Overview
The range of J. R. R. Tolkien's talents is remarkable. Not only was he an accomplished linguist and philologist, as well as a scholar of Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature and Norse folklore, but also a skillful illustrator and storyteller. Drawing on these talents, he created a universe which is for many readers as real as the physical world they inhabit daily. Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth explores the huge creative endeavor behind Tolkien's enduring popularity. Lavishly illustrated with three hundred images of his manuscripts, drawings, maps, and letters, the book traces the creative process behind his most famous literary works-The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion-and reproduces personal photographs and private papers, many of which have never been seen before in print. Six essays introduce the reader to the person of J. R. R. Tolkien and to main themes in his life and work, including the influence of northern languages and legends on the creation of his own legendarium; his concept of ""Faerie"" as an enchanted literary realm; the central importance of his invented languages in his fantasy writing; his visual imagination and its emergence in his artwork; and the encouragement he derived from his close friend C. S. Lewis and their literary group the Inklings. The book brings together the largest collection of original Tolkien material ever assembled in a single volume. Drawing on the extensive archives of the Tolkien collections at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, which stretch to more than five hundred boxes, and Marquette University, Milwaukee, as well as private collections, this hugely ambitious and exquisitely produced book draws together the worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien scholarly, literary, creative, and domestic-offering a rich and detailed understanding and appreciation of this extraordinary author.
Full Product Details
Author: Catherine McIlwaine
Publisher: Bodleian Library
Imprint: Bodleian Library
Weight: 1.858kg
ISBN: 9781851244850
ISBN 10: 1851244859
Pages: 416
Publication Date: 01 June 2018
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Available To Order
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Reviews
Incredible . . . . A hefty book packed full of gorgeous, fascinating images. --io9 Splendid . . . . Impressive. --Toronto Star Reveals [Tolkien's] painstaking creative process. . . . Reflect[s] a literary mind almost obsessed with perfecting each and every [detail]. --New York Times Book Review Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth aims to demonstrate this link between the evolution of the world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and the biography of their author. . . . The scope of his world was truly vast, and his desire to populate it impressive in itself. More to the point, the paintings are beautiful. --Times Literary Supplement Extensive . . . . Fascinating. --Wall Street Journal
Splendid . . . . Impressive. --Toronto Star Incredible . . . . A hefty book packed full of gorgeous, fascinating images. --io9 Extensive . . . . Fascinating. --Wall Street Journal Reveals [Tolkien's] painstaking creative process. . . . Reflect[s] a literary mind almost obsessed with perfecting each and every [detail]. --New York Times Book Review Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth aims to demonstrate this link between the evolution of the world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and the biography of their author. . . . The scope of his world was truly vast, and his desire to populate it impressive in itself. More to the point, the paintings are beautiful. --Times Literary Supplement
The excellent catalogue is well worth its GBP40 - The Times I can honestly say it is not just a beautiful and important art book, but a critical biographical publication for study and research too. Well done! ... A wonderful, and important, book. Don't wait to get one if you are on the fence! - @TolkienGuide Better than the show itself, with all the things she wanted to include in the show but couldn't. - Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator This is a near-perfect collection and an utter delight for those who love Middle-earth. - Starburst Magazine J.R.R. Tolkien fans needs to know about Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth ... Incredible ... A hefty book packed full of gorgeous, fascinating images. - io9
'The excellent catalogue is well worth its GBP40' - The Times 'I can honestly say it is not just a beautiful and important art book, but a critical biographical publication for study and research too. Well done! ... A wonderful, and important, book. Don't wait to get one if you are on the fence!' - @TolkienGuide 'Better than the show itself, with all the things she wanted to include in the show but couldn't.' - Melanie McDonagh, The Spectator 'This is a near-perfect collection and an utter delight for those who love Middle-earth.' - Starburst Magazine 'J.R.R. Tolkien fans needs to know about Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth ... Incredible ... A hefty book packed full of gorgeous, fascinating images.' - io9 'A compelling and extraordinarily rich account of J.R.R. Tolkien's life and literary history interspersed between three hundred images ... Really, you should just go and get this ... awesome and lore-packed book. 'Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth' is the book beyond the exhibit, which endures even as the other diminishes and sails into the West. It's sure to enrich any fan's appreciation for Tolkien the mortal Man.' - Tor.com ' Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth is a pure delight, one that I'll return to many times in the years to come. ... I have many more books about Tolkien than I do ones he has written, and this is the best of those about him so far.' - Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine
Author Information
Catherine McIlwaine is the Tolkien Archivist at The Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.
