Book Description
This highly-respected anthology of medieval English literature features numerous well-chosen extracts of poetry and prose, including popular tales from Arthurian legend and classical mythology, as well as the allegorical poem Piers Plowman and John Wycliffe's translation of the Bible. Includes notes on each extract, appendices, and an extensive glossary by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Customer Reviews:
Not enough reader, too much vocabulary.......2007-10-07
The reader is very old, and the typeset shows it. A new job of editing, with new comments and bibliography, would be helpful.
The vocabulary takes up half the book, and it is useless, since all of the unfamiliar words are explained in the texts themselves. I think it was just included because J.R.R. Tolkien compiled it, and the editors thought they would get some "Lord of the Rings" sales (even though it has nothing to do with Middle Earth).
I would have preferred longer selections, more explanatory notes, and less Tolkien!
seo boc þe þu rædan scealt: Sisam's Middle English Reader.......2007-04-02
An excellent book for all those wanting to have in their libraries a good compendium of Middle English literature. A wide spectrum of medieval texts is shown in this volume: Handlying Synne, Sir Orfeo, Ayenbyte of Inwyt, Love is Life, the Nature of the Bee and The Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost; Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knight, Pearl, The Destruction of Troy, Piers Plowman, Mandeville's Travels, The Bruce, The Translation of the Bible and Of Feigned Contemplative Life - these last two by Wiclif -; Ceix and Alceone and Adrian and Bardus; The Marvels of Britain and The Languages of Britain; On the Scots and The Talking of Calais, by Minot; On the Death of Edward III, John Ball's Letter and On the Year 1390-I (The ax was sharpe, the stocke was harde...); some miscellaneous pieces in verse, Harrowing of hell and, finally, The Towneley Play of Noah.
It also includes some notes together with a remarkable appendix: The English Language in the Fourteenth Century, in which dialectal variations, phonology and paradigms are explained.
Moreover, this publication provides us with a glossary of Middle English words written by Tolkien. As a student of English at the University of Granada, Spain, it was and it is still a recurrent tool for translating and studying.
See also: A Book of Middle English
Ian Myles Slater on: New Label, Familiar Package.......2005-08-03
This is a welcome paperback reprinting, unfortunately under a confusing new title, of a classic anthology, Kenneth Sisam's "Fourteenth Century Verse and Prose" of 1921. This is, in fact, stated several places in the Dover edition of the book, but the information apparently was not supplied to Amazon in a way that appears on the page.
"Fourteenth Century Verse and Prose" was designed for use as a textbook, whether in a class or for private study, with much emphasis on the language, but the overall literary quality of the selections is quite high. It is probably not too intimidating for someone who has used a good text edition of Chaucer -- by which I mean one that has not been too aggressively normalized in spelling. It might be a considerable shock to the complete novice, with its obsolete letters and unfamiliar grammar and vocabulary, and examples of dialects which are not ancestors of modern literary English.
Kenneth Sisam (1887-1971) was, and I assume still is, a name well-known to students of Old (Anglo-Saxon) and Middle English, for important critical writings over his career, as well as a late anthology, "The Oxford Book of Medieval English Verse" (with Celia Sisam, 1971). The present book certainly contributed to students' awareness of him, if perhaps not to appreciation of his critical acumen, which here takes second place to helping the student acquire experience in reading (and understanding) Middle English.
"A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary" is a very generic title -- I own half a dozen books to which it could apply. And Sisam's collection was a groundbreaker in its day, anything but interchangeable with others. As originally published in 1921 (Oxford, at the Clarendon Press), the 300-page "Fourteenth Century Verse and Prose" had an excellent introduction, interesting texts with informative headnotes, detailed technical endnotes, and an appendix on "The English Language in the Fourteenth Century." However, it lacked a glossary.
