There and back again
Subtitle: J R R  Tolkien and the origins of the Hobbit
By: Mark Atherton
Publisher: I.B. Tauris
Published: 2012
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 306
ISBN-13: 9781780762463
Subjects: Criticism and interpretation; Literature and myth
Description: Mark Atherton here explores the chief influences on Tolkien's work: his boyhood in the West Midlands; the landscapes and seascapes which shaped his mythologies; his experiences in World War I; his interest in Scandinavian myth; his friendships, especially with the other Oxford-based Inklings; and the relevance of his themes, especially ecological themes, to the present-day. "There and Back Again" offers a unique guide to the varied inspirations behind Tolkien's life and work, and sheds new light on how a legend is born.
Notes: Includes bibliographies (p. 283-296) and index.