Customer Reviews (2)

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
No problem with this product, except that I didn't expected to see the ANGLO-SAXON original version of the text.

Great ME text
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most famous Middle English works. This edition contains NOT Tolkien's TRANSLATION, but the original MIDDLE ENGLISH TEXT with his (and late prof. E.V. Gordon's) glossary and notes.
Their edition was published in 1925, and revised by Norman Dabis in 1967. It still remains the most authoritative and standard text. I strongly suggest that students who study this alliterative poem buy this great Middle English text. The language is quite difficult so you also need Tolkien's Present Day English translationversion (on HarperCollins, Ballantine Books,etc). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Lord of the Rings trilogy boxed set
The Lord of the Rings trilogy boxed set arrived in a very timely manner and in excellent condition. Our whole family are fans of Tolkein and especially the Rings and Hobbit. I purchased this set for my soon to be 10 grandson, who has been wanting them, for his birthday. He is definitely an above average reader! Donna Dahlborg Summerville, PA ... Read more

Product Description
Languages, Myths and History: An Introduction to the Linguistic and Literary background of J. R. R. Tolkien's Fiction introduces languages and literatures which were particularly important for Tolkien as a writer. Tolkien was a university professor, specialising in early Germanic languages, such as Old English, Old Norse and Gothic. He also, on many occasions, wrote about his fascination with the Finnish language and epic poetry. As is well known, these professional and literary interests had an enormous influence on his creative writing, including his mythology and invented languages.

Languages, Myths and History provides brief introductions to Old Norse, Old English, Gothic and Finnish languages and literatures, and discusses key aspects of their influence on Tolkien's fiction. The book demonstrates how Tolkien's literary-critical, philosophical and moral ideas, particularly his understanding of heroism and courage, were inspired by medieval literature and folklore. The book offers an overview of Tolkien's invented languages and his principles for language creation. In addition it provides a summary of Tolkien's academic career.

Features include:

- chapters on languages and literatures which inspired Tolkien as a writer;

- a discussion of Tolkien's literary-critical and philosophical ideas influenced by medieval literature, such as his 'theory of courage';

- a detailed overview of the history and language of the Goths, rarely offered as part of university courses, and little known to students of literature;

- an extract from Jordanes's Gothic History and a discussion of its influence on Tolkien;

- an introductory discussion of Tolkien's languages and alphabets, a notoriously confusing subject, rarely approached in an accessible, non-technical way;

- further reading' sections with suggestions for additional study.

This book is a clearly written introduction to some of Tolkien's most important ideas, as well as more specialist aspects of his fiction, such as its grounding in linguistics and medieval culture. The book is essential reading for students of literature and anyone with an interest in Tolkien as a writer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Read
I highly enjoyed this short book.It was well written and very informative.If there is ever a second edition, an added feature of sample text with translation for all the languages presented should be considered.This was partially done in the chapter on Gothic, and was an excellent little sample of one of the languages that served as Tolkien's influences.I've recently ordered the collaborative effort by Elizebeth Solopova and Stuart Lee, and I'm very much looking forward to it.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Overview of The History of Middle-earth Series
Collections of an author's work are often confusing, particularly when what the author has created is as complexas Tolkien's writings. Here's an overview of the twelve-volume History of Middle-earth, which was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. Hopefully, it will help you select which book or books to buy.

Keep something in mind. In the U.S. Houghton Mifflin publishes Tolkien's authorized works in hardback and trade paperback editions, while Ballantine Books publishes them as cheaper mass-market paperbacks. For some reason, Ballantine doesn't always make it clear that some of their titles are part of the same History of Middle-earth seriesas those published by Houghton Mifflin. If the title is the same, the content is the same. Which you buy depends on your taste in books and finances. I have copies of both.


GROUP ONE, VOLUMES I - V, EARLY TALES

These five volumes deal primarily Tolkien's writings before the publication of The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-55). In them, Tolkien was struggling as a still unknown author to create his first history of Middle-earth.

