[.ca] Letters of J.R.R.Tolkien (ISBN 0261102656)

From Amazon.com:
Scholars and fans of the great mythologist will find a rich vein of information in Humphrey Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was a prodigious letter writer all his life; the sheer mass of his correspondence would give pause to even the most stalwart archivist (one shudders to think what he would have done with e-mail). But with the able assistance of Tolkien's son Christopher and a healthy dose of determination, Carpenter manages find the cream of the crop--the letters that shed light on Tolkien's thoughts about his academic and literary work, as well as those that show his more private side, revealing a loving husband, a playful friend, and a doting father. The most fascinating letters are, of course, those in which he discusses Middle-Earth, and Carpenter offers plenty of those to choose from. Tolkien discussed the minutia of his legend--sometimes at great length--with friends, publishers, and even fans who wrote to him with questions. These letters offer significant insights into how he went about creating the peoples and languages of Middle-Earth. I have long ceased to invent (though even patronizing or sneering critics on the side praise my 'inventions'): I wait till I seem to know what really happened. Or till it writes itself. Thus, though I knew for years that Frodo would run into a tree-adventure somewhere far down the Great River, I had no recollection of inventing Ents. I came at last to the point, and wrote the 'Treebeard' chapter without any recollection of any previous thought: just as it is now. And then I saw that, of course, it had not happened to Frodo at all. This new edition of letters has an extensive index, and Carpenter has included a brief blurb at the beginning of each letter to explain who the correspondent was and what was being discussed. Still, we strongly recommend buying the companion volume, J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, in order to better understand the place these correspondents had in Tolkien's life and get a better context for the letters. --Perry M. Atterberry

Mind of a master:
J.R.R. Tolkien was a prolific writer -- not just in creating the sprawling sagas of Middle-Earth, but also in writing letters, notes, and introspective studies of literature and religion. "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien" is a surprisingly entertaining read, and an invaluable source for figuring out Middle-Earth's history, and Tolkien's writing. His letters start off with notes to his beloved Edith, before they got married, when he was in the army. After only fifteen pages, correspondence with publishers starts (regarding the publishing of "Mr. Bliss"), and continues with details about his writing, illustrations, and plans for future writings. "\oThe created legend\c should be 'high,' purged of the gross, and fit for the more adult mind of a land long now steeped in poetry," he writes at one point. But letters to publishers are only some of the letters Tolkien wrote in his long life. Other letters are to his kids and his friends, detailing his trip to Italy, the Narnia books, his friendships, his career, the nuances of "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit," "Beowulf," and explaining his thoughts on philosophy, religion, myth and his own writing -- even describing an aborted sequel to "Lord of the Rings" called "The New Shadow," which he abandoned as being "both sinister and depressing." Do hobbits have pointy ears? Did Sauron create the orcs? Were the evil spiders inspired by a childhood tarantula bite? Was the Ring of Power "der Nibelungen Ring"? Tolkien addressed all of these in his letters. (And the answers are: Yes, no, no, and absolutely not!) Rumors are addressed, questions are answered, and Tolkien gives insights to his writings that -- obviously -- no one else could provide. And unlike in a lot of compiled-letters books, Tolkien's own personality seems to shine through his letters -- intelligent, imaginative, immersed in his faith, work and family, and capable of being quite snippy when he wanted to be. His letter to Allen & Unwin about a "Dr. O" is particularly funny ("Coming home dead without a head... is not very delightful"). While Tolkien's style seems very formal at first, it's easy to get immersed in his longer letters. The shorter ones are usually quite short -- one is only two lines long, announcing that "I shall be murdered if something does not happen soon." And while Tolkien answered intelligent questions with extensive responses, he didn't seem to like untrue rumors. When Dr. O claimed that the Ring was "der Nibelungen Ring," he responded dryly that: "Both rings were round, and there the resemblence ceases." Touche, professor. He also shows an endearingly humble attitude towards his work, even calling his charming drawings "ill-drawn." J.R.R. Tolkien's letters are a gold mine for the devoted fan of Middle-Earth, and provide many insights into his mind and work. Even less devoted fans may be staggered by "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien."

Marvelous!:
I believe that no set of books is complete without this plainly marvelous book.If you are going to read other books written by him,or have read them,why not get to know more about this marvelous writer?

Insightful:
If you love Tolkien's novels, you should enjoy reading his letters as well.

Indispensable:
Chugging through this book over the last few months has been a wonderful experience for me. What better way to get right inside the mind of Tolkien himself than through these fascinating letters? They make me feel as though I'm right there alongside him in his world; in the academia, the family life, and the inner workings of the brilliant mind that created (or simply "discovered," as he would put it, Middle-Earth). As an intimate composite sketch giving insights into all these areas, this book is absolutely indispensable for the hard-core Tolkien fan, even more so than the Humphrey Carpenter-penned Tolkien Biography. But those two volumes hand-in-hand are a delightful companion to anyone who, like me, is enraptured by _The Lord of the Rings_ and has an interest in the man who brought it into being. Can you _not wait_ until Christmas when the FOTR movie comes out??! Man alive, that's gonna be terrific...

If You Could Pick His Brain...:
I picked up this volume on a whim. Would I find dry rhetoric? Mindless commentary on Tolkien's writings? Or, ideally, something special? Something special! Indeed. If I could go back in time and sit with Tolkien and friends while they smoked pipes and discussed their writings, this is what I'd overhear. If I could pick Tolkien's brain on many subjects considering the Ring and Middle Earth, these are the sorts of things he'd say. These letters cover a wide range of topics over a number of years and point directly to the source of Tolkien's inspirations. Questions that have long lay dormant in my mind sprung to life and found reprieve here within these stunning letters. Do you wonder about the spiritual implications of "The Lord of the Rings"? Do you wish for insight into Tolkien's relationship with C.S. Lewis? Do you pine for the day you could've had Tolkien respond to your own questions? This side of eternity, "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien" may be the closest you'll come to satisfying these itchings. If you're a fan, this is indispensable. And, I might add, a lot of fun besides.