This appeared separately the following year, as "A Middle English Vocabulary," about 170 double-column pages (no numbering), compiled by one of Sisam's colleagues, none other than the young J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien's contribution is a model of rigor, precision, and compression, and will probably be enjoyed by those intrigued by his created languages, and used with respect, if not affection, by others. This division in two volumes may have been a little annoying and expensive (two purchases instead of one), but it did have the advantage that the glossary could be kept open -- no constant flipping to the back of the book.
Although Dover seems to imply that they are doing something new by combining them, all of the later Oxford printings which I have seen (in libraries, or in my own collection and those of others) are, like the re-titled Dover reprinting, single-volume editions with the Vocabulary bound in the same covers.
It is my impression that the Dover edition is a little easier to read, with both slightly larger print (the marvels of technology) and brighter, cleaner-looking pages -- although the Oxford printing I have accessible at the moment is from 1950, and may just be getting a little dingy.
The collection, useful both as a literary sampler and as a textbook in Middle English, was reprinted in 1923, and with corrections in 1937 and 1955. (I am not sure if there were changes in later printings, such as those of 1959 and 1962 -- I think not.) Over the years the dates usually assigned to some of the texts have shifted a bit, so that a strictly literal title might have at some point have been "Late Thirteenth Century, Fourteenth Century, and Early Fifteenth Century English Prose and Verse," while at another the thirteenth century would have disappeared again.
A few decades later, a more comprehensive work, the "Handbook of Middle English" by Fernand Mossé (as translated from the French by James A. Walker, 1951), attempted to survey the whole Middle English period, from the twelfth century onwards. It was the textbook I used as a graduate student, and is currently in paperback. Its 130-odd pages on grammar, phonology, and dialects are much more useful than Sisam's appendix (the dedicated student will find it invaluable). But Mossé is sometimes stupefying in detail. His selection of readings is much more heavily weighted to displaying linguistic features, and sometimes denies that a passage has any other interest. (He seems to have missed the political scandals in the "Mercers' Petition"!)
Sisam's selection of literary materials was excellent -- so much so that most later anthologies of Middle English, and collections of translations, have duplicated many of his choices; even Mossé often has different excerpts of the same texts. Sisam avoided the readily-available Chaucer, but some choices, such as Wicliff (Wycliff) on the translation of the Bible, and John of Trevisa on "The Languages of Britain" (in the "Translation of Higden's Polychronicon" were probably inevitable. Few pieces, other than lyric poems, are given in their entirety, although there are some. It contains a complete version of "Sir Orfeo" (which Tolkien later independently edited and translated). The York Play of "The Harrowing of Hell," and the Towneley Play of "Noah" are each given in full; technically, these two also could be considered excerpts, since they both belong to extensive cycles of plays to be performed at festivals.
There is an excerpt, for example, from Robert Mannyng of Brunne's verse translation of a French "Manuel de Pechiez" as "Handlyng Synne" -- the whole "Cursed Dancers of Colbek" episode, almost-self-contained and a frequent choice of anthologists. Another prose translation from a French moral tract, offered mainly as a specimen of Kentish dialect, is a passage from Michael of Northgate's "Ayenbite of Inwyt." (Or Dan [= Don] Michel's "Agenbite of Inwit" -- the title refers to the remorse, or bite, of conscience, and was a favorite of James Joyce). There are fairly extended passages from the alliterative poems "Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knight," "The Pearl," and "Piers Plowman." (Tolkien and E.V. Gordon edited "Gawain," and Gordon "Pearl," and Tolkien later translated both.) Prose translation from French secular writings is represented by the always-entertaining "Mandeville's Travels" (with the then-prevailing attribution of the original work to Jean de Bourgogne of Liege, on the dubious authority of the patriotic chronicler of Liege, Jean d'Outremeuse).
Altogether there are seventeen main headings, many with subsections, including five "Political Pieces" (Section XIV) and nine "Miscellaneous Pieces in Verse" (Section XV).
