Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings Review

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Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings ReviewContrary to the opinion of the reviewer below, who indicates an inability to remember what was read (which says quite a bit all by itself, doesn't it?), this book does its job admirably well. A popularized account of the literature behind the literature which Tolkien left for us, this book takes us through the wide range of mythic and legendary material from various historical periods in Europe & nearby regions which lie at the source of J.R.R. Tolkien's greatest fantasy works (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings) and which influenced the great fantasist, himself. Not a book for scholars but apparently too erudite for some readers of Tolkien's works, this book takes us on a quickie survey of the legends and linguistic antecedents which influenced and captured Tolkien's fancy. At the same time it gives us a fairly educated survey of the history of fantasy literature itself. The book is meant to be entertaining for those who love to understand what they are reading -- though it's no fantasy itself, which is perhaps what our disappointed reviewer expected. Or perhaps this person was seeking the inside dope on Tolkien and his times. Whatever. At the least, this is a good source for those who want to understand the history of this type of literature and who want to go farther than just reading the material. It was for me. And it took me farther than I'd expected. Afterwards, you can go on to many of the sources themselves. This book tells you what they were and, often enough, where to find them. --- Stuart W. MirskTolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings Overview

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Celebrating Middle-earth: The Lord of the Rings as a Defense of Western Civilization Review

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Celebrating Middle-earth: The Lord of the Rings as a Defense of Western Civilization ReviewWhile all six essays in this slender volume will prove of interest to the reader seeking more background on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic story, I found the essay by Janet Blumberg, "The Literary Background of The Lord of the Rings" especially valuable. Prof. Blumberg not only explains the influences of Anglo-Saxon literature such as "Beowulf" and High Medieval literature such as "Sir Gawain and the Green knight" on elements in LOTR, but also offers a credible explanation for one of the most remarked about elements in the books: the absence of any overt religious practice or worship. This essay alone makes this slender volume a valuable addition to the library of any Tolkien fan.Celebrating Middle-earth: The Lord of the Rings as a Defense of Western Civilization Overview

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The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece Review

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The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece ReviewIf you read The Hobbit as a child and never got around to LOTR and the Simarillion, or if you are a new fan because of the movies this is a perfect book for you. Although the tone of the book is lighthearted and fun, the author obviously did his homework. He explains LOTR and The Hobbit by answering questions that new fans have. Why are Tolkein's elves so tall? Where did the idea for hobbits come from? How old is Gollum anyway? He tells how Shelob the spider came to be (Tolkien was attacked by a tarantula as a small child) and what Gandalf really is, and so much more.
The reader will learn that LOTR is heavily inspired by Beowulf and Norse mythology. After reading this well written and amusing book I have decided to re-read LOTR. I now have even more respect for J.R.R. Tolkein. This book is actually a respectful tribute to him and his genius.The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece Overview

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The Real Middle Earth: Exploring the Magic and Mystery of the Middle Ages, J.R.R. Tolkien, and "The Lord of the Rings" Review

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The Real Middle Earth: Exploring the Magic and Mystery of the Middle Ages, J.R.R. Tolkien, and "The Lord of the Rings" ReviewReviewer: A reader from England This is a superb book. Vividly written, it explores the magical and spiritual beliefs of people who lived in the 'real' Middle-earth. This was the Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures of a thousand years ago and more, which so inspired Tolkien. The author Brian Bates is well-known for previous books on this subject (especially his best-selling novel The Way of Wyrd). It is different from other books purporting to compare Tolkien with ancient mythology, because the world it reveals is one in which people saw their EVERYDAY LIVES as being charged with a mysterious power they called Wyrd. It was manifested by a magical landscape, in which trees, plants and animals all had powerful symbolic presences. Elves, dragons, giants and dwarves were encountered in reality as well as in dreams and stories. Shapeshifting, spellcasting and healing are explored as they happened in real life.
Bates also explains really well how such a magical outlook on life relates to our own perspectives. In a time where The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter confirms the potency of magic for our lives, we see how we once had a wisdom lost over the centuries as first Christianity and then science became dominant world views. But Bates does not paint a utopia - he makes clear that life was hard in Anglo-Saxon times. Yet he shows what the usual history or mythology books are missing - the magic at the heart of life in those times.
The book is refreshingly written, free from academic pomposity and dry argument. He offers vivid anecdotes, examples, and beautiful descriptions which make the reader feel present in those times. And for those readers who want to follow up topics in more detail, there is an excellent list of sources, with guidance for the specialist academic books that cover the material best.
I agree with previous reviewers that the book is not a lot about Tolkien directly. But I and other Tolkien fans who have read it, found it very illuminating about the source of his ideas, and much more original than the many books that just endlessly discuss The Lord of the Rings.The Real Middle Earth: Exploring the Magic and Mystery of the Middle Ages, J.R.R. Tolkien, and "The Lord of the Rings" Overview

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Realm of the Ring Lords Review

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Realm of the Ring Lords ReviewIn anticipation of Laurence Gardner's new book, Realm of the Ring Lords, I re-read his previous two works, Bloodline of the Holy Grail, and Genesis of the Grail Kings. Both of them were groundbreaking books, revealing, in the first instance, convincing theories about the progeny of the dynastic marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, and the intriguing influence of their descendents throughout European history; and, in the second instance, a fascinating theory of the origin of the Grail King lineage, starting in ancient Sumer, and evolving, through Babylonia, Egypt, and Canaan, up to, and including, Jesus.
Gardner not only has access to the private libraries of the current Grail Family members, but he has a remarkable facility with languages. Both of these assets come into play in his newest work, The Realm of the Ring Lords. As a result of the incontrovertible practice of the Roman Church to exterminate anyone whom it declared a "heretic", the Grail Family, and the theology and tradition it represented, were forced to remain underground for many centuries. The powerful and persuasive essence of the Grail tradition, though, was kept alive all the while by a coded folklore, which created all kinds of elves, fairies, leprechauns, pixies, gnomes, heroes/heroines, etc., many of which we have all heard of at one time or another. Gardner has successfully translated all the fairy-tale "fiction" into an enchanting, but very real history, based on his deep understanding of the Grail tradition, and his adept use of etymology.
While this book doesn't rival his other two in terms of earth-shaking revelations, it does complement the other two by providing a deeply satisfying explanation of the effects of the Grail tradition on European cultural and literary heritage that, heretofore, had been accepted as fantasy, but now are very real and significant.
If you haven't read any of Gardner's work, don't start with this one. He makes frequent references to his previous books, and assumes that the reader is familiar with them. If you have read both of his other books, I think you will enjoy this guided tour and interpretation of Europe's folklore.Realm of the Ring Lords Overview

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Myth & Middle-Earth: Exploring the Medieval Legends Behind J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Review

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Myth & Middle-Earth: Exploring the Medieval Legends Behind J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Review"As a long-term fan of JRR Tolkien and all things Middle-earth, I was very happy to pick up this concise and readable book tracing the main mythic sources that inspired Tolkien. Most books focus on the Norse and Germanic myths to the exclusion of all else, and while Dr. Jones covers these areas, she also goes well beyond to look at the Celtic myths of Ireland and Wales to complete the picture. Put this on your holiday shopping list if you're a fan of The Lord of the Rings!"Myth & Middle-Earth: Exploring the Medieval Legends Behind J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings Overview

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