J.R.R.Tolkien

by Andrew Blake

Published 31 October 2002
'J. R. R. Tolkien - A Beginner's Guide' is a very readable introduction to his work and illustrates why he is the most popular of twentieth-century writers. Examining the novels and other writings, Andrew Blake shows how Tolkien's mastery of language, his establishing of a fully-fledged alternative mythology, and his brave way of looking at difficult questions, have helped to inaugurate a new way of writing which re-established 'fantasy' as a late twentieth-century genre. Tolkien can help us all to understand the contemporary world.

This book focuses on:

 Tolkien's life and influences

 the novels, shorter stories, and other writings

 Tolkien's recurring use of sources from history, literature and mythology

 the critical responses to Tolkien's work

 Tolkien's influence on younger writers, and on our popular culture.