Gollum "Trahald" (having to do with the idea of "burrowing", and rendered with a name based on Old English "smygel" of similar meaning). Several critics speculate that "Beowulf" Grendel could have been an inspiration for Gollum due to the many parallels between them – such as their affinity for water, their isolation from society due to personal choices, and their bestial description. Although Tolkien has never explicitly stated this, he has accredited "Beowulf" as one of his "most valued sources" when writing "The Hobbit". The Ring, which Gollum referred to as "my precious" or "precious", extended his life far beyond natural
What Was Before What Was Before What Was Before () is a 2010 novel by the German writer Martin Mosebach. Through a series of vignettes, it tells the story of a man from the affluent suburbs of Frankfurt, who is asked by his girlfriend what his life was like before they met. An English translation by Kári Driscoll was published in 2014. "Publishers Weekly" wrote: "Mosebach's charming, exuberant narrator is not be trusted, and the novel calls into question our notions of memory. Mosebach's writing is florid, tinged with a biting wit. ... Irreverent, playful, and intricate, Mosebach's book is a deconstruction of