Vol 1 & 2, The Book of Lost Tales Part 1 ( 1983) & 2 (1984). The Book of Lost Tales was written during the 1910s and 1920s. Wikipedia describes it this way: "The framework for the book is that a mortal Man visits the Isle of Tol Eressëa where the Elves live. In the earlier versions of the `Lost Tales' this man is named Eriol, of some vague north European origin, but in later versions he becomes Ælfwine, an Englishman of the Middle-ages."

Vol. 3, The Lays of Beleriand (1985). These are collections of poems, many of them incomplete, written between the 1920s and the late 1940s.

Vol 4, The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986). As you might guess by the title, in this book Christopher describes how his father shaped his vision of Middle-earth from the primitive The Book of Lost Tales to early versions ofThe Silmarillion. This theme is taken up again in volumes X and XI.

Vol 5. The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987). Along with other writings this volume includes Tolkien's drafts of a tale about time travel. Wikipedia describes it this way: "The Lost Road itself is a fragmentary beginning of a tale, including a rough structure and several intiguing chunks of narrative, including four entire chapters dealing with modern England and Numenor, from which the entire story as it should have been can be glimpsed. The scheme was of time-travel by means of 'vision' or being mentally inserted into what had been, so as to actually re-experience that which had happened. In this way the tale links first to Saxon England of Alfred the Great, then to the Lombard Alboin of St. Benedict's time, the Baltic Sea in Old Norse days, Ireland at the time of the Tuatha's coming (600 years after the Flood), prehistoric North in the Ice Age, a 'Galdor story' of Third-Age Middle-Earth, and finally the Fall of Gil-Galad, before recounting the prime legend of the Downfall of Numenor/Atlantis and the Bending of the World. It harps on the theme of a 'straight road' into the West, now only in memory because the world is round."


GROUP TWO, VOLUMES VI - IX, LORD OF THE RINGS

If you or the friend you're buying for is primarily interested in the LOTR, then these four volumes are the books to have. Just keep in mind that you'll find in them many unfinished plots that may or may not fit well into LOTR. Tolkien was a perfectionist, always trying to improve plots and fill in details. These are his drafts.

Vol. 6, The Return of the Shadow (The History of The Lord of the Rings v. 1, 1988). Describes the initial stages of writing LOTR and covers the first three-fourths of The Fellowship of the Ring (until the Mines of Moria).

Vol. 7, The Treason of Isengard (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 2, 1989).Covers from the Mines of Moria until Gandalf meets Théoden about one-fourth of the way into The Two Towers.

Vol. 8, The War of the Ring (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 3, 1990).Continues the tale up to the opening of the Black Gate not quite three-quarters of the way through The Two Towers.

Vol. 9, Sauron Defeated (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 4, 1992).Completes the tale and includes an alternate ending in which Sam answers questions from his children. There is also a much shortened version of Vol. 9 called The End of the Third Age, which leaves out material that isn't related to LOTR.


GROUP THREE, VOLUMES X - XI, THE SILMARILLION

Just as The Hobbit created a public demand for more tales about hobbits, The Lord of the Rings created a demand for more tales about Middle-earth. To meet that demand, Tolkien struggled to reconcile and adapt many of his earlier tales to the historical framework made well-known by his two published works. He never completed those labors, so it was left after his death to his son Christopher to do so in The Silmarillion (1977). If you or a friend is interested in knowing more about The Silmarillion, these two volumes may be of interest.

Vol 10, Morgoth's Ring (The Later Silmarillion, v. 1, 1993). Contains material from earlier (1951 and later) drafts of The Silmarillion. Wikipedia notes that: "The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: 'Just as Sauron concentrated his power in the One Ring, Morgoth dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda, thus the whole of Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring.'"

Vol. 11, The War of the Jewels (The Later Silmarillion v. 2, 1994). Addition material about the earlier drafts of The Silmarillion. Includes information about the origin of the Ents and Great Eagles.


GROUP FOUR, VOLUME XII AND INDEX, WRAP-UP

Vol. 12, The People's of Middle-earth (1996). Contains material that did not fit into the other volumes. The most interesting include additional appendices like those at the back of LOTR, essays on the races of Middle-earth, and about 30 pages of a sequel to the LOTR called The New Shadow. It was set a century after the LOTR. Tolkien abandoned the tale as too "sinister and depressing."

