Product Description

J.R.R. Tolkien′s novels of Middle–earth – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Silmarillian – have become some of the most famous, and most beloved, literary works of the twentieth century. And the Lord of the Rings films by director Peter Jackson have re–ignited interest in Tolkien and his works, as well as introduced his stories to a new generation of fans.

Even if you′ve never read the novels and have only seen the films, you know that the world of Middle–earth is a complicated one. Tolkien took great care in representing this world, from creating new languages to including very particular cultural details that add to the richness of the world′s fabric. Many other books have been written about Tolkien and his works, but none have come close to providing the kind of reference needed to comprehend the world of Middle–earth. That′s what veteran Dummies author and unabashed Tolkien fan Greg Harvey attempts to do in The Origins of Tolkien′s Middle–earth For Dummies.

As the author says in his introduction to the book, this is not an encyclopedia or quick guide to all the diverse beings, languages, and history that make up Tolkien′s Middle–earth. Nor is it a set of plot outlines for the novels. Rather, what you′ll find in The Origins of Tolkien′s Middle–earth For Dummies is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Middle–earth, plus a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world. This book can help enrich your reading (or re–reading) of Tolkien′s novels, and it will challenge you to think about the themes inherent in Tolkien′s Middle–earth and their implications in your own life.

Here′s just a sampling of the topics you′ll find covered in The Origins of Tolkien′s Middle–earth For Dummies:

• Exploring the main themes in Tolkien′s works, including immortality and death; the heroic quest; love; fate and free will; and faith and redemption
• Investigating the diverse lands of Middle–earth – including the Shire, Gondor, and Mordor – and their significance
• Examining the different cultures of Middle–earth, such as Hobbits, Elves, Men, and those wily Wizards
• Touring the history of Middle–earth
• Understanding Tolkien′s creation of new languages to enrich the story of Middle–earth
• Top Ten lists on the battles in the War of the Ring, online resources, and the ways the films differ from the novels

So, whether you′re reading Tolkien′s novels or watching the films for the first time, or you′ve been a fan for many years and are looking for a new take on Tolkien′s works, The Origins of Tolkien′s Middle–earth For Dummies can help you enhance your reading or viewing experience for years to come.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #181474 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 360 pages

Review
"...a great book...helps readers make sense of the creatures, language, geography and richly–detailed history of Middle earth..." (Shields Gazette, Dec 03)

"...a mine of information a must–have for anyone interested in exploring the epic tales of the four ages of Middle earth..." (Dundee Evening Telegraph and Post, Dec 03)

Review
"...a great book...helps readers make sense of the creatures, language, geography and richly–detailed history of Middle earth..." (Shields Gazette, Dec 03)

"...a mine of information a must–have for anyone interested in exploring the epic tales of the four ages of Middle earth..." (Dundee Evening Telegraph and Post, Dec 03)

From the Back Cover
Demystifies key players, their relationships, and their motivations

Understand the mythology, characters, and themes of Middle–earth

Don’t know Gollum from Gandalf? This plain–English guide helps you make sense of the creatures, language, geography, and richly detailed history of the fascinating world of Middle–earth. From the Shire to Mount Doom, from the hobbits to the Ringwraiths, you’ll discover the varied sources and inspirations behind Tolkien’s stories and comprehend the meanings that lie beneath the surface.

Discover:

• The differences between the books and the movies
• The historical background of Middle–earth
• The origins of Tolkien’s mythology in European folklore
• Middle–earth’s diverse languages
• Why the Elves were Tolkien’s favorites

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear–out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Customer Reviews

A rushed job?
Greg Harvey does not bring his usual close attention to detail in this book, and the printer or publisher shares some of the blame. There are numerous errors of syntax, grammar, and even of fact. E.g. we are told as early as p30 that the Weald is in 'southwestern England' (it's in southeastern England); Gondor is stated to be 'east of the Mountains of Shadow' on p 32 (it's on the west). On p133 we are told 'Orthanc...means 'Cunning Mind'', when it means 'Forked Height'; p 227 Legolas and Gimly are said to be Boromir's compatriots, but they come from different races and countries. On page 235 Harvey makes the usual American mistake of referring to Richard I of England as 'the Lionhearted', instead of 'the Lionheart'. 'Fenris...also slay Odin' (the past tense of 'slay' is 'slew' (p250). Poor typesetting on p171 has 'He makes a fascinating strongman because Tolkien his strength came from...; p252 has 'such that that she was willing'; p256 has 'lies to down to die'; p298 has 'He seems to saying that...'; p315 'saying with they will return'; and three errors on p318: 'walking through a woods'; 'he and Frodo are living one Mr. Bilbo's adventures' and 'For those of you who've haven't...'. These might seem carping criticisms, but the errors slow up the reading process, and should not occur in a book costing [...] in the UK. They cast a shadow on the whole book, which in many ways is a 'tour de force' and is well worth reading for the comprehensive information on the whole world of Middle Earth. Incidentally, Mr Harvey might have mentioned that when Aragorn saves the lives of Eowyn and Faramir, his quote that the 'hands of the king are the hands of a healer' refers to the tradition from ancient times of 'touching for the king's evil', (although this had specific reference to scrofula) of which I am sure he is aware.

All that is gold does not glitter
A superb addition to add to your Middle Earth library from a rather unlikely source. I have several computer books for Dummies and found them an excellent source of information and true to form this book follows that well worn (and very successful) formula; get to the point, cut the waffle, and a bit of humour for good measure.
The book itself tackles a broad range of topics and attempts to explain Tolkien's sources and inspiration for, well, everything in the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarilion. It's not to say that you may agree with everything and a book of this nature is bound to be subjective in some areas but on the whole the level of detail is excellent and will give you a clearer understanding of the ideas behind Middle Earth than some of the more sober looking tomes. However, that brings me to my only complaint? That cover. I'm sorry, it just can't sit next to my Tolkien books. It's too yellow. It really should be in a sensible quarter bound leather. Of course if that were the case I would have overlooked it and that would have been a great shame.

Disappointingly flawed
There's an immense amount of useful detail in this book and when the author's surveying Tolkien's work directly it's interesting and valuable, despite some annoying errors and typos.

But the analysis is poor. The obsession with Christianity is unsettling - the author's tries desperately to shoehorn various elements of the Christian mythos into the Middle Earth stories, without success. And in a few places it seems as if he's speaking about the Christian mythology as if it were true in its own right (i.e. history and not myth) and necessarily MUST appear in some veiled form in Tolkien, which is just nonsense.

Obviously, Tolkien was a committed Christian but this only informs his Middle Earth stories at second hand. The primary inspiration are the ancient myths, and especially ancient languages, which Tolkien studied and loved. Imposing a non-existent Christian subtext as if Tolkien were C S Lewis just doesn't wash.

Many of the borrowings, reworkings and analogies between Tolkien's works and different myth cycles are spelled out clearly. But this is only really successful where the author sticks within the bounds of existing Tolkien sholarship. Pretty much all of his personal suggestions and ideas are dubious and many are farcical. Witness the bizarre attempt to equate hobbits with rabbits...

I can only see this book being of interest to those who don't already have much knowledge of the subject or would like an invented Christian apologist's account of Tolkien's work, so perhaps it's more appropriate for a certain kind of American audience.