These last are mainly lyrics, but include a complaint about noise and air pollution, "The Blacksmiths" ("Swarte smekyd smethes smateryd wyth smoke / Dryue me to deth wyth den of here dyntes..."). And there is a bit of practical magic or applied piety, in place of exterminators, "Rats Away" -- "I commande all the ratones that are here abowte, / That non dwelle in this place, withinne ne withowte, / Thorgh the vertu of Iesu Crist, that Mary bare abowte ...".
Not quite William Morris' water-color Middle Ages, but some problems are older than you might think, and never really go away.
Book Description
Unlike many of his contemporaries, J.R.R. Tolkien strongly believed that mythology is neither allegory nor historical fact but was instead "a true secondary world born out of language, to be experienced, not excavated." In Tolkien and the Invention of Myth, a collection of eighteen new and classic essays, Jane Chance and established and emerging Tolkien scholars explore the profound influence of late classical and medieval mythologies—ancient Greek, classical and medieval Latin, Old Norse, Old English, and Finnish. Tolkien used writings such as these as he shaped his own mythology in The Silmarillion and the literary masterpiece The Lord of the Rings.
Exploring the origins of Tolkien's mythological influences, these essays illuminate the crucial episodes, characters, style, language, and concepts central to Tolkien's complex worlds. The authors probe how such transformations of language and mythology take place in thematic and symbolic form in the novels. They then relate these episodes to Tolkien's understanding of society, culture, history, heritage, tradition, nature, heroism, and love.
Among the contributors are well-known scholars Marjorie J. Burns, Michael D.C. Drout, Verlyn Flieger, David Lyle Jeffrey, Tom Shippey, and Richard C. West, whose essays examine Tolkien's literary aesthetic in folklore, his love of philology (his own and medieval), and the philosophical and religious underpinnings of his narratives. The four sections of the book investigate his adaptation of late classical and medieval legends and histories as well as northern European mythological sources.
A well-rounded and essential reader for any Tolkien lover, Tolkien and the Invention of Myth also includes several classic essays on the author's mythmaking. No other collection attempts to identify the various medieval mythologies woven into the tapestry of The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and to examine how Tolkien rediscovered and reinvented tales of larger-than-life gods and heroes of northern myths.
Customer Reviews:
Wide-ranging survey.......2004-09-22
A solid collection of articles on various sub-topics of Tolkien's relations with myth, particularly his sources and his aim of creating a mythology. There are several very good essays on the Finnish _Kalevala_ as an influence. Tom Shippey's essay on the _Edda_ and _Kalevala_ is one of his best, and a fine example of his typical clarity of style. Several of the reprinted articles, notably Catherine Madsen's essay on natural religion and Kathleen Dubs' on Boethian philosophy, are quite thought-provoking. Andrew Lazo's essay on the Kolbitar, precursor to the Inklings, is repetitive in sections but includes a good deal of very interesting material. Also noteworthy are the papers on oaths and oath-breaking by John Holmes and on Beowulf by Alexandra Bolitineanu. All in all, a useful collection.
Average customer rating:
- A collection of some of Tolkien's short works
- A Warning -- Book You Get Is Not What Is Pictured
- The Tolkien Reader
- The Tolkien Reader for Tolkien fans.
- Important
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The Tolkien Reader
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
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J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography
ASIN: 0345345061
Release Date: 1986-11-12 |
Book Description
An invitation to Tolkien's world. This rich treasury includes Tolkien's most beloved short fiction plus his essay on fantasy.
FARMER GILES OF HAM. An imaginative history of the distant and marvelous past that introduces the rather unheroic Farmer Giles, whose efforts to capture a somewhat untrustworthy dragon will delight readers everywhere.
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM BOMBADIL. A collection of verse in praise of Tom Bombadil, that staunch friend of the Hobbits in THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
ON FAIRY-STORIES. Professor Tolkien's now-famous essy on the form of the fairy story and the treatment of fantasy.
Customer Reviews:
A collection of some of Tolkien's short works.......2007-03-31
This book is a collection of either 4 or 5 shorter works, depending on how you count; Tolkien himself grouped "On Fairy Stories" and "Leaf by Niggle" together as "Tree and Leaf", but I think of them as being very different.
