Guest post: My personal 2014 top ten list of Tolkien publications
I have asked German Tolkien collector Tobias Wolf which books published in 2014 are among his favourites and he was kind enough to send me his top ten books he considers a must for readers in finding out more about J.R.R. Tolkien’s life and works. So if you haven’t had the time yet to get those books – now is the time!
10. Tolkien – On Fairy-Stories – Edited by Verlyn Flieger and Douglas A. Anderson (Paperback)
Tolkien’s most famous and important essay, now available in a paperback edition. With a wonderful commentary by Verlyn Flieger and Douglas A. Anderson. Of course, it is not a new book, only the new paperback edition came out in 2014, but I think it will reach a further audience now. [Review with the Mythopoeic Society.]
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. ISBN: 978-0007582914
9. Arda Inhabited – Susan Jeffers
This is a welcome contribution to Tolkien studies and ecocritical literature.
Publisher: Kent State University Press. ISBN: 978-1606352014
8. Hither Shore 10 – Tolkien Adaptations. Interdisciplinary Journal on Modern Fantasy Literature
The yearbook of the German Tolkien Society, a collection of the papers of the “Tolkien Seminar 2013.” Both in German and English.
Publisher: Scriptorium Oxoniae im Atelier für Textaufgaben. ISBN: 978-3981061284
7. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Forest and the City. Edited by Helen Conrad-O’Briain & Gerard Hynes
A collection of informed essays which explore Tolkien’s extensive imaginarium from different perspectives. It includes essays from some of the leading Tolkien scholars like Tom Shippey, Verlyn Flieger, Thomas Honegger, and Michael D.C. Drout.
Publisher: Four Courts Press. ISBN: 978-1846824296
6. Tolkien in the New Century: Essays in Honor of Tom Shippey. Edited by John Wm. Houghton, Janet Brennan Croft, Nancy Martsch, John D. Rateliff and Robin Anne Reid
One of the leading experts on Tolkien in my opinion, Tom Shippey is honoured here by friends and colleagues with fifteen essays which reflect their mentor’s research interests, methods of literary criticism, paying also attention to Tolkien’s shorter works.
Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc. ISBN: 978-0786474387
5. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil – J.R.R. Tolkien. Edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is one of Tolkien’s shorter works. This new pocket edition includes previously unpublished material and a great introduction and commentary by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. ISBN: 978-0007557271
4. Farmer Giles of Ham – J.R.R Tolkien. Edited by Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond
One of Tolkien’s shorter works, Farmer Giles of Ham, in a lovely new pocket edition, with the illustrations from Pauline Baynes.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. ISBN: 978-0007542932
3. A Companion to J. R. R. Tolkien. Edited by Stuart D. Lee
This book, I think, is not only to be recommended to students and scholars but also to avid fans. It gets together the Who’s Who of Tolkien scholars and offers a collection of introductory articles on relevant topics in Tolkien research.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0470659823
2. Tolkien und der Erste Weltkrieg: Das Tor zu Mittelerde. John Garth – Translated by Marcel Aubron-Bülles, Birgit Herden
This book is not really a new one, is it the translation of Tolkien and the Great War from John Garth. But as a German native speaker it is a great addition to read the best book about Tolkien and the first world war in German.
Publisher: Klett-Cotta. ISBN: 978-3608960594
1. Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary. Together with Sellic Spell – J.R.R. Tolkien – Edited by Christopher Tolkien
This is, of course, in my opinion the main publication in 2014, Tolkien’s translation of the Old English poem Beowulf. Tolkien described Beowulf as one of his “most valued sources” for The Hobbit. For me is it a great pleasure to dig deeper into the roots of Tolkien’s writings. [Review with the Guardian.]
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers. Ltd ISBN: 978-0007590063
About Me: I’m Tobias Wolf, a Tolkien collector from Cologne, Germany. I have a wide range of interests on all topics about Tolkien.