The History of Middle-earth Index (2002) is an index of all twelve volumes.

******

Keep in mind that books in The History of Middle-earth are nothing like reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. What J. R. R. Tolkien wrote is often fragmentary and unpolished rough drafts, while what Christopher wrote is literary scholarship, concerned more with sources and texts than plots. If you or the friend you are buying for is more interested in understanding LOTR better, you might be happier with a reference works such as:

Karen Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)

Robert Foster's The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth

Or my own detailed, day-by-day chronology Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings

All three will give you a richer, deeper understanding of LOTR.

******

If you're interested in reading books with the same flavor as Tolkien, you might consider reading William Morris, a once well-known writer who influenced Tolkien. For tales like the warriors of Rohan, see his The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains. For arduous quest journeys much like Frodo and Sam's quest to be rid of the Ring, read his The Wood Beyond the World and The Well at the World's End. The four tales have been collected into two inexpensive volumes:

More to William Morris: Two Books that Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains

On the Lines of Morris' Romances: Two Books That Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The Wood Beyond the World and the Well at the World's End

******

I hope this helps you to select wisely based on your own interests. You can save some money by buying collections of The History of Middle-earth in multi-volume sets. You can also save by buying the Ballantine mass-market paperback instead of the Houghton Mifflin trade paperback edition, although the former may have smaller type and you may need to use both hands to keep it open while you read. ... Read more

Product Description
Best-selling Tolkien expert Brian Sibley (The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide) presents a slipcased collection of four full-color, large-format maps of Tolkien's imaginary realm illustrated by John Howe, a conceptual designer for the blockbuster films directed by Peter Jackson. The set includes a hardcover book describing in detail the importance and evolution of geography within Tolkien's epic fiction and four color maps presented with minimal folds, including two (Beleriand and Númenor) never before published in this country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Not really maps...
Well, when I'm looking at maps in reference from Tolkien's novels I want to be able to track movement of characters (though I know most pathways by heart) and see terrain. These are essentially (to me) pictures, not maps. Very nice pictures, though. Too bad they're folded instead of rolled, since then, as pictures, they could be framed. I recommend The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition) for reference maps.

Perfection
Other than the fact that the maps are absolutely beautiful, the 80 page booklet by Sibley is alone worth the money. He offers detailed, yet summarized, histories of Beleriand and Numenor. As someone that loves Tolkien's work, yet couldn't finish The Silmarillion, I found this book extremely effective in finding out what happened to the tragic island of Men, and the downfall of the 2nd Age. The Hobbit map is particularly well-drawn, and a marvel to look at, even if you know where everything already is with your eyes closed. As for the Map of Middle-earth, it doesn't offer anything new as far as details of minute locations, but it does serve as a great tool to read along the Trilogy with. There is also some beautiful artwork around the bordering of the Maps. Overall, I would say that this my favorite purchase in Tolkien's realm, other than the Trilogy and the Hobbit.

Love it
Very good. Ilustrations are amazing. For the Lord of The Rings fan(like me) is a must. Thank you

Excellent at what it is meant to do
I bought this in preparation of a re-reading of the Lord of the Rings.

I found the maps not only much more beautiful than the ones in the original books (and even if they are not "original", I do not care), but - most importantly for me - I found them made with a respect for the magic of the book, with a "Tolkienness" in them which, to me, is more important than, say, the spotless completeness of the information given.

Having said that, by re-reading the book I came to appreciate the fact that the maps, which I initially thought poor in detail level, were much more detailed than I had initially thought.

Whilst one can certainly enjoy Tolkien without these maps, I am satisfied with the purchase and think that the author has done his job very properly.