The 1986 edition in front of me was illustrated by Pauline Baynes. My understanding is that her work with Tolkien on "Farmer Giles of Ham" led him to recommend her to C.S. Lewis; the style of the pictures for that story resembles those she later created for "The Magician's Book" in Lewis' THE VOYAGES OF THE DAWN TREADER.
"The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son" is part analysis of an epic poem, and part play based on the poem. I find this hardest to get into of all the pieces in the book.
"On Fairy Stories" A serious essay, starting with prettified Victorian fairy tales and tracing them back to their origins in more serious stories of Faerie and its inhabitants. Personally I would have paired this up with SMITH OF WOOTTON MAJOR rather than "Leaf by Niggle" in terms of subject matter.
"Leaf by Niggle" I acquired the book solely for this story; everything else was icing on the cake. Niggle, although he knows that he will someday have to go on a long journey with no return, finds the idea distasteful and avoids preparing for it; instead, he prefers to spend all the time he can painting, being 'the sort of painter who can paint leaves better than trees'. But when the time for his journey finds him completely unprepared, it turns out that neither his time working on leaves nor helping his disagreeable neighbour Parish has been wasted.
"Farmer Giles of Ham" is another of Tolkien's 'translations', but along the lines of THE LORD OF THE RINGS - that is, when discussing it he refers to it seriously as a translated history rather than an original story, to the point of identifying his source texts and criticizing some earlier scholar's carelessness about detail. (Tolkien and Lewis indulged in games like this often; see THE LAYS OF BELERIAND for examples of some of their letters analyzing the work of 'translators' on various poems of Tolkien's.) The hero of the story, Giles, starts out as an ordinary farmer who almost accidentally causes a giant to leave his village alone (the giant being hard of hearing, and not caring for what he took to be stinging insects). Unfortunately for Giles, being an official hero isn't always convenient when the professional knights inexplicably can't spare the time to chase *real* monsters, and the giant gave other people quite the wrong impression of his home. I happen to like Tolkien's sense of humor myself, so I enjoy this story, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea. The story's style also reminds me a bit of THE SWORD IN THE STONE, particularly in dealing with professional knights.
"The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book" is a collection of 16 poems; note that only the first two poems feature Bombadil. The preface identifies them as coming from THE RED BOOK (the 'historical' record from which THE LORD OF THE RINGS was 'translated'), and identifies the chararacters who wrote some of them. "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late" and "The Stone Troll" also appear early in THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, but there are more poems along similar lines such as "The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon", "Perry-the-Winkle" (another troll-song), and "Oliphaunt". About a quarter of the poems have a more serious tone.
A Warning -- Book You Get Is Not What Is Pictured.......2007-02-21
The book is a wonderful Tolkien book, but if you are expecting the one that is pictured, you will be disappointed. As of February 20, 2007, Amazon is still showing the cover with the pleasant green water-side scene. The book that came when I ordered this has a rather ugly cover -- a somewhat distorted picture of Tolkien, with the top two inches or so of the cover a rather purplish color embossed with black-outlined white letters spelling out the author's name. The text is still the same. Just the cover is different. I only wanted to mention this for the sake of those to whom it may matter.
The Tolkien Reader.......2006-07-15
I love the Tolkien Reader! It is a wonderful selection of stories and poetry which has been of great use for me as a teacher working with children. Extremely enjoyable reading!
Kick back your hobbit feet and explore the adventures!
The Tolkien Reader for Tolkien fans........2006-05-16
Like said before, this book is for already established fans of J.R.R. Tolkien. This book includes an essay about fairy stories and Tolkien's thoughts about what a fairy story is and is not. It was a slow read, but interesting to see into his mind and to discover his influences. The highlight of the book for me was the Farmer Giles of Ham. It was a well told story. The adventures of Tom Bombadil were good because it gives you some backstory of Tom. I'm not really a fan of Tom Bombadil, but you can appreciate the thought that Tolkien put into Bombadils poetry/stories. I really believe Bombadil was one of Tolkiens favorite characters.
