.

Feel free to contact me at morgan[at]tolkienindex[dot]net.

/Morgan Thomsen

Thanks for posting that clarification aranel_parmadil!

A great pity that substandard journalism has undermined something I put my heart and soul into.

It is indeed a pity. It's perhaps even more of a pity, as Morgan has pointed out, that people don't err on the side of caution & assume that the article (& article author) may be in error & not yourself; particularly when there is so much evidence of this kind of thing online already.

I had no idea I was getting such stick online for this article.

Personally, I wouldn't even bother going to read half of it. The internet is full of garbage & the last thing you should waste your time doing is corrected & challenging ill-informed opinion & views --you'll be at it forever.

BH

Hi Sara, thanks for dropping by, and definitely welcome!

The opinions I have seen online on this topic, have all been focused on the two 'journalists' in question, and not on you. Being in the USA it is not likely that I will run across your thesis in either of those libraries, but I am hoping that you are able to turn it into book form at some point so that I can purchase a copy.

Regards,

aranel_parmadil wrote:
I know my Tolkien quotes. Goodness only knows where the journalist got it from.

Sara

Sara, as some of this misinformation has come from your school's web site, the incorrect quote, incorrect spelling of Middle-earth and 'appalling' handwriting, you might want to ask them to remove or update the page.

http://rydalpenrhos.com/news/13/04/lifelong_passion_for_tolkien

As I think we have already stated it is a shame that these things seem to go out of control on the internet.

Hi Trotter. Yes, my school simply took the published article and put most of that on the website. I have asked them to amend it, but things obviously move slowly in our IT department. I will be reminding them!