Tolkien’s Mythology for England: A Middle-Earth Companion
Edmund Wainwright
Paperback, 150pp.
Anglo-Saxon Books
June 01, 2004
$18.00
ISBN13: 9781898281368
ISBN: 189828136X
Contains information about Tolkien's life and work. Tolkien was concerned that much of early English mythology had been lost. He set out to create a new mythology for England which drew on early sources. Most of the book focuses on The Lord of the Rings and shows how Tolkien used his knowledge of Anglo-Saxon and Norse literature and language to shape his plots and characters.

Evocation Of Virgil In Tolkien's Art 
Author: Robert E. Morse
Hardcover, 66pp.
ISBN: 0865161755
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
July 2001
In his Preface, Robert Morse states that both Virgil and Tolkien present myth as an aspect of an historical continuum. For these authors, myth does not seem to represent a falsehood, but rather it seems to narrate a record of experience from which humanity learns. Thus, myth is...a form of memory. In Evocation of Virgil in Tolkien's Art, Robert Morse asks question: does this syncretism of myth and history serve a similar purpose in each author? Includes an index of proper names from both authors' works, an index of passages, and a selected bibliography

Evocation of Virgil in Tolkien's Art 
Author: Robert E. Morse
Paperback, 80pp.
ISBN: 0865161763
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
July 2001

Tolkien: A Cultural Phenomenon
Brian Rosebury
January 2004
Palgrave Macmillan
Format: Hardcover , 256pp
ISBN-13: 9781403915979
ISBN: 1403915970
This comprehensive and discriminating account of Tolkien's work has been revised and expanded to take account both of recent developments in scholarship, and of the recent films directed by Peter Jackson. Tracing the development of Tolkien's creative technique over several decades, it explores the bewildering profusion of shorter works, as well as devoting an extended analysis to The Lord of the Rings. Chapters consider Tolkien's contribution to the history of ideas, and review the critical reception of the Lord of the Rings film adaptations and other popular adaptations of his work

Frodo's Quest: Living the Myth in the Lord of the Rings
No Synopsis Available.

Tolkien's Ring 
Author: David Day  Alan Lee (Illustrator)
Hardcover, 183pp.
ISBN: 0760718997
Barnes & Noble Books
October 1999
Only From B&N Books
Rings have been an ever-powerful, ever-present symbol in world mythologies and religions. A tradition of ring-quest tales came into being before the pyramids of Egypt were built, or the walls of Babylon raised. While a glorious civilization in Greece and a mighty Roman Empire rose and fell, that tradition lived on. It survived fall of pagan gods; and rise of Buddha, Mohammed and Christ. Tolkien's Ring is a literary detective work about JRR Tolkien's inspiration and sources. It shows how the trilogy is a result of an ancient story-telling tradition that dates back to dawn of western culture; and how, by drawing upon our world's primary myths and legends, JRR Tolkien created his own mythology for our times. Beautifully illustrated throughout, Tolkien's Ring is an extraordinary journey through the most magical and potent stories peoples of our world have ever told one another.

Tolkien's Modern Middle Ages
Jane Chance (Editor), Alfred Siewers (Editor)
March 2009
Palgrave Macmillan
Paperback, 264pp
The New Middle Ages Series
$32.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780230616790
ISBN: 0230616798
This collection examines how J.R.R. Tolkien delved into the Middle Ages to fashion a critique of the modern world that is postmodern in implication, subversive in nature, and oddly still traditionalist in motivation, in a way that is relevant to current debate over forging workable cross-cultural coalitions on pressing global problems.

Tolkien and his Critics: Essays on JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
Paperback
1972

Book Wise Literature Guide to "the Hobbit" by J. R. R. Tolkien 
Authors: Jon C. Stott  Andrew T. Stott
Hardcover
ISBN: 0943069378
Book Wise, Incorporated
June 1995
Recommend Age Range: 12 and up

Defending Middle-Earth: Tolkien: Myth and Modernity
Author: Patrick Curry
Hardcover, 206pp.
ISBN: 0312176716
St. Martin's Press, Inc.
September 1997
Works of J. R. R. Tolkien have sold nearly 100 million copies worldwide, and continue to enthrall new generations of readers. Yet it has also been widely labeled as reactionary and escapist by hostile critics. Patrick Curry's book shows just how mistaken they are. He reveals Tolkien's profound and subtle advocacy of community, ecology, and spiritual values against destructive forces of runaway modernity. Tolkien's remedy, and the project implicit in his literary mythology, is a re-enchantment of our world. In helping us to realize that living nature, including humanity, is sacred, his writings draw on ancient magical mythology, but at same time resonate closely with ideas of contemporary radical ecology.

