J.R.R. Tolkien: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

The Tolkien Estate website features information about Tolkien’s writing, painting, scholarship, letters, and life. Humphrey Carpenter, J.R.R. Tolkien, rev. ed. (1987, reprinted 2000; also published as Tolkien), is the standard biography. John Tolkien and Priscilla Tolkien, The Tolkien Family Album (1992); and John Garth, Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth (2003), are useful adjuncts to Carpenter. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion & Guide, 2 vol. (2006), provides a lengthy chronology of Tolkien’s life and works and an encyclopedic guide to his writings and biography. Michael D.C. Drout (ed.), J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment (2007), is wide-ranging. Wayne G. Hammond, J.R.R. Tolkien: A Descriptive Bibliography (1993), is a detailed guide to Tolkien’s own writings. Richard C. West, Tolkien Criticism, rev. ed. (1981); and Judith A. Johnson, J.R.R. Tolkien: Six Decades of Criticism (1986), are the best guides to writings about Tolkien. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, rev. and enlarged ed. (1978; originally published as A Guide to Middle-earth, 1971); and Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth, rev. ed. (1991), are useful companions to Tolkien’s central works of fiction. Douglas A. Anderson (ed.), The Annotated Hobbit, rev. and expanded ed. (2002); Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion (2005); and John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of the Hobbit, 2 vol. (2007), are also important for the study of Tolkien’s most popular works. Paul H. Kocher, Master of Middle-earth: The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien (1972, reissued 2003; also published as Master of Middle-earth: The Achievement of J.R.R. Tolkien), although written before The Silmarillion appeared, remains one of the best basic studies of Tolkien. T.A. Shippey, The Road to Middle-earth, new ed. (1992), is an important analysis of Tolkien’s fiction, especially from a linguistic point of view.

Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist & Illustrator (1995, reprinted 2000), examines Tolkien’s amateur paintings and drawings and their connection to his fiction. Tolkien’s invented languages are studied most extensively in the journals Parma Eldalamberon (irregular) and Vinyar Tengwar (irregular). Essay collections of note include Jared Lobdell (ed.), A Tolkien Compass (1975, reissued 2003); Patricia Reynolds and Glen GoodKnight (eds.), Proceedings of the J.R.R. Tolkien Centenary Conference, 1992 (1995); Verlyn Flieger and Carl F. Hostetter (eds.), Tolkien’s Legendarium (2000); Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds.), The Lord of the Rings, 1954–2004: Scholarship in Honor of Richard E. Blackwelder (2006); and T.A. Shippey, Roots and Branches (2007). The scholarly review Tolkien Studies (annual) is also of note.

Wayne G. Hammond

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Media added. Jul 24, 2024
Added information about Tolkien's membership in the Inklings and head levels for readability. Jul 24, 2024
Modified link of Web site: Official Site of The Tolkien Estate. Jul 23, 2024
First paragraph modernization. Apr 11, 2024
Anniversary information added. Jan 01, 2024
Anniversary information added. Aug 29, 2023
Add new Web site: Official Site of The Tolkien Estate. Nov 30, 2022
Added the book The Fall of Gondolín. Dec 29, 2020
Add new Web site: Famous Authors - Biography of J. R. R. Tolkien. Jan 31, 2020
Added the book Beren and Lúthien. Jun 02, 2017
Add new Web site: The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction - J. R. R. Tolkien. Mar 09, 2017
Add new Web site: All Poetry - Biography of J R R Tolkien. Mar 09, 2017
Corrected display issue. Jan 13, 2017
Noted the release of the film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014). Dec 19, 2014
Noted the release of Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary. Jun 06, 2014
Add new Web site: Wheaton College - The Marion E. Wade Center - Biography of J. R. R. Tolkien. May 15, 2014
Replaced photograph. May 15, 2014
Noted the release of the film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013). Dec 13, 2013
Noted publication of The Fall of Arthur. Jun 20, 2013
Updated to reflect the release of the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012). Dec 14, 2012
Add new Web site: h2g2 - The Life and Works of JRR Tolkien. Feb 15, 2012
Frequency of the journal Vinyar Tengwar changed from bimonthly to irregular. Jun 03, 2009
Twelve books and journals added. May 26, 2009
Descriptions of The Children of Húrin and of the 2004 edition of The Lord of the Rings added; "Norse legend" changed to "northern legend" in description of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. May 22, 2009
Description of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún added. May 07, 2009
Article revised and updated. Apr 19, 2007
Article revised. Oct 26, 2001
Article revised. Oct 18, 1999
Article added to new online database. Mar 23, 1999
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