num_pages: 384
description: Recent polls have consistently declared that J.R.R. Tolkien is "the most influential author of the century," and The Lord of the Rings is "the book of the century." In support of these claims, the prominent medievalist and scholar of fantasy Professor Tom Shippey now presents us with a fascinating companion to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, focusing in particular on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.The core of the book examines The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map and as a response to the meaning of myth. It presents a unique argument to explain the nature of evil and also gives the reader a compelling insight into the unparalleled level of skill necessary to construct such a rich and complex story. Shippey also examines The Hobbit, explaining the hobbits' anachronistic relationship to the heroic world of Middle-earth, and shows the fundamental importance of The Silmarillion to the canon of Tolkien's work. He offers as well an illuminating look at other, lesser-known works in their connection to Tolkien's life.
language: English
title: J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century
titlecomplete: J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century
genres: Biography, Writing, Literature, Criticism, British Literature, Nonfiction, History, Literary Criticism, Books About Books, Biography Memoir
ratings_count: 5489
awards: awardedAt: 1483257600000
name: Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire
category: prix spécial du jury, awardedAt: 978336000000
name: Mythopoeic Scholarship Award
category: Inklings Studies
publisher: William Morrow