Defending Middle-Earth: Tolkien: Myth and Modernity
Author: Patrick Curry
October 2004
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing
Paperback , 210pp
$14.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780618478859
ISBN: 061847885X
Edition Description: Reprint
What are millions of readers all over the world getting out of reading The Lord of the Rings? Newly reissued with a new afterword, Patrick Curry's Defending Middle-earth argues, in part, that Tolkien has found a way to provide something close to spirit in a secular age. His focus is on three main aspects of Tolkien's fiction: the social and political structure of Middle-earth and how the varying cultures within it find common cause in the face of a shared threat; the nature and ecology of Middle-earth and how what we think of as the natural world joins the battle against mindless, mechanized destruction; and the spirituality and ethics of Middle-earth, for which Curry provides a particularly insightful and resonant examination that will deepen the understanding of the millions of fans who have taken The Lord of the Rings to heart.

Understanding Middle Earth: Essays on Tolkien's Middle-Earth
Michael Martinez
November 2003
NetPub Corporation
Paperback , 512pp
$20.00 US
ISBN-13: 9781587761454
ISBN: 1587761459
Michael Martinez begins a comprehesive study of Tolkien's imaginery history by "Browsing the Compleat Middle-Earth Library". His trademark conversational tone and style introduce Tolkien's readers to new persepctives on Elves, Hobbits, Numenorians, and other fantastic inhabitants of Middle-Earth. Advising that "...if you really want to see where it all came from...you first need to see what it all is", Martinez explores Tolkien's pseudo-history in detail, analyzing the motivations and values of Middle-Earth's civilizations as described by Tolkien himself. Extensive research on Tolkien's Second Age, a mysterious era spanning thousands of years, illuminates the second "fall" of Tolkien's Elves, who made the dreadful Rings of Power, withheld vital knowledge from their allies, and exposed all of Middle-Earth to Sauron's evil. Finally, Martinez provides a wealth of insightful commentary, quoting Tolkien's letters and his son Christopher's extensive documentation, on those of Tolkien's sources which are often missed by other researchers. You will never look at Middle-Earth the same way again after reading Understanding Middle-Earth.

Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits
Dimitra Fimi
August 2010
Palgrave Macmillan
Paperback , 252pp
$29.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780230272842
ISBN: 0230272843
Fimi explores the evolution of Tolkien's mythology throughout his lifetime by examining how it changed as a result of his life story and contemporary cultural and intellectual history. This new approach and scope brings to light neglected aspects of Tolkien's imaginative vision and contextualizes his fiction.

Hogwarts, Narnia, and Middle Earth: Places upon a Time
Robert B. Smith Drinian Press August 30, 2007 ISBN13: 9780978516567 ISBN: 0978516567 This little book is a think-piece for adult readers who grew up with (or have been captured by) the fantasy worlds of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K. Rowling. Smith points out general themes in the works of these three authors and matches them to the ancient motifs of the biblical writings, resulting in a discussion about the way in which people look at time, place, and the meaning of being human.

The Power of Tolkien's Prose: Middle-Earth's Magical Style
Steve Walker
November 2009
Palgrave Macmillan
Hardcover , 222pp
$85.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780230619920
ISBN: 0230619924
Addressing the “lack of discussion of Tolkien’s style” in scholarly interrogations of that writer, this book uncovers the multifaceted appeal of Tolkien’s prose style.

