J.R.R. Tolkien's epic legendarium offers a view into Middle-Earth, with all of its hobbits, dragons, orcs, and elves. Tolkien's tales are unforgettable. Read more about the tales, and their influence on world literature.
1. Tolkien in the Land of Heroes
by Anne Petty. Cold Spring Press. Drawing from a background in comparative literature and mythology, Anne Petty studies Tolkien's major works: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, along with short stories, academic essays, and letters to put his legendarium into perspective.
2. Hobbits, Elves and Wizards
by Michael N. Stanton. Palgrave. Michael Stanton has been teaching the works of J.R.R. Tolkien for more than 25 years at the University of Vermont. His look into Tolkien's world is bound to be amazing. Chapters included in this book are: "Backgrounds," "Geography, History, Theme" ... "Darkness, Evil, and Forms of the Enemy," and "On Languages."
3. Tolkien's Art: A Mythology for England
by Jane Chance. University Press of Kentucky. From the publisher: "Revised and expanded, Jane Chance's study examines the sources and influences of Tolkien's works as well as the paradigm of the critic as monster that colors so many of his writings."4. The Road to Middle-Earth
by Tom A. Shippey. Houghton Mifflin Company. From the publisher: "Shippey shows in detail how Tolkien's professional background led him to write The Hobbit and create a timeless charm for millions of readers. He argues convincingly that the source of Tolkien's inspiration lay not just in his love of fable but in his love of language."5. One Ring to Bind Them All: Tolkien's Mythology
by Anne C. Petty. University of Alabama Press. From the publisher: "This cross-disciplinary analysis shows that Tolkien presented to modern readers and other writers a rich array of reinvented mythic archetypes and icons..."6. Myth and Magic
by John Howe. HarperCollins. From the publisher: "Now, in Myth and Magic, which features 250 of his paintings and sketches, we are offered a splendid gallery of work, including all the Tolkien pieces as well as a selection of his other fantasy paintings."7. Tolkien the Medievalist
by Jane Chance (Editor). Routledge. From the publisher: "In the first section, essays focus on how Professor Tolkien invested his professional interests in his writing and how those works and the movements of his day may have affected his fiction... In the fourth section, essays discuss how mythological retextualization in his fiction assumed a medieval form."8. Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien
by Anne E. Neimark and Brad Weinman (Illustrator). Harcourt. Neimark writes about the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien, including his early years of creating original language, and his later years of creating The Lord of the Rings and all of his other fantastic works.9. Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings
by David Colbert. Berkley Publishing Group. From the publisher: "The author who revealed the myths behind J.K. Rowling's creatures now tackles literature's most beloved epic fantasy, by bringing to light the legends that influenced J.R.R. Tolkien."10. Tolkien: Man and Myth
by Joseph Pearce. Ignatius Press. From the publisher: "He may be the must popular writer of our age, but Tolkien is often misunderstood. This major new study of his life, his character and his work reveals the facts and confronts the myths. It explores the background to the man and the culture in which he wrote."