Good Deal
These are four maps drawn by John Howe, an artist well-known as a Tolkien illustrator. If you're not familiar with his work I suggest checking it out. The maps are of Beleriand, Numenor, Middle Earth, and of the lands journeyed through in The Hobbit. All of the maps have a thick border with symbols, captions, and illustrations and are real works of art. The maps are 28x28 and come folded up inside of a hardcover jacket. The maps are accompanied by a thin hardcover book by Brian Sibley that sheds some light on what's in the maps. I haven't read all of the way through it but I don't think there's anything new if you've already read the Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. The only drawback is that I have to custom order frames to put them in cause it's hard to find 28x28 frames in stores. ... Read more

Product Description
Although Tolkien's literary works have, over the past few decades, attracted a considerable and varied body of criticism, much of this material is inaccessible, unreflective, and repetitive. Though various scholars have treated Tolkien's sources and his concept of fantasy, this study situates the author in a broad literary context that includes ancient metrical modes, medieval culture, Renaissance poetics, 19th-century social movements, and modern critical thought. Each chapter is written by an expert contributor and examines the literary resonances of Tolkien's works from a variety of informed perspectives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best collection of Tolkien articles yet published
For a long time, Tolkien scholarship has had an uneven character.This isn't the time or place to explain why or give examples, but the appearance of this book, along with the recently published _Tolkien's Legendarium_, suggests that things may be changing and for the better.This collection of a dozen essays, all written by top-notch Tolkien scholars, possesses the highest degree of intellectual rigor and operates within a genuinely scholarly framework of interpretation.(You won't find any fan fluff here!)

The essays may be loosely divided into three main sections.The first comprises essays on the poetics and sources of Tolkien's fiction.The standouts here are Sullivan's "Tolkien the Bard", which suggests and that Tolkien's style may be best understood as an application of oral poetry and orally told story to written medium, and "The Dragon-Lore of Middle-Earth", which takes a close look at what Tolkien took from medieval (and specifically Norse) dragon stories and how he specifically adapted the material to his own purpose.The articles on Tolkien's verse and on his use of _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_is also quite insightful.

The second section tends to be 'comparative' and places Tolkien and his work in juxtaposition with other authors.The most intriguing article here is one that compares Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories" with the Sir Philip Sydney's "In Defence of Poetry".What is so exciting about this is not so much the comparison of Tolkien's 'story theory' with that of Sydney, but the analysis of how, for Tolkien, creative writing-- and indeed the very act of subcreation itself-- is gendered masculine.Other articles touch on Tolkie and Lewis, _The Hobbit_ and _King Solomons Mines_, and Tolkien and Milton.

The third and final section is a more eclectic hodgepodge of articles on different subjects, ranging from Tolkien's legacy (and in particular, the ways in which female fantasy-writers have adopted, adapted, and responded to the overwhelming and masculine "shadow of the Ring"), to the elegeic quality of Tolkien's fiction and its concernw ith loss, to the nature of evil, to Tolkien's literary treatment of trees.Of all of these, the last, written by Verlyn Flieger is the most illuminating and advances the most excitin argument.Flieger carefully notes that the representation of trees and forests in _Lord of the Rings_ is *not* so universally favorable and sympathetic.By juxtaposing the Old Forest (and Old Man Willow) with Fangorn Forest (and the Ents), Flieger shows that this issue is more complex, ambiguous, and filled with internal tensions than has generally been assumed. It is, perhaps, the most important essay in this collection-- and may represent Flieger's finest work yet as a Tolkien scholar.

This is an academic book, published by a smaller press, so it's got a hefty pricetag on it-- but it's an outstanding collection of new Tolkien scholarship and I unqualifiedly recommend it to any serious Tolkien scholars.Those with an aversion to scholarly inquiry (a la _Tolkien's Legendarium_) and who prefer more fannish modes of discourse(e. g._Visualizing Middle-Earth_), however, might want to give this a pass. ... Read more

Product Description
Although Tolkien's literary works have, over the past few decades, attracted a considerable and varied body of criticism, much of this material is inaccessible, unreflective, and repetitive. Though various scholars have treated Tolkien's sources and his concept of fantasy, this study situates the author in a broad literary context that includes ancient metrical modes, medieval culture, Renaissance poetics, 19th-century social movements, and modern critical thought. Each chapter is written by an expert contributor and examines the literary resonances of Tolkien's works from a variety of informed perspectives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best collection of Tolkien articles yet published
For a long time, Tolkien scholarship has had an uneven character.This isn't the time or place to explain why or give examples, but the appearance of this book, along with the recently published _Tolkien's Legendarium_, suggests that things may be changing and for the better.This collection of a dozen essays, all written by top-notch Tolkien scholars, possesses the highest degree of intellectual rigor and operates within a genuinely scholarly framework of interpretation.(You won't find any fan fluff here!)