Important.......2006-02-19
Many Tolkien fans will already know the tales contained herein; however, this reviewer suggests that On Fairy Stories is an essential read for those who appreciated the Lord of the Rings movies. In this essay, Tolkien tells us why he would oppose the Peter Jackson crass, and why we ought to reject it, as well.
Buy this one for OFS alone.
Book 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.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing work.......2007-01-04
The Reader's Guide is one of the most impressive books about Tolkien and Tolkien's creation ever made. Actually, it is a vast encyclopedia, but instead of Frodo, Feanor or the Valar you can find in this book all of Tolkien and more important: Tolkien's sources. in this hefty volume (more than 1100 pages!) you can find extensive entries about interesting people in Tolkien's life like George Mcdonald, C.S Lewis and Barfield and interesting entries about themes and ideas in Tolkien creation like woman, light, time and more. Also you can find entries on the various sources that influenced Tolkien.
The main attraction is that you can find there entry about each chapter from the Silmarillion (the one that was published in 1977) with summary and complete analysis and references to the texts that Christopher used in order to build the chapters.
Scull and Hammond surely invested tremendous work in this volumes, the Bibliographical list is very impressive. Every entry is very detailed and although (As H&S wrote themselves in the foreword) you can't find there the whole information about some subjects, you can find in each entry enough to make you understand the basics. This book will not replace Shippey or even Carpenter, the Reader's Guide is something on a very different level: more like encyclopedia and less interpretation book.
This book is useful to everyone that wants to know more about Tolkien and Tolkien's creation. I think that this is tremendous achievement and great contribution to Tolkien study. If you read part or all of H.O.M.E and If you are making you own research - You should use this book, it will upgrade your research in a ways that you never dream that was possible.
Average customer rating:
- The many facets of Tolkien's genius. Don't miss it!!!
- More than Middle-Earth
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Tolkien Fantasy Tales Box Set (The Tolkien Reader/The Silmarillion/Unfinished Tales/Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Tolkien, Christopher | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Tolkien, J.R.R. | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Paperback | Tolkien, J.R.R. | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Release Date: 2003-07-29 |
Customer Reviews:
The many facets of Tolkien's genius. Don't miss it!!!.......2004-06-05
This box set is the next logical step for those Tolkien readers looking to see where there is beyond THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT. I'll deal with the four works individually.
THE TOLKIEN READER: This book contain's Tolkien's shorter fiction and works, including a play and Leaf by Niggle. There are four works in total:
1. The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son: a play dealing with two men after the Battle of Maldon. Interesting, and shows more of the scholarly side of Tolkien.
2. TREE AND LEAF: This is a book consisting of two things: his essay on faerie tales, and Leaf By Niggle. Tolkien's essay is now considered one of the main centerpieces of literature defending and validating fantasy and faerie tale (as if THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT weren't enough). Leaf By Niggle is a very deep work, and basically it deals with his despair of mortality and not being able to finish his mythology, his great work. However, in the end Tolkien shows his glorious hope.
3. FARMER GILES OF HAM: a mock medieval story. Everything that THE LORD OF THE RINGS represents, this story pokes fun at and parodies. Very funny story, and shows Tolkien's sense of humour. This was written originally for his children (as much of his stuff was).
4. THE ADVENTURES OF TOM BOMBADIL: This is a very misleading title. It is a collection of poetry, and only the first two poems have anything to do with Bombadil. The rest of the poetry deals with Middle-earth, or set therein. It is a nice selection of his verse.
Overall, a well put together anthology. However, it would have been better had it included SMITH OF WOOTTON MAJOR. That, along with the two works constituting TREE AND LEAF, is the closest thing to autobiography he ever wrote, and all three are vitally important in any serious study of Tolkien.
