Taking Bill D to task here: (Never) "eaten a Persimmon..." They grow wild alongside Virginia roads, you know, Bill. I'm sure the same is true of Maryland. Now, granted, these are not the 3/4 pound honkers they produce in California but they are persimmons, for a' that.

As to Tolkien with all those folks from Middle Earth, read The Hobbits first; it is probably the best. The series are great fun, though. I resisted a co-worker's admonitions for months until finally he bought The Hobbits and gave it to me. Subsequently I of course went out and bought everything Tolkien wrote.

You are limiting yourself, Bill. (Want me to send you The Hobbit?)