the Hermit of the Southern March sat gazing into the smooth pool beneath the spreading tree . For it was in this pool that the Hermit looked when he wanted to know what was going on in the world outside his hermitage. [I]t was a magic pool: instead of reflecting the tree and the sky it revealed cloudy and coloured shapes moving, always moving, in its depths. But [he] could see nothing clearly.
(CSL: The Horse & His Boy, 157-8).
Some time back I did a newsletter intended for the local discussion groups
of The Mythopoeic Society, an idea exchange about
the history of the groups and some of their experiences. I wanted to find
out how to start new groups, and how I, isolated in Minnesota from potential
groups of our members in places like Seattle or Tampa or Montreal or San
Diego, or individuals in rural areas of Arkansas or Tennesee or Idaho, could
possibly support their efforts. We don't have good answers to all of these
questions, but I think accounts of other people's experiences starting their
groups and how they operate can be helpful and (at the least) inspiring.
Book discussion groups are big, right now. Or everyone says they are. Maybe
that's why we seem to be growing in this area, too. If you stumble over
this page, and you have some interesting ideas or experiences to relate
here, pass them on to me, David
Lenander, Secretary for Discussion Groups for The Mythopoeic Society.
It may take me a while to put most of what I have online here, but if I
actually receive other suggestions, I'll move new contributions to the top
of the pile! Thanks. --David Lenander, Hermit of the Northern March.
Text of the Mythopoeic Society Discussion
& Special Interest Group Charter
The Activity Calendar of the Mythopoeic Society
discussion groups, here are listed chartered local discussion groups (and
contact addresses), potential group organizers, temporarily dormant groups,
and a series of non-affiliated groups of interest to Mythopoeic Society
members. Also, there are links to many of the files listed below.
HP#2: DG Newsletters...
Welcome to our Newest Group!!!
Updated LISTING!! OREGON
Salem/Portland area
Donovan Matole
65 Sweden Circle
Silverton, OR 97381 E-mail:mattole@earthlink.net
(home) dmattole@bordersstores.com
(work)
503-874-1314 (home)
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7600/donovans.html
New web-page: http://home.earthlink.net/~mattole/
I just wanted to let you know that the Oregon Discussion Group is off to a great start. The first meeting was held on July 18th and had a good turn-out of Inking lovers. The group will continue to meet on the third Sunday of each month at 7 PM, at Borders Books & Music, 2235 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem, Oregon 97305, 503-375-9588
The next three books have been decided upon.
Welcome to our next Discussion Group Secretary!
Matt Winslow is unopposed on the ballot for the position, to begin January, 2000.
Pictured: Matt Winslow, from his homepage. Matt is the Mithlond web-master, and an active poster on Mere Lewis. He is also a member of Butterbur's Woodshed.
An Etymological Excursion Among the Discussion Groups, by David Bratman
The District of Columbia group, Knossos
History
The San Francisco Bay, California area group (incl. SF, San Jose, Berkeley,
Oakland, etc)
The Khazad-dûm homepage, http://www.mythsoc.org/kd.html
The Denver, Colorado group, Fanuidhol homepage http://clem.mscd.edu/~yarrowp/fanidhol.html
The Hawaii group
Sammath Naur http://members.tripod.com/~mo_olelo/index.html
(and here's a report on their recent
20th anniversary celebration)
The Ann Arbor/Flint, Michigan group
Galadhremmin Ennorath Some
Discussion Reports
The Twin Cities, Minnesota group. The Rivendell
homepage, and Discussion Reports
The Reno, Nevada group. The Crickhollow homepage http://riske.wncc.nevada.edu/crickhollow
The history of the Milwaukee, WI group The
Burrahobbits
We also have prospective and dormant groups,which hope to one day begin
or resume regular meetings. One of the dormant groups was The Prancing
Pony, in Dayton-Kettering, OH. Their banner: 
Homepages for our correspondence groups
The Butterbur's Woodshed homepage
http://www.mythsoc.org/bw.html (contemporary
adult fantasy)
Once Upon a Time (children's fantasy)
and for electronic correspondence,
Coinherence (discussion of Charles Williams) contact David Davis,
ddavis@copyright.com
or visit their web-page, The
Web of Exchange http://people.ne.mediaone.net/davisfamily/index.htm
Recent Updates to these pages. . . .
This page is maintained by David Lenander, please forward comments or
criticism to
d-lena@maroon.tc.umn.edu