The Hobbit: A Journey into Maturity
Author: William H. Green
Paperback, 192pp.
ISBN: 0805788077
Macmillan Library Reference
December 1994
In course of his travels from a cozily appointed little home in Bag-End Hobbiton to a dark and smoky lair of Smaug the dragon in the Lonely Mountain, hobbit Bilbo Baggins comes upon not only dwarves, elves, goblins, and giant spiders but a wiser, better self. His journey, like those of heroes in a long tradition of quest stories preceding The Hobbit, marks his passage from fearfulness to bravery, from self-indulgence to self-reliance, from ignorance to knowledge, from a kind of prolonged adolescence to responsible adulthood. William H. Green's finely crafted study places The Hobbit in company of such quest narratives as Beowulf, Odyssey, Don Quixote, and Tom Jones. Giving J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy tale for children serious scholarly attention often reserved for works intended for adults, Green shows how Tolkien adapted structure and dramatic force of mythic quests to a modern literary form. Underlying Tolkien's tall tale of an unlikely hero drawn into a fantastic series of adventures is a complex exploration of the nature of human journey into maturity and of power of myth to both elucidate and validate that journey. Tolkien shared with psychoanalyst C. G. Jung an abiding belief in healing power of myth. Green draws on Jung's theories of "archetypes" - symbolic patterns of thought and behavior expressed repeatedly in dreams, stories, and pictures to illuminate psychological implications of Tolkien's work. Especially relevant to story of Bilbo Baggins is Jung's view of a dragon-slaying hero as a symbol of increasing consciousness and individuation - that is, a journey into maturity. Rich in literary and linguistic allusion -a result of the Oxford scholar Tolkien's encyclopedic knowledge of medieval myth and language - The Hobbit reflects its author's desire to address sophisticated themes in a form - fantasy - derided by literary critics of his day. Tolkien thus cloaked his love of what he called "fairy-stories" in a book for children

Heroes of Middle-Earth
Tutta Kesti
June 2010
LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG
Paperback , 92pp
$61.00 US
ISBN-13: 9783838334783
ISBN: 3838334787
When Joseph Campbell introduced his idea of the monomyth or Hero's Journey in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, he used examples of main characters from folklore, myths and legends. Although his idea seemed to apply to the heroes in these stories, it wasn't certain that it could be transferred to apply to heroes in common literature. This book means to test two things: whether his ideas of the monomyth apply to fakelore as well, and also whether other characters aside from main characters have a hero's journey too. The reader will be given information on both Joseph Campbell's theory as well as Tolkien's the Lord of the Rings before an extensive analysis of five characters: Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Eowyn and Gandalf. This should be especially useful for anyone interested in the use of Campbell's theory in literature and writing.

Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism
Neil D Isaacs (Editor), Rose A Zimbardo (Editor)
Hardcover, 294 pages
Houghton Mifflin; 1st edition
May 24, 2004
$25.00 US
ISBN-10: 061842251X
ISBN-13: 978-0618422517
When first published, The Lord of the Rings stood so far apart from the mainstream that no one could recall reading anything like it. Tolkien"s unique tale needed valiant defenders, vocal admirers who understood its sources and relished its monumental scale. While such champions of modernism as Edmund Wilson mocked the trilogy"s archaic structure and language, W. H. Auden — a great modernist poet in his own right — rose to Tolkien"s defense with a spirited essay on the true nature of the hero quest. Edmund Fuller"s essay discusses the nature of the fairy tale, returning to the roots of the term to remove the treacle of Disney and restore the value of enchantment. Tolkien"s friend C. S. Lewis takes up the question of why, if you have a serious comment to make about real life, you would drape it in a never-never land of your own. He shrewdly argues that it is because real life does have mythic and heroic qualities — in abundance. The collection also includes essays by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Verlyn Fleiger, and each of the editors, as well as a brand-new essay by Tom Shippey that shows us what to make of all this vast learning, adding to it the many delights of the films, so we can relish Tolkien"s achievement all the more.

