J.R.R. Tolkien (Library of Great Authors)

From Tolkien Gateway
The name J.R.R. Tolkien refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see J.R.R. Tolkien (disambiguation).
J.R.R. Tolkien: His Life and Works
J.R.R. Tolkien His Life and Works.jpg
AuthorStanley P. Baldwin
PublisherSparkNotes (Barnes & Noble)
ReleasedApril 1, 2003
FormatHardcover
Pages207
ISBN1-58663-843-2

J.R.R. Tolkien: His Life and Works is the ninth book of SparkNotes' Library of Great Authors series. Like its competitor CliffsNotes, it aims to assist with school assignments. It provides full-length coverage of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

From the Publisher[edit | edit source]

'The Library of Great Authors' series helps readers navigate the landscapes created by our revered writers, from Lewis Carroll's whimsical Wonderland to Fyodor Dostoevsky's map of the criminal mind. Each guide paints a detailed portrait of a great author, examining the writer's background, influences, novels, and critical reception. The complete Library of Great Authors series gives you a comprehensive survey of literature's best-loved, most esteemed authors.This lively guide explores the life of J.R.R. Tolkien and the historical and literary movements that influenced him. It provides an intimate look at Tolkien, from his love of pipe-smoking, to his distinguished academic career, to his experiences in combat. With detailed analysis of his astonishing novels, it explains why he provoked such mixed reactions from distinguished readers, one of whom called The Lord of the Rings "inflated, over-written, tendentious, and moralistic in the extreme," and one of whom likened him to Shakespeare. This guide shows why Tolkien, one of literature's most influential and controversial fantasy writers, inspires such passion in his readers.