J.r.r. Tolkien
Author of the Century
HarperCollins · Print & ebook · September 8, 2002
J.r.r.
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- Who it’s for
- A serious, lively companion explores Tolkien’s languages, myths, and imaginative craft.
- Themes
- Tolkien literary criticism, Myth and evil, Language and worldbuilding
- Genres
- SF & Fantasy Criticism, Writers' Lives, 20th-Century Literary Criticism
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Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genres: SF & Fantasy Criticism and Writers' Lives.
The Letters of J.r.r. TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien67% match
The Road to Middle-earthTom Shippey69% match
The Tower and the RuinMichael D. C. Drout69% match
The Blessing and the CurseAdam Kirsch51% matchAlso shares 20th-Century Literary Criticism
The Medieval Mind of C. S. LewisJason M. Baxter53% match
For younger readers: The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Wand in the Word
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Start with this bookAbout this book
Recent polls have consistently declared that J.R.R. Tolkien is "the most influential author of the century," and The Lord of the Rings is "the book of the century." In support of these claims, the prominent medievalist and scholar of fantasy Professor Tom Shippey now presents us with a fascinating companion to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, focusing in particular on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.
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The core of the book examines The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map and as a response to the meaning of myth. It presents a unique argument to explain the nature of evil and also gives the reader a compelling insight into the unparalleled level of skill necessary to construct such a rich and complex story. Shippey also examines The Hobbit, explaining the hobbits' anachronistic relationship to the heroic world of Middle-earth, and shows the fundamental importance of The Silmarillion to the canon of Tolkien's work. He offers as well an illuminating look at other, lesser-known works in their connection to Tolkien's life.
Reading Middle-earth
A serious, lively companion explores Tolkien’s languages, myths, and imaginative craft.
Come here for
- A closer look at Middle-earth as a linguistic and cultural map
- Connections among The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion
Expect
- Thoughtful questions about myth and the nature of evil
- Attention to the craft behind a richly complex story
Where it sits
| SF & Fantasy Criticism | 82% |
|---|---|
| Writers' Lives | 49% |
| 20th-Century Literary Criticism | 46% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Writers' Lives
- SF & Fantasy Criticism
- Literary Criticism Reference
- Authors
- Tom Shippey
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- September 8, 2002
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Tolkien literary criticism · Myth and evil · Language and worldbuilding
- Reading lane
- Writers' Lives