Reading The Lord of the Rings: New Writings on Tolkien's Classic
Robert Eaglestone (Author)
Paperback, 224 pages
Continuum
March 1, 2006
$33.00 US
ISBN-10: 0826484603
ISBN-13: 978-0826484604
J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy have become among of the most popular books of the twentieth century while the recent film adaptations have made box office records. This book provides a comprehensive, informed, critical and theoretical analysis of both the book and film trilogies. The book is organised in four thematic sections. Beginning with an analysis of the critical history of Tolkien, the first section, 'Context and Criticism', examines and contrasts the historical and intellectual context of the books, films and their criticism. The second, 'Space, Place and Communities', turns to the philosophical and post-colonial concerns which structure contemporary understandings of the book and film. The third section, 'Gender, Sexuality and Class', shows how these issues are depicted in the novels and films. The final section, 'Tolkien's Futures', looks at the continuing influence of his work in both more traditional literary forms and in contemporary game and electronic narratives.

From Hobbits To Hollywood
Ernest Mathijs (Editor), Murray Pomerance (Editor)
July 2006
Rodopi
Paperback, 428pp
$38.00 US
ISBN-13: 9789042020627
ISBN: 9042020628
Peter Jackson's film version of The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) is the grandest achievement of 21st century cinema so far. But it is also linked to topical and social concerns including war, terrorism, and cultural imperialism. Its style, symbols, narrative, and structure seem always already linked to politics, cultural definition, problems of cinematic style, and the elemenal mythologies that most profoundly capture our imaginations. From Hobbits to Hollywood: Essays on Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings treats Jackson's trilogy as having two conditions of existence: an aesthetic and a political. Like other cultural artefacts, it leads a double life as objet d'art and public statement about the world, so that nothing in it is ever just cinematically beautiful or tasteful, and nothing is ever just a message or an opinion. Written by leading scholars in the study of cinema and culture From Hobbits to Hollywood gives Jackson's trilogy the fullest scholarly interrogation to date. Ranging from interpretations of The Lord of the Rings' ideological and philosophical implications, through discussions of its changing fandoms and its incorporation into the Hollywood industry of stars, technology, genre, and merchandising, to considerations of CGI effects, acting, architecture and style, the essays contained here open a new vista of criticism and light, for ardent fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, followers of Jackson, and all those who yearn for a deeper appreciation of cinema and its relation to culture.

Individuated Hobbit: Jung, Tolkien and the Archetypes of Middle-Earth
Author: Timothy R. O'Neill
Hardcover, 200pp.
ISBN: 039528208X
Houghton Mifflin
January 1979

Master of the Rings: Inside the World of J.R.R. Tolkien
Author: Repun, Graciela
ISBN:  1840464003
Paperback
11/1/2002

Some Light on Middle-Earth
Author: Edward Crawford
Paperback
Tolkien Society Pamphlet
1985, UK Only

Middle-Earth and Beyond: Essays on the World of J. R. R. Tolkien
Kathleen Dubs and Janka Kascakova, (Author), Kathleen Dubs (Editor), Janka Kascakova (Editor)
Hardcover, 160 pages
Cambridge Scholars Publishing
December 1, 2010
$53.00 US
ISBN-10: 1443825581
ISBN-13: 978-1443825580
One wonders whether there really is a need for another volume of essays on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. Clearly there is. Especially when the volume takes new directions, employs new approaches, focuses on different texts, or reviews and then challenges received wisdom. This volume intends to do all that. The entries on sources and analogues in The Lord of the Rings, a favorite topic, are still able to take new directions. The analyses of Tolkien s literary art, less common in Tolkien criticism, focus on character especially that of Tom Bombadil in which two different conclusions are reached. But characterization is also seen in the light of different literary techniques, motifs, and symbols. A unique contribution examines the place of linguistics in Tolkien s literary art, employing Gricean concepts in an analysis of The Lay of the Children of Hurin. And a quite timely essay presents a new interpretation of Tolkien s attitude toward the environment, especially in the character of Tom Bombadil. In sum, this volume covers new ground, and treads some well-worn paths; but here the well-worn path takes a new turn, taking not only scholars but general readers further into the complex and provocative world of Middle-earth, and beyond.