THE SILMARILLION: The heart of Tolkien's mythology, providing the vast, mythic backdrop that made THE LORD OF THE RINGS so satisfying. As important to Tolkien as LOTR, THE SILMARILION is long, epic history of the Satanic Morgoth, the far more deadly lord of Sauron, and his dealings with the three tribes of Elves (The Noldor, the Teleri, and the Vanyar.). Difficult and dry, but immensely rewarding for those who love mythology. There are four short works, plus THE SILMARILLION proper. These are:
1. The AINULINDALE: Tolkien's beautiful creation myth. Details how Iluvator (God) brought the world into being through song, with the vast angelic hosts (the Valar) adding their special touches to Arda, or Creation. Tolkien gives us an account of the fall, showing how Morgoth created strife and war musically, and introduces the main Valar. A wonderful creation myth.
2. VALAQUENTA: A who's who of the major gods.
3. QUENTA SILMARILLION: The major account of the Elves' fall from grace, and how Feanor, crafting three jewels called the Silmarils, leads his tribe to war after Morgoth steals them. Complex, beautiful, and amazing, this is hard-core mythology that, while difficult for the modern reader, will prove wonderfully fulfilling for those persevere.
4. The AKALLABETH: The downfall of Numenor, Tolkien's version of Atlantis. Woefully short, the events of the Second Age would have made a wonderful successor to LOTR. Deals with Sauron's enslavement of men's hearts and how men became corrupt with the lust for immortality. Much more focused on men instead of elves.
5. THE RINGS OF POWER: The account of the Lord of the Rings.
Overall, a very highly comperessed text, with thousands of years compressed relative short chatpers. As you can see, the half a million words that Tolkien tells LOTR in is compressed to a very short text. How Tolkien taken the same conventions with THE SILMARILION as he did with LOTR, we would have an extremely long book. Arcane, written in a very elevated style, this takes a special kind of reader to make it through Tolkien's tough, deeply tragic, and incredibly beautiful vision of Middle-earth's history. The book stands as a definitive history of Middle-earth, covering all the ages and its creation. Highly recommended for the Tolkien student.
UNFINISHED TALES: Exactly what it says it is. A compendium of unfinished narratives, further detailing the three ages of Middle-earth. Especially illuminating are "Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" (which would have been in the 1977 SILMARILION had it been completed, "Aldarion and Erendis," a story very unique in Tolkien's work because it is an actual story from the Second Age, wonderful revelations from the Third age, including much information about the Palantiri, the ever elusive other three wizards, new information about Theodred, Theoden's son, and revelations about the hunt for the ring. One of the most interesting sections is 'The Quest for Erebor," which another version is now included in THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT. This is the last scene we get of Gandalf and the hobbits. Told after the coronation of Aragorn in Minas Tirith, Gandalf discusses arranging for Bilbo to join with Thorin, and gives an hitherto unknown account of how the events of THE HOBBIT really came to be. Highly interesting.
Very interesting reading, but in the end UNFINISHED TALES is more lost lore than anything. Read only after you've read the big three (LOTR, HOBBIT, and SILMARILION).
SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT: Three medieval poems. Great for the student and acadmic, but may not be real appealing to a mass audience. Due to Tolkien's remarkable linquistic skills, these are very accurate modern translations of the ancient texts. Sir Gawain is an Arthurian tale. Also includes the two shorter poems, "Pearl" and "Sir Orfeo".
In the end, a wonderful introduction to Tolkien's other works. Shows the more academic, scholary side of Tolkien. The most important work included here for the LOTR fan is THE SILMARILION. The rest are for the fans looking to go beyond Middle-earth.
More than Middle-Earth.......2003-09-26
J.R.R. Tolkien was the literary giant whose "Lord of the Rings" trilogy turned fantasy books from slightly odd literary blips into a full-blown genre. Not quite as well-known are his smaller fantasy tales, translations and the backdrop of Middle-Earth itself. Now his lesser-known (but still wonderful) books are released in a boxed set.
