Reference books about JRR Tolkien and his works...

[Periantari Andruil]

Just a rough list on the books about Tolkien that are out there... this is by no means a full list so please add more if you've read some that are worth recommending =) :thumbs:

JRR Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
--every Tolkien fan should read this informative biography about our preciousssss Professor =) very highly recommended for us true fans =)

The Letters of JRR Tolkien edited by Humphrey Carpenter
--more about his life and also lots of letters to publishers and random inquirers about themes and characters of his books (mostly about LotR, the Hobbit and the Silmarillion)... i'm reading it now and am really enjoying it :thumbs:

JRR Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey
I haven't read this one yet but it's on my bookshelf ;)

JRR Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator by Wayne G. Hammond

Tolkien and the Great War John Garth
--recent book that's out...sounds really good =)

J.R.R. Tolkien, Critical Lives by Michael White

J.R.R. Tolkien: Architect of Middle Earth by Daniel Grotta

Tolkien: Man and Myth
by Joseph Pearce

a preliminary list for you all =) ... all can be found on www.barnesandnoble.com =) :thumbs: happy reading and feel free to add more books to this list!! :thumbs:

[Dúnadan]

J.R.R. Tolkien - Mytenes Mann
by Nils Ivar Agøy. The book is in Norwegian, so Scandinavians only may enjoy it. Perhaps this is just temporarily? It might still be translated into English. You may read an interview with the author (concerning this) here: http://alqua.tolkiens.net/?id=interviews/nilsivaragoy

[Mithrandir]

WOW. Yeah, I used many many of those books for my research paper I did, remember?. Very useful books as well ;)

[Periantari Andruil]

Thanks for posting, Dunadan and welcome to the Prof forum! =)

I'm glad you found those books useful, Mthrandir (hey why aren't you on AIM anymore? :( )

Other books i found on Amazon:

Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship
by Colin Duriez

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1587680262/qid=1096123599/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/104-7008947-4779968?v=glance&s=books
sounds really cool :cool:

This one's very interesting as well:
The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-Earth
by Ralph C. Wood

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0664226108/ref=pd_sim_books_3/104-7008947-4779968?v=glance&s=books

Happy reading! :thumbs:

Also feel free to share your thoughts about the books once you've read them in here =) Make up a thread and tell us whether or not you've enjoyed them or not! =)

Thanks.. hope this thread is useful for all the researching and reading that goes on =)

[Olyanë]

Hey all--
A few books I would like to add are:
Tolkien the Medievalist edited by Jane Chance

Tolkien and the Invention of Myth edited by Jane Chance

Tolkien and the Silmarils by Randel Helms

Tolkien and the Silmarillion by Clyde Kilby

Translating Tolkien Text and Film (Walking Tree Press edited by Thomas Honneger) featuring the essay "Humiliated Heroes:Peter Jackson's interpretation of the Lord of the Rings" by Jessica Burke and myself :blush:

Tolkien on Film edited by Janet Croft


Tolkien and the Great War is by far my favorite at the moment, a fantastic look into Tolkien's life during WWI and the invention of his languages and subsequent tales---

In Fellowship,
Anthony

[Periantari Andruil]

Thanks a lot for posting, Anthony! :grin: i'm very glad that you shared your thoughts. I really want to read Tolkien and the Great War as well... hopefully i can get my hands on that soon. i think that it is available in my school library. :thumbs:

[Olyanë]

Hey your welcome! :-) It also should be available in paperback soon--so...anyone have any titles that is not on this thread?
I am currently reviewing the new title by the Mythopoeic Society
"Tolkien on Film: Essays of PJ's LOTR" and the census is not to favorable toward the film, ;) :) 1 or 2 give a bit of a balanced look at the pros and cons, but all the essays are well argued scholarship as to the flaws of the films...One brilliant one "Summa Jacksonia" by David Bratman utilized St. Thomas Aquina's Summa Theologica framework to argue the pros and cons of the films---pure brilliance

Thoughts?
Anthony

[IronHills Dwarf]

I'd be interested in your review Anthony of the last title you mentioned. I'd heard about it and was considering it, I like the films as much as the next person but it's PJ's LotR in many cases and not Tolkien's, and that for many makes all the difference. ;) Always interested in reading well thought out critiques.