Middle Earth: A World in Conflict
Author: Stephan Miller
Softcover
Tk Graphics
1975
$3.50

Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings : Amazing Myths, Legends, and Facts Behind the Masterpiece
Author: David Colbert
ISBN: 0425187713
Paperback
10/1/2002

Visualizing Middle-Earth
Author: Michael Martinez
1st Edition
Paperback
Xlibris
Oct 2000

Celebrating Middle-Earth: The Lord of the Rings As a Defense of Western Civilization
John G. West (Editor), Joseph Pearce, Peter Kreeft, Janet Leslie Blumberg, Kerry L. Dearborn
June 2002
Inkling Books
Paperback , 107pp
ISBN-13: 9781587420122
ISBN: 1587420120

J.R.R. Tolkien and His Literary Resonances: Views of Middle-Earth
Hardcover, 224 pages
Greenwood Press; First Edition
September 30, 2000
$110.00 US
ISBN-10: 0313308454
ISBN-13: 978-0313308451
Although Tolkien's literary works have, over the past few decades, attracted a considerable and varied body of criticism, much of this material is inaccessible, unreflective, and repetitive. Though various scholars have treated Tolkien's sources and his concept of fantasy, this study situates the author in a broad literary context that includes ancient metrical modes, medieval culture, Renaissance poetics, 19th-century social movements, and modern critical thought. Each chapter is written by an expert contributor and examines the literary resonances of Tolkien's works from a variety of informed perspectives.

Alchemy in Middle-Earth: The Significance of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
Mahmoud Shelton
Hardcover: 124 pages
Temple of Justice Books; 1st Hardcover edition
May 31, 2003
$20.00 US
ISBN: 0974146803
ISBN-13: 978-0974146805
Never before has the esoteric significance of the "Novel of the Century" been explained. At last its profound symbolism is made clear in light of the Hermetic tradition, establishing The Lord of the Rings to be the work of an illuminated imagination. Alchemy in Middle-earth traces J.R.R. Tolkien's motifs to unexpected connections with Scotland, the Middle East, and legendary Atlantis, and unveils the ancient wisdom in Tolkien's great work not only with the Alchemy of the past, but also with the living spiritual alchemy of Sufism. In the process, the mysterious relationship between the spirituality of Islam and Tolkien's Christianity is revealed, signifying nothing less than the completion of the Grail quest at the end of an age.

J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-Earth
Bradley J. Birzer, Foreword by Joseph Pearce
November 2003
ISI Books
Paperback , 219pp
$15.00 US
ISBN-13: 9781932236200
ISBN: 1932236201
Peter Jackson's Film Version of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy -- and the accompanying Rings-related paraphernalia and publicity -- has played a unique role in the dissemination of Tolkien's imaginative creation to the masses. Yet, for most readers and viewers, the underlying meaning of Middle-earth has remained obscure. Bradley Birzer has remedied that with this fresh study. In J. R. R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle-earth, Birzer reveals the surprisingly specific religious symbolism that permeates Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He also explores the social and political views that motivated the Oxford don, ultimately situating Tolkien within the Christian humanist tradition represented by Thomas More and T. S. Eliot, Dante and C. S. Lewis. Birzer argues that through the genre of myth Tolkien created a world that is essentially truer than the one we think we see around us everyday, a world that transcends the colorless disenchantment of our postmodern age.

The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy: One Book to Rule Them All
Gregory Bassham (Author), Eric Bronson (Author)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Open Court; 1ST edition
August 4, 2003
$18.00 US
ISBN-10: 9780812695458
ISBN-13: 978-0812695458
Can power be wielded for good, or must it always corrupt? Does technology destroy the truly human? Is beer essential to the good life? The Lord of the Rings raises many such searching questions, and this book attempts some answers. Divided into five sections concerned with power and the Ring, the quest for happiness, good and evil in Middle-earth, time and mortality, and the relevance of fairy tales, The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy mines Tolkien’s fantasy worlds for wisdom in areas including the menace of technology, addiction and fetishism, the vitality of tradition, the environmental implications of Tolkien's thought, Middle-earth's relationship to Buddhism and Taoism, and more.

The Philosophy of Tolkien
Peter Kreeft
October 2005
Ignatius Press
Paperback , 237pp
$16.00 US
ISBN-13: 9781586170257
ISBN: 1586170252
"Peter Kreeft takes the reader on a voyage of discovery into the philosophical bones of Middle earth. Like a good concordance, this book organizes the philosophical themes in The Lord of the Rings into 50 categories, accompanied by over 1,000 references to the text." Since many of the great questions of philosophy are included in the 50-theme outline, this book can also be read as an introduction to philosophy. For each of the philosophical topics in The Lord of the Rings, Kreeft presents four tools by which they can be understood: an explanation of a key question; a key quotation showing Tolkien's answer; quotes from other writings of Tolkien that clarify the theme; and quotes from his close friend C. S. Lewis, which state the same philosophical points directly.