"The Tolkien Reader" is a mishmash of material both by and about Tolkien, including an essay by noted fantasy writer Peter Beagle, a short play, a story/reflection on writing and mortality, the hilarious comic fantasy "Farmer Giles of Ham," and a series of poems -- ranging from gloomy to cute to sad -- focusing on Tom Bombadil and Middle-Earth.
"The Silmarillion" is a the type of book that many authors have tried to emulate, but still stands unrivalled: The Bible of Middle-Earth. This is the history of the Elves and Middle-Earth, from Eru (God) creating the world and the races on it, through wars and disasters, until the events of "Lord of the Rings" itself, when the Elves finally leave Middle-Earth forever.
"Unfinished Tales" fills in a few of the mystery gaps in "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." Want to know more about Gandalf, Bilbo, Galadriel, and other people in Middle-Earth? This collection of writings, organized by Tolkien's son, offers more insights into the world of Middle-Earth.
"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" steps out of Tolkien's imagination, and into classic Arthurian fantasy. It's the story of Sir Gawain, and how after being challenged by a mysterious Green Knight, must forfeit his own head. Added on to it are Tolkien's translations of the beautiful poem "Pearl," and "Sir Orfeo," a tale rooted in the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Tolkien's full writing range is put on display in these books. He wrote comic fantasy about inept farmers and easily-intimidated dragons, and he also wrote sweeping fictional histories that spanned thousands of years. He wrote cute poems about dancing elf kids, melancholy poetry, and upbeat songs about the Man in the Moon. He wrote elaborate backstories for Middle-Earth, but also translated the classic Arthurian tale of Sir Gawain. In these stories, he proved that he could write (and translate) just about any style of fantasy imaginable, without it seeming stale or strained.
From charming to mind-bogglingly complicated, the "Tolkien Fantasy Tales" are a great way to introduce yourself to the full range of Tolkien's genius. Think you've seen it all with "Lord of the Rings"? You ain't seen nothing yet...
Book Description
Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.
Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.
Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.
A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10
Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.
Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31
An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.
That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.
I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.
NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.
A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27
This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.
The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.
All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.
Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21
Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.
In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.
This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.
a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21
A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.
But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)
There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?
These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.
Product Description
A collection of short stories, poems and an essay by the author the "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".
Book Description
Turgon (co-author of The People's Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien) and one of the founding members and main contributors of the Internet's most popular Tolkien fan website - theoneing.net - presents modern prose renderings of some of the essential works of medieval literature that were inspirations to Tolkien. These prose versions introduce to Tolkien's wide readership the works of medieval literature that were his greatest professional interests. For those daunted by the alliterative verse-form of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, even in Tolkien's own translation, here is the essential narrative of the poem to be read in readable, updated prose. It can thus be used as stepping stone in approaching Tolkien's excellent translation, where the artistry of the verse will be more quickly appreciated when the story is already familiar. Other major works included are Beowulf, the Edda of Snorri Sturleson, and the Saga of the Volsungs from the Kalevala. These versions should not be seen as scholarly translations, but as popular renderings to enrich any Tolkien fan's appreciation of Middle-earth, and as an accessible entry into the fascinating world of medieval literature. "This volume serves a very useful purpose for Tolkien's devoted readers: collecting together in one place readable versions of the essential medieval works that shaped Tolkien's literary interests and in turn influenced significantly the creation of his invented world of Middle-earth."
Customer Reviews:
Valuable resource.......2004-10-03
Any die-hard "Lord of the Rings" fan with functioning brain cells to rub together knows that fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien drew extensively on old myths and legends. But the "Tolkien Fan's Medieval Reader," compiled by Turgon, lets Tolkien fans get their eager hands on some of the legends and poetry that inspired his works.
Tolkien's love of medieval literature was especially strong for epics like "Beowulf" and the Norse Eddas, which were sprawling mythologic poems and legends. (Try to see how many Tolkien dwarf names you can find in the Poetic Edda) But Turgon -- who is one of the sweet folks on exceptional Tolkien site TheOneRing.net -- doesn't stop there.
