J.R.R. Tolkien Companion & Guide Boxed Set by Wayne Hammond, Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond

Product Details

Synopsis

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.

Mike Rogers,Library Journal/LJX</P> - Library Journal

Top scholars—and librarians—Scull and Hammond present an exhaustive record of Tolkien's life and work in this magnificent two-volume set. The Chronology finely details Tollers' life from his first day to last (1892–1973) and "includes events from the wider history of the world" as reference points. Listings range from brief factoids concerning the events of single dates to longer, more general passages about his educational studies, army life, etc., drawn from school records, war service files, personal correspondence, and other primary sources. The Reader's Guidecovers his own works as well as influential writings, criticism, publication histories, and analysis, along with an overview of the Silmarillion mythology, and much more. Each volume also sports a lengthy bibliography and index. Bottom LineThough it deals with hobbits and elves, Tolkien's writing is far from simplistic, and the literary and historic influences that shaped his fiction are vast. And while Tolkien scholarship has expanded, especially in recent years, this scholarly yet accessible duo will fill the gap between lightweight, pop biographical material and the indecipherable "by scholars for scholars" type studies. The price, alas, is a bit stiff for many publics, but academic institutions certainly should purchase. For scholars and lay readers alike, this set is as rich as the mines of Moria. Highly recommended.

Biography

WAYNE G. HAMMOND and CHRISTINA SCULL are the authors of J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator as well as the editors of Tolkien's Roverandom and the fiftieth anniversary edition of Farmer Giles of Ham. They have been honored three times with the prestigious Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inkling Studies.