The essays may be loosely divided into three main sections.The first comprises essays on the poetics and sources of Tolkien's fiction.The standouts here are Sullivan's "Tolkien the Bard", which suggests and that Tolkien's style may be best understood as an application of oral poetry and orally told story to written medium, and "The Dragon-Lore of Middle-Earth", which takes a close look at what Tolkien took from medieval (and specifically Norse) dragon stories and how he specifically adapted the material to his own purpose.The articles on Tolkien's verse and on his use of _Sir Gawain and the Green Knight_is also quite insightful.

The second section tends to be 'comparative' and places Tolkien and his work in juxtaposition with other authors.The most intriguing article here is one that compares Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories" with the Sir Philip Sydney's "In Defence of Poetry".What is so exciting about this is not so much the comparison of Tolkien's 'story theory' with that of Sydney, but the analysis of how, for Tolkien, creative writing-- and indeed the very act of subcreation itself-- is gendered masculine.Other articles touch on Tolkie and Lewis, _The Hobbit_ and _King Solomons Mines_, and Tolkien and Milton.

The third and final section is a more eclectic hodgepodge of articles on different subjects, ranging from Tolkien's legacy (and in particular, the ways in which female fantasy-writers have adopted, adapted, and responded to the overwhelming and masculine "shadow of the Ring"), to the elegeic quality of Tolkien's fiction and its concernw ith loss, to the nature of evil, to Tolkien's literary treatment of trees.Of all of these, the last, written by Verlyn Flieger is the most illuminating and advances the most excitin argument.Flieger carefully notes that the representation of trees and forests in _Lord of the Rings_ is *not* so universally favorable and sympathetic.By juxtaposing the Old Forest (and Old Man Willow) with Fangorn Forest (and the Ents), Flieger shows that this issue is more complex, ambiguous, and filled with internal tensions than has generally been assumed. It is, perhaps, the most important essay in this collection-- and may represent Flieger's finest work yet as a Tolkien scholar.

This is an academic book, published by a smaller press, so it's got a hefty pricetag on it-- but it's an outstanding collection of new Tolkien scholarship and I unqualifiedly recommend it to any serious Tolkien scholars.Those with an aversion to scholarly inquiry (a la _Tolkien's Legendarium_) and who prefer more fannish modes of discourse(e. g._Visualizing Middle-Earth_), however, might want to give this a pass. ... Read more

Product Description
Designed to be the essential reference works for all readers and students, these volumes present the most thorough analysis possible of Tolkien's work within the important context of his life.
The Reader's Guide includes brief but comprehensive alphabetical entries on a wide range of topics, including a who's who of important persons, a guide to places and institutions, details concerning Tolkien's source material, information about the political and social upheavals through which the author lived, the importance of his social circle, his service as an infantryman in World War I -- even information on the critical reaction to his work and the "Tolkien cult."
The Chronology details the parallel evolutions of Tolkien's works and his academic and personal life in minute detail. Spanning the entirety of his long life including nearly sixty years of active labor on his Middle-earth creations, and drawing on such contemporary sources as school records, war service files, biographies, correspondence, the letters of his close friend C. S. Lewis, and the diaries of W. H. Lewis, this book will be an invaluable resource for those who wish to gain a complete understanding of Tolkien's status as a giant of twentieth-century literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review
This is a well researched compendium of events in Tolkien's life.For anyone who wishes to know more about Tolkien the man and scholar as well as author needs to consult this book.

This is not a biography
If you are looking or a biography, you will not find it here. This volume is not like the wonderful biography by Carpenter. It is not coherent book with beginning, middle and summary.
It is a list, tremendous, important and very useful list. Especially for Tolkien scholars or very highly educated enthusiastic.