The Road Goes Ever On: A Christian Journey Through The Lord of the Rings
A. K. Frailey
February 2011
iUniverse, Incorporated
Paperback , 176pp
$16.00
ISBN-13: 9781450288101
ISBN: 1450288103
Ann gives us a glimpse into the Christian ethos that was fundamental to Tolkien's life and work. Do yourself and your children a favor. Buy, read and soak in this book. Tolkien's story, The Lord of the Rings, touches the soul in a profound way. Why is that? What makes the heroes so attractive? Can we ever become like them? The power to be strong and valiant is not limited to Middle-earth. We have been given the same tools and gifts that they are offered if we but recognize them. The rings of power in our society tempt us and our children as well. We would be wise if we awakened to that which tries our souls. Take a look at this classic from a Christian perspective, and you might bring Middle-earth a little bit closer to home.

The Power of the Ring: The Spiritual Vision Behind the Lord of the Rings
Stratford Caldecott
Paperback, 160 pages
The Crossroad Publishing Company
March 1, 2005
$17.00 US
ISBN-10: 082452277X
ISBN-13: 978-0824522773
The Power of the Ring is the first book to show how Catholic themes of quest, devotion, and forgiveness are, as Tolkien said, at the very heart of The Lord of the Rings trilogy

The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-earth
Ralph C. Wood
September 2003
Presbyterian Pub Corp
Paperback , 224pp
ISBN-13: 9780664226107
ISBN: 0664226108
Edition Description: 1ST
Synopsis Readers have repeatedly called The Lord of the Rings the most important book of our age—absorbing all 1,500 of its pages with an almost fanatical interest and seeing the Peter Jackson movies in unprecedented numbers. Readers from ages 8 to 80 keep turning to Tolkien because here, in this magical kingdom, they are immersed in depth after depth of significance and meaning—perceiving the Hope that can be found amidst despair, the Charity that overcomes vengeance, and the Faith that springs from the strange power of weakness. The Gospel According to Tolkien examines biblical and Christian themes that are found in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. Follow Ralph Wood as he takes us through the theological depths of Tolkien's literary legacy.

The World of the Rings: Language, Religion, and Adventure in Tolkien
Jared C. Lobdell
Paperback, 160 pages
Open Court; Revised edition
June 18, 2004
$23.00 US
ISBN-10: 0812695690
ISBN-13: 978-0812695694
In this detailed look at The Lord of the Rings, author Jared Lobdell examines J. R. R. Tolkien's methods and worldview by following the thread of three influences: the science of philology, Roman Catholic theology, and the Edwardian adventure story. Tolkien's knowledge of Germanic and Celtic languages helps explain his use of period linguistics as well as his skill at coining memorable names. The author explores the Christian/Catholic underpinnings of the Rings series, with emphasis on the question of whether the books are set before the Fall of Man. This fascinating look at Tolkien's creative process is a must-have for all Lord of the Rings and Tolkien fans.

Finding God in the Hobbit
Jim Ware, Kurt Bruner (Foreword by)
September 2006
SaltRiver
Hardcover , 208pp
$15.00 US
ISBN-13: 9781414305967
ISBN: 1414305966
Thousands have been captivated by the spiritual themes that underlie Tolkien's imaginative fiction. In Finding God in The Hobbit, Jim Ware, co-author of the popular "Finding God" series, indulges readers with an exploration of the spiritual significance of J. R. R. Tolkien's famous children's classic. As they are acquainted with Tolkien's message of transcendent truth, readers will see how God is mysteriously at work even in everyday moments. A reflection summarizes each chapter's main insight. Bibliography included.

