Product Description

A peerless A--Z guide to the names, places and events in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, fully illustrated in colour throughout by acclaimed Tolkien artist, Ted Nasmith. J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion have delighted millions of readers over the years. Middle-earth, the world in which the stories take place, is as real and complex as our own. Events, geography and names were created with care and loving attention by Tolkien, who wanted every single detail of his books to fit into their total pattern. A belief in perfection, the fun of the sub-creation and the desire to create something totally convincing involved him in map-making, endless charts of dates and events and the development of his many invented languages. The Complete Guide to Middle-earth was designed to add to the enjoyment of the reader of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion by bringing together in an A--Z sequence facts and information about names, languages, places and events from these central books which will provide an indispensable aid to every reader's discovery of Tolkien's world -- and the new edition has been enhanced by stunning illustrations, courtesy of celebrated Tolkien artist Ted Nasmith.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51074 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
'Middle-earth is the country of J.R.R. Tolkien's tales -- the territory of Sauron, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and Sam Gamgee -- whose legends, history, geography and inhabitants combine to make a unique fictional world. This Guide is a comprehensive reference work to every name and event in Tolkien's books, from The Hobbit to The Silmarillion.' Daily Telegraph 'Mr Robert Foster's Complete Guide to Middle-earth supplies, as I have found through frequent use, an admirable work of reference.' CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN

About the Author
Robert Foster has become well-known through his guide as one of the foremost authorities on the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. He was an Assistant Professor of English at Rutgers College, New Jersey. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he received his MA and PhD in English and Medieval Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a consultant to the Tolkien Society of America and his Guide to Middle-earth, punlished in 1971, resulted from his work of tracing the etymology of names used in JRR Tolkien's books.

Customer Reviews

A treasure trove of fascinating information
My thirteen-year-old daughter has become a solid Tolkien fan, and picked up this book for further study. Organized into dictionary form, this wonderful book contains all of the information on people, places and things found in J.R.R. Tolkien's books on Middle-Earth. Do you want to know more about Elrond or the great Wizards? What about the Grey Havens or the Rings of Power? Well, it's all here!

The information is nicely organized, including translations (where necessary) and source reference. Now, the one thing I must say is that if you have not read the Silmarillion, then a good deal of the information here will not mean much to you. If you have read it, then this book will be a great resource for you. If you haven't read the Silmarillion (like my daughter), then you will still find this a treasure trove of fascinating information. My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you!

it sucks you in (a must have)
this guide has proven invaluable to me whilst reading the tolkien books.
you find yourself looking up one person or creature and then spotting another on the same page that grabs your attention.
it goes into great detail and gives an enlightened insight into tolkiens world.
until you own this book you will never realise the true genius and hard work that went into the books of tolkien. you will finally understand the loyalties, relationships and linkages of middle earth... it has everything!

A great help!
A great book for Tolkien fans! I've been reading "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" and both are full of names, places, things and persons. This book displayes all these names from A-Z and explains a little about each one. It contains information on everything from "The Hobbit" to "The Silmarillion". This book has helped me much understanding the world better J. R. R. Tolkien created.