Which books did Tolkien read? Which subjects was he interested in? Which books found a place in his library, and which did he cite in his academic writings and many letters? Finally, where are the books from his personal library preserved now? In “Tolkien’s Library: An Annotated Checklist”, Tolkien scholar Oronzo Cilli endeavours to answer these and many other questions. By reading his work, you will have a chance to enter Tolkien’s studio and consult his books, learn if and where he cited from each of them and discover whether a particular book was cited by Tolkien in his academic writings or his fiction. A unique and extensive guide, with information on over 2,000 titles, it was conceived as a personal research tool, but will soon be available to both scholars and the general public.
It is a work that doesn’t aim to ‘reconstruct’ a physical library that once existed, but rather charts an imaginary collection, including books or other printed items which Tolkien once owned (and may or may not have read). Along with this, it includes works he didn't own but is known to have read or consulted (such as the run of Andrew Lang fairy books he used at the Bodleian), and works he referred to in his writings but may not have owned or directly consulted. It is worth noting that, of the items he did own at one time or another, he may not have kept them all, as many had to be disposed of, like when he left Merton, or moved to Poole, and when he returned to Oxford. In addition, there were other books in the Tolkien household which were not, strictly speaking, part of his own personal library; indeed, some of these belonged to his children, though Tolkien sometimes consulted them.
Paperback and Hardback, 466 pages, 244cm x 170cm.
Tolkien artist, Jay Johnstone, is the talent behind the magnificent cover for Tolkien's Library.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword by Tom Shippey
Preface
Tolkien’s Library
The published writings of J.R.R. Tolkien 1910 - 1972
Interviews & Reviews
J. R. R. Tolkien: Supervisor and Examiner 1929-1960
Tolkien and Early English Text Society 1938-1972
Tolkien’s Lectures 1920-1959
Bibliography
Index
