JRR Tolkien : A Beginner's Guide

This very readable intro. to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien illustrates why he is the most popular of 20th-cent. writers. His major works include The Hobbit,Ó The Lord of the Rings,Ó & The Silmarillion.Ó Examining the novels & other writings, Blake shows how Tolkien's mastery of language, his establishing of a fully-fledged alternative mythology, & his brave way of looking at difficult questions, have helped to inaugurate a new way of writing which re-established Ôfantasy' as a late 20th-cent. genre. Focuses on: Tolkien's life & influences; the novels, shorter stories, & other writings; Tolkien's recurring use of sources from history, lit. & mythology; the critical responses to Tolkien's work; & Tolkien's influence on younger writers, & on our popular culture. Illus.Blake, Andrew is the author of 'JRR Tolkien : A Beginner's Guide', published 2006 under ISBN 9781422351659 and ISBN 1422351653.