Walking with Frodo
Sarah Arthur
November 2003
Tyndale House Publishers
Paperback , 208pp
$10.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780842385541
ISBN: 0842385541
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings epic tale has long captivated readers with its parallels to biblical truth. And now, a new addition to the thirsty(?) line, Walking with Frodo looks at the biblical themes found in the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy. The 18 devotions pair vices and virtues (deception vs. honesty, light vs. darkness, good vs. evil) displayed by characters in The Lord of the Rings and bring to light what the Bible has to say. A must-have for longtime and new series fans

Tolkien in Perspective: Sifting the Gold from the Glitter
Greg Wright
Paperback, 224 pages
VMI Publishing
October 25, 2003
$8.00 US
ISBN-10: 0971231168 ISBN-13: 978-0971231160
Wright's book is a compelling alternative to both unbridled praise and dismissive criticism. Readable yet scholarly, it takes into account the full breadth of Tolkien's writings -- everything from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to The Silmarillion and The History of Middle-Earth; from Tolkien's Letters to his published essays. And in the closing chapters, Wright boldly offers compelling alternatives to his own conclusions, which demonstrates his desire for a responsible approach to handling Tolkien's work. He is not overly concerned with being "right."

J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality, and Religion
Author: Richard L. Purtill
Here is an in-depth look at the role myth, morality, and religion play in J.R.R. Tolkien s works such as The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion including Tolkiens private letters and revealing opinions of his own work. Richard L. Purtill brilliantly argues that Tolkien's extraordinary ability to touch his readers lives through his storytelling so unlike much modern literature accounts for his enormous literary success. This book demonstrates a moral depth in Tolkien s work and cuts through current subjectivism and cynicism about morality. A careful reader will find a subtle religious dimension to Tolkien s work more potent because it is below the surface. Purtill reveals that Tolkien s fantasy stories creatively incorporate profound religious and ethical ideas. For example, Purtill shows us how hobbits reflect both pettiness of parochial humanity and unexpected heroism. Purtill, author of 19 books, effectively addresses larger issues of place of myth, relation of religion and morality to literature, relation of Tolkien s work to traditional mythology, and lessons Tolkien's work teaches for our own lives. Richard Purtill is both a clear and commonsensical philosopher and an accomplished fantasy writer. Discovering him is like meeting Strider / Aragorn in the Prancing Pony Inn at Bree: we have found a Ranger, a reliable guide through Middle-earth.

J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth, Morality and Religion
Richard L. Purtill, Joseph Pearce (Foreword by)
Pub. Date: March 2003
Publisher: Ignatius Press
Format: Paperback , 175pp
$16.00 US
ISBN-13: 9780898709483
ISBN: 0898709482
Here is an in-depth look at the role myth, mortality, and religion play in J.R.R. Tolkien's works such as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillian - including Tolkien's private letters and revealing opinions of his own work. Richard L. Purtill argues that Tolkien's ability to touch his readers' lives through his storytelling - so unlike much modern literature - accounts for his enormous literary success. The book demonstrates the moral depth in Tolkien's work and cuts through current subjectivism and cynicism about morality. A careful reader will find a subtle religious dimension to Tolkien's work - all the more potent because it is below the surface. Purtill reveals that the author's fantasy stories creatively incorporate profound religious and ethical ideas. For example, Purtill shows us how hobbits reflect both the pettiness of unimaginative parochial humanity and the unexpected heroism of ordinary people in crisis. Purtill effectively addresses larger issues of the place of myth, the relation of religion and morality to literature, the relation of Tolkien's work to traditional mythology, modern fantasy and science fiction, and the lessons Tolkien's work teaches that are applicable to our own lives.