He includes other old English tales, and some Middle-English stories like "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and parts of "The Canterbury Tales." He also includes an excerpted story from the Kalevala, an ancient Finnish text credited with part of the inspiration behind "Lord of the Rings." And to round it out are some Celtic stories, such as the Welsh Mabinogion, and the early story of "Kilhwch and Olwen," which was also the first Arthurian story.
Okay, all these stories are in the public domain -- obviously something written in the thirteenth century can't pull in royalties. But Turgon's compilation does serve a purpose: bringing together a bunch of old texts that fans may have heard of, but probably have never actually read. It's not a replacement for the real thing, but serves as an introduction.
Since language changes over time, and some translations are a bit rough, Turgon has smoothed out the old linguistic wrinkles. Nothing that really changes the meaning, but enough to keep readers from going "Huh? What's that word mean?" Small introductions to each story or excerpt are included, describing how these stories were important to Tolkien's work, and how they inspired his world of dragons, dwarves, elves and human heroes.
In a nutshell, Turgon has compiled and edited a solid introduction to the works that inspired Middle-Earth. Fans of the legendary trilogy will love the splendor and richness of these old books -- and might just learn something about J.R.R. Tolkien's writing in the process.
In theory excellent; in practice maybe less so.......2004-08-06
A book like this is an excellent idea, for few of Tolkien's current readers are well-versed in the medieval literature that was one of his strongest inspirations. Anyone interested enough in Tolkien to want to read more like him should at least sample the medieval literature here. It has much more to offer than the average post-Tolkien fantasy.
The problem lies in the fact that most of the works are given in
a) very old
b) prose
c) translations.
a) very old: done for copyright reasons, but unless there's no choice readers should read translations into their own idiom, and these century-old versions, although Tolkien often read them himself, are no longer in our idiom. Translations of old works offer a bridge, but these bridges reach to the 19th century, not the 21st.
b) prose: some of the original works are in prose, of course, but many are verse. The editor holds that complex medieval verse forms can be a stumbling block, and that a prose translation will at least give you the story. I disagree. If you ONLY want the story, read a retelling, not a translation. A prose translation will have all the verbal complexity of the original, but without the verse forms that give structure to that complexity and allow it to make sense. So it can be more of a stumbling block than a verse translation. And prose translations can suck the life out of an original, but a good verse translation can be wonderful. For Chaucer, for instance, don't read the prose translations here: get the vivid contemporary verse version by Nevill Coghill (a friend of Tolkien's, incidentally).
c) translations: Tolkien would prefer you read the original, or use the translation as a guide to reading the original (for this a prose translation of a poem can be better than verse, which must rearrange much). Tolkien didn't think Old English or Old Norse were that difficult for an English-speaker, and even if he's wrong about that, at least a sample of the originals would have given some of their flavor, flavor which only comes through the original languages.
By all means try this book: it's a fine notion and a great convenience. If you like these versions, well and good. But if you don't, please don't be put off the literature that nourished Tolkien's imagination. In either case, follow the editor's suggestions for further reading, and get retellings of old tales by Kevin Crossley-Holland and Roger Lancelyn Green, and modern verse translations of poems, including Coghill's Chaucer and Tolkien's own Sir Gawain and Pearl.
A must have...........2004-04-01
This book is full of amazing detail and incites on both the works of Tolkien and on European history. It is a must have for any Tolkien and history fan with looks into Old English, Middle English, Old Norse, Old Celtic and Finnish that just wets the appetite for more!
A must for any Tolkien fan........2004-03-30
This book is essential for any Tolkien fan who is unfamiliar with Tolkien's medieval sources, or who would like a well-selected collection of the most important influences on Tolkien's fiction. The selections here are very readable and will increase any fan's appreciation of Tolkien's work.
Product Description
Two novels in one. Large type for easy reading.
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