It is one of a kind chronology; I really think that Tolkien is the only writer that such comprehensive chronology was published about him. This impressive chronology will be extremely useful for the Legendarium researchers. Once and for all you can know the exact point where some story began and when it was ended. It is even more useful for scholars that study Tolkien life or LOTR's Tolkien biographical influences.

Scull and Hammond should be proud of this achievement. All of Tolkien's enthusiastic and scholars should be grateful for their effort.

If you are the average enthusiastic, you should reconsider if you thought about this book. The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, Vol. 2 will be more interesting and useful. If you are having interest in Tolkien's life and character or you have interest in the vast Legendarium, you will be able to value it properly - as the ultimate bibliographical text about Tolkien. ... Read more

Product Description
J.R.R. Tolkien was an orphan, a scholar, a soldier, a professor; and the author of what is considered by many to be the finest book of the 20th century - "The Lord of the Rings". In this carefully researched and engagingly written biography, you'll come to know Tolkien, the friends and family members who shaped his life, and the colleagues and fellow writers who influenced his career. You'll follow Tolkien from his early childhood in South Africa to what he assumed would be the pinnacle of his career - a professorship at Oxford. Little did he know, it was just the beginning. For it was there that Tolkien would decide to write "The Hobbit" - the story which started it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unauthorative and badly written
Seeing I am an admirer of Tolkien and love his stories I bought this book when I found it in the discount bin for 25 Chinese Yuan (around 4 dollar) at my local bookstore. I reckoned that, at that price it couldn't be a bad buy.

As it turned out, I was wrong.

This volume is not only simplified, unauthorative, badly written, and patronizing, but it falls far short of being any sort of biography. It is 144 pages long, but with the print being set in a ridiculously large type and only half the page used it dosen't contain many words. Perhaps it was written for children, I dont know, but even so, it is no good read. I didn't get beyond page 20 or so.

It was also written without the support of the Tolkien family or any of its associates.

To be avoided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Dishonest seller (the_book_depository_). Don't buy.
Just like the other customer, it happened to me too. I placed an ordered for a trilogy of books, but only the first one arrives. I wish I could give it a minus!

Shame on you, the seller!

Don't buy the book from the seller "the_book_depository_". Liar...

Not what I ordered
This clearly is for a trilogy of books, however, only the first one actually comes. I was expecting three books and got one. 2 stars for Amazon promptly issuing a refund for it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Overview of The History of Middle-earth Series
Collections of an author's work are often confusing, particularly when what the author has created is as complexas Tolkien's writings. Here's an overview of the twelve-volume History of Middle-earth, which was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. Hopefully, it will help you select which book or books to buy.

Keep something in mind. In the U.S. Houghton Mifflin publishes Tolkien's authorized works in hardback and trade paperback editions, while Ballantine Books publishes them as cheaper mass-market paperbacks. For some reason, Ballantine doesn't always make it clear that some of their titles are part of the same History of Middle-earth seriesas those published by Houghton Mifflin. If the title is the same, the content is the same. Which you buy depends on your taste in books and finances. I have copies of both.


GROUP ONE, VOLUMES I - V, EARLY TALES

These five volumes deal primarily Tolkien's writings before the publication of The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-55). In them, Tolkien was struggling as a still unknown author to create his first history of Middle-earth.

Vol 1 & 2, The Book of Lost Tales Part 1 ( 1983) & 2 (1984). The Book of Lost Tales was written during the 1910s and 1920s. Wikipedia describes it this way: "The framework for the book is that a mortal Man visits the Isle of Tol Eressëa where the Elves live. In the earlier versions of the `Lost Tales' this man is named Eriol, of some vague north European origin, but in later versions he becomes Ælfwine, an Englishman of the Middle-ages."

Vol. 3, The Lays of Beleriand (1985). These are collections of poems, many of them incomplete, written between the 1920s and the late 1940s.

Vol 4, The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986). As you might guess by the title, in this book Christopher describes how his father shaped his vision of Middle-earth from the primitive The Book of Lost Tales to early versions ofThe Silmarillion. This theme is taken up again in volumes X and XI.