[Olyanë]

but it's PJ's LotR in many cases and not Tolkien's, and that for many makes all the difference. Wherein the problem lies, especially when they state on all the documentaries that they are true to Tolkien

Anthony

[IronHills Dwarf]

Wherein the problem lies, especially when they state on all the documentaries that they are true to Tolkien

Anthony

I may be remembering incorrectly but I thought the usual comment from Jackson and Co. was that they were being true to the spirit of Tolkien, take that how you will... a bit fishy sounding to me none the less. ;) I've found a few books on my shelf not yet in this thread.

Tolkien's World by Randel Helms

Master of Middle-earth: the achievement of J.R.R. Tolkien by Paul Kocher

[Olyanë]

Hey all:
Here is a new one, just got my copy from the publisher to review, and I cannot put it down!
"Interrupted Music:Tolkien and the making of a Mythology" by Verlyn Flieger
Its wonderful and well planned/thought out, as are her other works on Tolkien---see more info here:
http://upress.kent.edu/books/Flieger3.htm

Will post when our review is published :-)

Anthony

[Periantari Andruil]

Hey your welcome! :-) It also should be available in paperback soon--so...anyone have any titles that is not on this thread?
I am currently reviewing the new title by the Mythopoeic Society
"Tolkien on Film: Essays of PJ's LOTR" and the census is not to favorable toward the film, ;) :) 1 or 2 give a bit of a balanced look at the pros and cons, but all the essays are well argued scholarship as to the flaws of the films...One brilliant one "Summa Jacksonia" by David Bratman utilized St. Thomas Aquina's Summa Theologica framework to argue the pros and cons of the films---pure brilliance

Thoughts?
Anthony

I have a thread going in here: http://www.warofthering.net/forums/vbulletin225/upload/showthread.php?t=8832

I love the essays, especially the one on Frodo and Janet's Croft's essay. Summa Jacksonia was really critical but i liked it too. lol (i love laughing at criticism when i don't really agree... but i see the solid points too. ;) )

[Periantari Andruil]

Understanding The Lord of the Rings : The Best of Tolkien Criticism

--I"ve seen this around and browsed it quickly in B&N but it can also be found on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/061842251X/ref=pd_sim_b_4/103-2151194-4791869?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155


This sounds interesting as well: J.R.R. Tolkien : Interviews, Reminiscences, and Other Essays by Douglas Anderson <---(who wrote the foreword of FotR i believe)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618445161/ref=pd_sim_b_5/103-2151194-4791869?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=283155

There's a new biography of Tolkien too by Michael White:
Tolkien: A Biography: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451212428/qid=1134971973/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-2151194-4791869?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Personally i want to get the Douglas Anderson one---seems like extension of his Letters. (in which i should continue reading at some point ;) )

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

J.R.R. Tolkien : Interviews, Reminiscences, and Other Essays by Douglas Anderson; I have heard of this one, but it is-as usual, impossible to find here!*sigh*

[Periantari Andruil]

Maybe get it from Amazon.com or bn.com? =) I tend to order these Tolkien books online... dunno why.
I really like the Janet Croft one--i very much recommend that one.

[Ithildiel Noldoran]

Not a bad idea, that!:cuddles:But I do wish more bookstores brought reference books on our beloved professor here!!!:)

[Elfdaughter]

Peri, you are a STAR. These will be SOOO useful for my dissertation!

[Periantari Andruil]

I'm so glad this thread is helpful~ =) :thumbs: Good luck to you!!!!! :rose:
I need to update this soon for there have been SO many additional books about Tolkien lately (and always!!!). =)
:thumbs: :grin: