Favorite Book About Tolkien

[FoolOfATook]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone else spent time reading books about Tolkien or Middle-earth? I have, and I'm curious as to whether or not there are ones that I have somehow overlooked, as well as to which books this forum seems to think the most highly of.

[33Peregrin]

I'm reading my third biography on Tolkien, it is by Daniel Grotta, and it is pretty good. One of the biographies I read was like Mythmaker, or something, and it was really easy and a children's biography. The best one that I have read so far is the Humphrey Carpenter one. I am going to read Shippey's Author of the Century soon. It is on my desk right now, I just got it from the library. Well...... that's all.:D Sorry.

[*Lady Arwen*]

Well, I haven't read any book about Tolkien. Just LOTR, The Hobbit and the Sil.

Actualy, I have read a book, but I don't know if it counts. Its called "The Magical world of The Lord of The Rings" by David Colbert.

[Ithrynluin]

I haven't read much from that list, but I love the Atlas of ME by Miss Fonstad. Despite some minor inaccuracies, it is skillfully made, and an enjoyable read. Especially to the more geographically inclined, such as myself.:)

[FoolOfATook]

I've read all of the books I listed,except for Carpenter's Inklings, which I plan on reading once I'm more familiar with the works of Charles Williams, and Shippey's Road to Middle-earth, which I've only recently been able to find a copy of (Bless you, interlibrary loan,for lettting me read books from UNC's library :)). I voted for Douglas A. Anderson's Annotated Hobbit, simply because it is so endlessly fascinating, although I'd say that either the Carpenter Biography or Shippey's Author of the Century is the most useful for me.

[FoolOfATook]

I've nearly finished The Inklings now, and while it's a most interesting book, it contains far less about Tolkien than it does about Lewis and Williams, probably because Carpenter had just finished his biography of Tolkien and expected his readers to be familiar with that work.

[Aglarthalion]

My favourite book about Tolkien is J.R.R Tolkien - Artist & Illustrator (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0618083618/qid=1055052468/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-1710260-3900704?v=glance&s=books&n=507846), by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull. It contains hundreds of reproductions of artwork by Tolkien, with detailed explanations and information about them. Definitely worth a purchase, in my opinion. :D

[33Peregrin]

I just started Shippey's Author of the Century yesterday, and I think it is very useful. Author of the Century and Carpenters biography were the most interesting and useful so far.

[Elendil3119]

You forgot Robert Foster's Complete Guide to Middle-earth! :eek: That is a wonderful reference, although slightly innacurate in places. However, there is an updated, revised, and expanded edition coming out in September of this year. From the options on the poll, I chose The Annotated Hobbit. :) I have yet to read Carpenters biography of Tolkien, but I've heard it's quite good.

[GuardianRanger]

From your list, I have read Fonstad's Atlas, and Carpenter's biography. I also have Letters sitting on my desk. But, I just started reading Anderson's The Annotated Hobbit. Unbelieveable!

[Arthur_Vandelay]

I'm currently reading The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy. Will let you know what I think.

[Nechana]

I am standing before a choice: to buy Fonstad's Atlas or Foster's Guide. I haven't seen any of these books yet and there seems to be nada in the libraries in my town so that I could just browse through them and choose one (I live in an non-English-speaking country). I am interested in the issues of class, ethnicity, demographics, relations between the various peoples of Middle-earth, structure of their societies, migration and the like. Which book would, in your opinion, be more helpful to me? I would actually like to buy both of them, but for the time being I must choose one. Thank you very much for any help :)

[Arthur_Vandelay]

Given the information you're looking for, go for Fonstad's Atlas.

For future reference, check out the extensive Tolkien bibliography at the TolkienWiki (click here (http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.cgi?FolderBooks)).

[Arvedui]

It would be a close call between Carpenter's Biography, Letters and Fonstad's Atlas. But I ended with the Biography.
I still haven't read Foster, but as this probably will come as a revisited edition, then I can tick it off on my x-mas list. :p

[Nechana]

Thanks :) I've heard Fonstad is very good. I think I'll order that one first. The Letters are a fascinating read and they have been very helpful so far.