Vol 5. The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987). Along with other writings this volume includes Tolkien's drafts of a tale about time travel. Wikipedia describes it this way: "The Lost Road itself is a fragmentary beginning of a tale, including a rough structure and several intiguing chunks of narrative, including four entire chapters dealing with modern England and Numenor, from which the entire story as it should have been can be glimpsed. The scheme was of time-travel by means of 'vision' or being mentally inserted into what had been, so as to actually re-experience that which had happened. In this way the tale links first to Saxon England of Alfred the Great, then to the Lombard Alboin of St. Benedict's time, the Baltic Sea in Old Norse days, Ireland at the time of the Tuatha's coming (600 years after the Flood), prehistoric North in the Ice Age, a 'Galdor story' of Third-Age Middle-Earth, and finally the Fall of Gil-Galad, before recounting the prime legend of the Downfall of Numenor/Atlantis and the Bending of the World. It harps on the theme of a 'straight road' into the West, now only in memory because the world is round."


GROUP TWO, VOLUMES VI - IX, LORD OF THE RINGS

If you or the friend you're buying for is primarily interested in the LOTR, then these four volumes are the books to have. Just keep in mind that you'll find in them many unfinished plots that may or may not fit well into LOTR. Tolkien was a perfectionist, always trying to improve plots and fill in details. These are his drafts.

Vol. 6, The Return of the Shadow (The History of The Lord of the Rings v. 1, 1988). Describes the initial stages of writing LOTR and covers the first three-fourths of The Fellowship of the Ring (until the Mines of Moria).

Vol. 7, The Treason of Isengard (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 2, 1989).Covers from the Mines of Moria until Gandalf meets Théoden about one-fourth of the way into The Two Towers.

Vol. 8, The War of the Ring (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 3, 1990).Continues the tale up to the opening of the Black Gate not quite three-quarters of the way through The Two Towers.

Vol. 9, Sauron Defeated (The History of The Lord of the Rings, v. 4, 1992).Completes the tale and includes an alternate ending in which Sam answers questions from his children. There is also a much shortened version of Vol. 9 called The End of the Third Age, which leaves out material that isn't related to LOTR.


GROUP THREE, VOLUMES X - XI, THE SILMARILLION

Just as The Hobbit created a public demand for more tales about hobbits, The Lord of the Rings created a demand for more tales about Middle-earth. To meet that demand, Tolkien struggled to reconcile and adapt many of his earlier tales to the historical framework made well-known by his two published works. He never completed those labors, so it was left after his death to his son Christopher to do so in The Silmarillion (1977). If you or a friend is interested in knowing more about The Silmarillion, these two volumes may be of interest.

Vol 10, Morgoth's Ring (The Later Silmarillion, v. 1, 1993). Contains material from earlier (1951 and later) drafts of The Silmarillion. Wikipedia notes that: "The title of this volume comes from a statement from one of the essays: 'Just as Sauron concentrated his power in the One Ring, Morgoth dispersed his power into the very matter of Arda, thus the whole of Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring.'"

Vol. 11, The War of the Jewels (The Later Silmarillion v. 2, 1994). Addition material about the earlier drafts of The Silmarillion. Includes information about the origin of the Ents and Great Eagles.


GROUP FOUR, VOLUME XII AND INDEX, WRAP-UP

Vol. 12, The People's of Middle-earth (1996). Contains material that did not fit into the other volumes. The most interesting include additional appendices like those at the back of LOTR, essays on the races of Middle-earth, and about 30 pages of a sequel to the LOTR called The New Shadow. It was set a century after the LOTR. Tolkien abandoned the tale as too "sinister and depressing."

The History of Middle-earth Index (2002) is an index of all twelve volumes.

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Keep in mind that books in The History of Middle-earth are nothing like reading The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. What J. R. R. Tolkien wrote is often fragmentary and unpolished rough drafts, while what Christopher wrote is literary scholarship, concerned more with sources and texts than plots. If you or the friend you are buying for is more interested in understanding LOTR better, you might be happier with a reference works such as:

Karen Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)

Robert Foster's The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth

Or my own detailed, day-by-day chronology Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings

All three will give you a richer, deeper understanding of LOTR.

