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Take a Journey to Middle-earth @ Amazon.com
Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction in the twentieth century..." — Sunday Telegraph. |
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Biographies
Learn more about John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the Oxford professor who introduced the world to the now immortal Middle-earth. Note: These titles are listed in alphabethical order.
"J.R.R Tolkien: A Biography"
By Humphrey Carpenter
"J.R.R. Tolkien left his impress upon a whole generation as few recent writers have done... an excellent biography."
The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read "The Hobbit," "The Lord of the Rings," and "The Silmarillion" and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books. Born in South Africa in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the first World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford where he was a close friend of C.S. Lewis and the other writers known as The Inklings. Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit'—and worldwide renown awaited him. Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion" and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author. 'Softcover' Edition
"J.R.R. Tolkien: Architect of Middle-earth"
By Daniel Grotta. Illustrated by Greg & Tim Hildebrandt. "J.R.R. Tolkien, author of "The Hobbit," and "The Lord of the Rings," is one of this century's most beloved and enigmatic writers. His highly unusual, imaginative works have sold millions of copies on both sides of the Atlantic, to readers of all ages. Tolkien "cults" have sprung up to debate the reality and mythology of Middle-earth, Hobbits, Elves, and the power of 'magic rings.'" Yet, surprisingly little is known about the personal life of the creator of Middle-earth. This man, who was embarrassed by his success, lived most of his life as an Oxford scholar in the surrounds of a cloistered academic community. As a child in South Africa, Tolkien was kidnapped by a native and taken into the bush. As a youngster in the English industrial city of Birmingham, Tolkien was raised by a Catholic priest. And as a young adult, Tolkien lived through the bloody horror of the trenches of World War I. How these experiences fired his imagination is just one of the areas that Daniel Grotta tries to uncover." 'Hard' & 'Softcover' Editions
"J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century"
By Tom Shippey. Following the unprecedented and universal acclaim for "The Lord of the Rings," Tolkien scholar, Professor Tom Shippey, presents us with a fascinating and informed companion to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, in particular focusing on "The Hobbit," "The Lord of the Rings," and "The Silmarillion." This title reveals why all of these books will be timeless, and shows how even such complex works as "The Silmarillion" can be read enjoyably. Taking issue with the uninformed criticism that has often been leveled at Tolkien and fantasy in general, Professor Shippey offers a new approach to Tolkien, to fantasy and to the importance of language in literature, and demonstrates how his books form part of a live and continuing tradition of storytelling that can trace its roots back through Grimm's "Fairy Tales," to "The Elder Edda" and "Beowulf." 'Hard' & 'Softcover' Editions
"J.R.R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created 'The Lord of the Rings' (Scholastic Biography)"
By Michael Coren. Michael Coren offers a thought-provoking and entertaining story of the fascinating life of J.R.R. Tolkien. Readers will learn about the author's childhood in South Africa, his youth and adulthood in Great Britain, his experience in World War 1, and his professorship at Oxford University, where Tolkien had thought he had reached the pinnacle of his career. Little did he know that was just the beginning, for it was there that Tolkien began to write "The Hobbit," the story that started it all. 'Softcover' Edition
"J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Fantasy"
By David R. Collins. Illustrated by William Heagy. A biography of J.R.R. Tolkien for ages 10 through 14. Features black and white photographs of from various stages in Tolkien's life, as well as early sketches of the characters and creatures of Middle-earth. 'Hardcover' Edition
"The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien"
By Humphrey Carpenter & Christopher Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien, cherished author of "The Hobbit," "The Lord of the Rings," and "The Silmarillion," was one of the twentieth century's most prolific letter writers. Over the years he wrote a mass of letters—to his publishers, his family, to friends, and to fans of his books—which record the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events. By turns thoughtful, impish, scholarly, impassioned, playful, vigorous, and gentle, Tolkien poured his heart and mind into a great stream of correspondence to intimate friends and unknown admirers all over the world. From this collection one sees a mind of immense complexity and many layers—artistic, religious, charmingly eccentric, sentimental, and ultimately brilliant. Now expanded with a detailed index, this collection provides an invaluable record that sheds much light on Tolkien's creative genius, his thoughts and feelings about his own work, and the evolution of his grand design for the creation of a whole new world—Middle-earth. 'Softcover' Edition
"Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien"
By Anne Neimark. Illustrated by Brad Weinman. A biography of the author, Oxford professor, and academic who is best known for creating "The Hobbit," and the "Lord of the Rings." Aimed at students in grades 4 through 6. Ten black and white illustrations accompany the text. 'Hard' & 'Softcover' Editions
"On Tolkien: Interviews, Reminiscences, and Other Essays"
By Douglas Anderson and Marjorie Burns. A rare glimpse in the world of Tolkien through his own words and the words of those closest to him. 'Hardcover' Edition
"Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth"
By John Garth. First published on October 20, 2003, by HarperCollins. This biography explores Tolkien's wartime experiences and their impact on his life and his writing of "The Lord of the Rings." The period of Tolkien's life in which he fought in the Great War has remained largely unexplored and unresearched by his many and various biographers—this volume concentrates specifically on this period and relates it to his creation of some of the world's best-loved literary works. Written specifically for a general audience, and not just Tolkien fans, this book allows Tolkien's life, work, inspiration and success to be viewed from a new viewpoint. Having lost many of his friends from school and university in World War I, this, coupled with his time spent as a signaller in the Royal Lancashire Fusiliers, had a profound impact on him. As did, it would seem, the writing of G.B. Smith, a close friend who was sadly lost in the War. Sent home after being wounded at the Battle of the Somme, Tolkien was able to reflect on his life, and John Garth agues that, far from being a flight of fancy, "The Lord of the Rings" is, in fact, a product of his wartime experiences and stands as a great war novel. 'Hard' & 'Softcover' Editions
"Tolkien, Man and Myth: A Literary Life"
By Joseph Pearce. He may be the must popular writer of our age, but J.R.R. Tolkien is often misunderstood. This new study of his life, his character and his work, reveals the facts and confronts the myths. It explores the background to the man and the culture in which he wrote. 'Hard' & 'Softcover' Editions
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