Meditations on Middle-Earth
1st Edition
Hardcover
St. Martins Press
Nov. 2001
NOMINATED FOR THE 2002 HUGO AND LOCUS AWARD
When J.R.R. Tolkien created the extraordinary world of Middle-earth and populated it with fantastic, archetypal denizens, reinventing the heroic quest, the world hardly noticed. Sales of The Lord of the Rings languished for the better part of two decades, until the Ballantine editions were published here in America. By late 1950s, however, the books were selling well and beginning to change the face of fantasy. . . . forever. A generation of students and aspiring writers had their hearts and imaginations captured by the rich tapestry of the Middle-earth mythos, the larger-than-life heroic characters, the extraordinary and exquisite nature of Tolkien's prose, and the unending quest to balance evil with good. These young readers grew up to become the successful writers of modern fantasy. They created their own worlds and universes, in some cases their own languages, and their own epic heroic quests. And all of them owe a debt of gratitude to the works and the author who first set them on the path. In Meditations on Middle-earth, sixteen bestselling fantasy authors share details of their personal relationships with Tolkien's mythos, for it inspired them all. Had there been no Lord of the Rings, there would also have been no Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin; no Song of Ice and Fire saga from George R. R. Martin; no Tales of Discworld from Terry Pratchett; no Legends of Alvin Maker from Orson Scott Card. Each of them was influenced by the master mythmaker, and now each reveals the nature of that influence and their personal relationships with the greatest fantasy novels ever written in the English language. If you've never read the Tolkien books, read these essays and discover the depthy and beauty of his work. If you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings, the candid comments of these modern mythmakers will give you new insight into the subtlety, power, and majesty of Tolkien's tales and how he told them.

Tolkien's Ordinary Virtues: Exploring the Spiritual Themes of the Lord of the Rings
Author: Mark Eddy Smith
Paperback, 144pp.
ISBN: 0830823123
InterVarsity Press
January 2002
"I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way"; Frodo Baggins, at Council of Elrond in Rivendell. A mere recollection of this declaration, says writer Mark Eddy Smith, "can move me to tears. I have been reading this tale since I was eleven years old, taking it from my shelf every year or so and returning to Middle-earth. . . . As I get older and learn more of what sort of person I am, and continue sojourning to the rich soil of the Shire and high towers of Minas Tirith, I discover that many of my notions of what is good and right and noble in this world have their source in that one." For Smith, like the rest of us, J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings yields essential lessons in living. In this eloquent book, Smith approaches Middle-earth as a training ground, "a place where [we] can apprentice to those whose gifts of charity, wisdom, kindness, mercy, love and faithfulness far surpass [our] own." And, Smith says, we may learn more easily at feet of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Tom Bombadil, Glorfindel, Eowyn, Gimli, Saruman, Galadriel & Celeborn, whose world is so far removed from our real lives and yet so firmly rooted in biblical story, "than [we would] by studying the convoluted facts of our own history." Echoing Tolkien's views on the workings of story, he concludes that "while it can never supplant the Bible, [Lord of the Rings] may do its part to supplement it, so that we see again, from a different perspective, the same essential and eternal truths." Here then, is a book that mines gold from Middle-earth, both for long-time fans and for those just getting acquainted with Tolkien and his universe.

Perilous Realms: Celtic And Norse in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth
Marjorie Burns
Paperback, 240pp.
University of Toronto Press
August 06, 2005
Edition: Illustrated
ISBN13: 9780802038067
ISBN: 0802038069
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) is increasingly recognized as the most influential writer of the twentieth century. Sales of his books remain exceptionally high, and Middle-earth fan clubs flourish around the world. The film versions made of The Lord of the Rings, released between 2001 and 2003, have only added to his popularity. Throughout his life, Tolkien was acutely aware of the power of myth in shaping society; so much so, that one of this earliest ambitions as a writer was to create a mythology for England. The Middle-earth of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was to serve as a stand-in for Britain and northwestern Europe and is strongly based on a variety of influential literatures and beliefs, particularly the Celtic and Horse. Perilous Realms in the first book to focus consistently on the ways in which Tolkien balances these two ancient cultures and unites them in a single literature. Renowned Tolkien scholar Marjorie Burns also investigates the ways Tolkien reconciled other oppositions, including paganism and Christianity, good and evil, home and wayside, war and peace, embellishment and simplicity, hierarchy and the common man. Even those who do not know Beowulf, the Arthurian tales, or northern European mythology come away from The Lord of the Rings with a feeling for Britain's historical and literary past. Those who recognize the sources behind Tolkien - and the skill with which he combines these sources - gain far more. Perilous Realms gives this advantage to all readers and provides new discoveries, including material from obscure, little-known Celtic texts and a likely new source for the name 'hobbit.' It is truly essential reading for Tolkien fans.