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If you're interested in reading books with the same flavor as Tolkien, you might consider reading William Morris, a once well-known writer who influenced Tolkien. For tales like the warriors of Rohan, see his The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains. For arduous quest journeys much like Frodo and Sam's quest to be rid of the Ring, read his The Wood Beyond the World and The Well at the World's End. The four tales have been collected into two inexpensive volumes:

More to William Morris: Two Books that Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains

On the Lines of Morris' Romances: Two Books That Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The Wood Beyond the World and the Well at the World's End

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I hope this helps you to select wisely based on your own interests. You can save some money by buying collections of The History of Middle-earth in multi-volume sets. You can also save by buying the Ballantine mass-market paperback instead of the Houghton Mifflin trade paperback edition, although the former may have smaller type and you may need to use both hands to keep it open while you read. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the author of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit describes the writer's birth in South Africa, his early years of writing, and his eventual success and fame. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Kneel before the Lord of Fantasy!
Interesting, very intersting. If you have ever wondered what made J.R.R. Tolkien write his epic master piece, or are curious about what he was like growing up, this book is a must fo you. Of course being a biography it canbe a bit dull at times, but so what that how life is boy! This book afirmedthat the respect and admiration I have for J.R.R. Tolkein was not just meblowing his importance out of proportion, for he truly always has, andalways will be, a master of fantasy! ... Read more

Product Description
Having participated in the First World War, and having seen two of his sons serve in the Second, Tolkien was concerned with many of the same themes that interested other writers in the post-war period. The rhythm of war flows through his writings, but his own interpretation of the themes, symbols, and motifs of war, however, were influenced by his religious views and his interest in fantasy, which add another layer of meaning and a sense of timelessness to his writing. Croft explores the different aspect of Tolkien's relationship with war both in his life and in his work from the early Book of Lost Tales to his last story Smith of Wooten, and concentrating on his greatest and most well-known works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This timely addition to the critical literature on Tolkien sheds new light on the author's life and works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

War and the Works of J.R.R. Tolkienby Janet Brennan Croft
This is the first book to examine war as a central theme in all of Tolkien's works, and is essential reading for Tolkien scholars.Croft brings together Tolkien's experience of both World Wars and his expertise in ancient heroic literature and shows how they influenced what he wrote.She also details how readers and critics have responded to the role and depictions of war in his writings.Some have disparaged Tolkien as a war-monger and others have praised him as a pacifist.Early Tolkien criticism tended to force The Lord of the Rings into a pattern of allegory for World War II, with the Ruling Ring cast as the atom bomb.More recently commentators have seen Tolkien as one of many authors deeply influenced by their experiences in World War I.This book brings these contradictory strands together to demonstrate Tolkien's "well-thought-out, comprehensive, and realistic philosophy of war."

The seven chapters lead us through Tolkien's life, showing how he developed the beliefs about of war that are fundamental to all his works.
1.Introduction
2.The Great War and Tolkien's Memory
3.World War I Themes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
4.World War II:"The Young Perish and the Old Linger, Withering"
5.Military Leaders and Leadership
6."The Dull Backwaters of the Art of Killing": Training, Tactics, Strategy, and Battlefield Communication
7."War Must Be, While We Defend Our Lives": Philosophy, Pathology and Conclusions

Now every one of us is in the front line of a new war.Croft shows how Tolkien's complex attitude to war is applicable to our present lives:some wars are just wars; true leaders lead from the front; dogged endurance must replace heroic action; and an attitude of mercy can lead to unexpectedly good results.

A number of recent books about Tolkien appear to have been rushed to the marketplace. This one is refreshingly free of typographical errors, and even more important, it has no mistakes about Tolkien's texts.

An excellent study
of Tolkien's use of material from especially the Great War and his adaptation of it in his works.Croft does make one fairly common mistake: she seems to think that "casualties" means "killed."Thus she avers that on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the British Army lost 58,000 men killed.Those killed numbered about 19,000.Total casualties (killed, wounded, and missing) totaled about 58,000. ... Read more