In March of 2013, Valparaiso University will be hosting an academic conference on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.  Here is an excerpt from the conference website, describing some of the anticipated highlights:

This conference will feature a 25th anniversary performance of Symphony #1: “The Lord of the Rings” by Johan de Meij, with the composer in attendance and conducting. There will also be an exhibit in the Brauer Museum of Art on campus, featuring rare and unusual Tolkien memorabilia from Dr. [Brad] Eden’s extensive collection, including several signed letters and books. Many other special events, including a student essay contest, poetry slam, and themed Saturday evening dinner, are being scheduled. Well-known Tolkien scholars Verlyn Flieger, John D. Rateliff, and Douglas A. Anderson have agreed to serve as plenary speakers.

The conference is currently soliciting paper proposals of no more than 300 words; while they encourage presentations on The Hobbit, any scholarship on Tolkien will be considered.  The deadline for proposals is September 1, 2012, so if you're interested, you have plenty of time to apply!

Here are some more fun things we found for you this week:

• Ursula K. LeGuin on Literature and Genre. (Book View Cafe)

• The entire original Star Wars saga as an animated GIF.  Also, an interview with the creator of these marvels. (FoldsFive; Collider)

• Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night made entirely out of dominoes. (YouTube

• This billboard is pretty genius. (Comics Alliance)

• When Star Trek first went on the air, Isaac Asimov wrote an article criticizing some of the scientific inaccuracies in the show--and Gene Rodenberry wrote him back.  Apparently, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. (Flickr; Letters of Note)

• And finally, a collaborative reading of Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter's The Long Earth. (YouTube)

Have a great weekend, everyone, and we'll see you all back here next week!