- Title: Author of the Century
- Author: Tom Shippey
- Date of Copyright: 2000
- Edition: First Paperback Edition 2002
- Summary description of the book's main themes: In the earlier part of the book Shippey rather charmingly turns Tolkien and the English language back on JRRT's critics and essentially chews em up and spits em out. He then turns his Oxford Profs eye to the most multi-leveled and fascinating study ofthe 3 big books of the common-mans Tolkien Canon [Hobbit, LotR and Silm] you may ever come across. A serious tour deforce. I think even JRRT would have given it a pleasent guffaw. Which I doubt would happen to often in this age of Tolkienglutomania. to . From the back [from the backcover - and I agree wholeheartedly]:
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The core of the Book examines The lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map and as a response to the meaning of myth. It presents a [sic.] unique argument to explain the nature of evil and also gives the the reader a compelling insight into the unparalled level of skill necessary to construct such a rich and complex story. ... and shows the fundamental importance of the Silmarillion to the canon of Tolkien's Work
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- Chapter titles:
- Foreward: Author of the Century
I. The Hobbit: Re-inventing Middle-Earth
II. The LotR (1): Mapping out a plot
III. The LotR (2): concepts of Evil
IV.The LotR (3): THe Mythic Dimension
- V. The Silmarillion: The Work of his heart
VI. Shorter Works: Doubts, Fears Autobiographies
Afterword: The Followers and the Critics
- Strengths and weaknesses of the book:
+'s This book is possibly the single most fascinating and sympathetic guide or better yet, exploration of the interfacing of JRRT's world, heart and soul, with that of the scholarly world that preceded him [and that JRRT lived and breathed in], and hitherto, has been the hidden domain of layfolk, however well read.
-'s Like
The Silmarillion, Unfinshed Takles and the History of Middle-Earth, there is no question as to whether you should read them, just when. It is truly essential reading but I think for someone who has read the books a few times and needs to, maybe be
slightly re-awakened in the awe at JRRT.
Also, you better love linguistic minutae and detritus. The ground is thick with it, but there is so much more.
- Whether you generally recommend this book and why:
Absolutely, with the caveat above. ***** stars [out of 5]
- Whether you specifically recommend it for novices and why:
Nope, already covered above.
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Finally I will close with another peice of back cover material . This time from the Houston Chronicle itself:
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Shippey's highly erudite celebration and exploration of Tolkien's work [is] enormous fun...[he] deepens your understanding of the work without making you forget your initial, purely insinctive response to Middle-earth and hobbits.
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Well I was always an Elf-lover, but that aside. Shippey manages to all but bow down before the professor, with a knowing concious humility, but doing it with incredible skill and grace himself and at the same time, explore with a wanderlust through what must have become the nearly private domain [for an English speaker anyway], the Northern European
and Biblical stories. In their own languages [
and the liturgical language of the Roman Catholics]
It is no wonder to learn that at both Leads and Oxford[!] Shippey took Tolkiens same professorships, and even taught his curriculum for a bit [at Oxford I believe].
It is one of a handful of critical works on JRRT that I would take to a desert island if I could have a20 or so books on the Legendarioum and the Prof. [Not counting my other interests, that is.]
Out of all of the things to appear in the 'years of the movie' and leading up to it. Shippey's books are at the top of the list excepting only the few things in Vinyar Tengwar penned by JRRT himself.
One further note about suggested reading before Shippey.
Tolkien: a Biography and The Letters, These especially will open you up to the depth and breadth that is Tolkien's communications [and life].
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I hope to add more to the chapter sections after a another read.3/30/04