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The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien
An invitation to Tolkien's world. This rich treasury includes Tolkien's most beloved short fiction plus his essay on fantasy. Publisher's Note Tolkien's Magic Ring, by Peter S. Beagle The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son Tree and Leaf On Fairy-Stories Leaf by Niggle Farmer Giles of Ham The Adventures of Tom Bombadil The Adventures of Tom Bombadil Bombadil Goes Boating Errantry Princess Mee The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon The Stone Troll Perry-the-Winkle The Mewlips Oliphaunt Fastitocalon Cat Shadow-bride The Hoard The Sea-Bell The Last Ship
Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1966
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About the author
J.R.R. Tolkien
778 books76.7k followersJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien: writer, artist, scholar, linguist. Known to millions around the world as the author of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien spent most of his life teaching at the University of Oxford where he was a distinguished academic in the fields of Old and Middle English and Old Norse. His creativity, confined to his spare time, found its outlet in fantasy works, stories for children, poetry, illustration and invented languages and alphabets.
Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.
Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.
Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.
Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life.
Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.
Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.
Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.
Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
January 5, 2011
Finished reading The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit? This is the next Tolkien book I'd recommend, a good introduction to Tolkien the essayist and the short-story teller. The short story "Leaf by Niggle" and the essay "On Fairy Stories", alone, are worth the purchase, and the other pieces are pretty good too. (One wishes the poem "mythopoeia" were here too, but alas, it is not.)
The only downside to this book is that it overlaps with quite a few other Tolkien anthologies. But in most cases, that's okay, because the scholarly tone of most of Tolkien's work means only very few people collect all Tolkien the anthologies, anyway.
At any rate, if I were to come up with a list of BASIC Tolkieniana (er... that looks strange. No wonder that term isn't used more often), it would comprise of:
1. The Lord of the Rings;
2. The Hobbit;
3. The Tolkien Reader;
4. The Silmarillion; and
5. Humphrey Carpenter's "Tolkien: A Biography"
And then you can explore the rest of Tolkien's body of work as you see fit, based on what you've sampled. But if you want to get to know Tolkien's work with any degree of credibility, the material you find in "The Tolkien Reader" are must-reads.
RE de Leon
11:20 PM January 5, 2010
Agoo, La Union, Philippines
The only downside to this book is that it overlaps with quite a few other Tolkien anthologies. But in most cases, that's okay, because the scholarly tone of most of Tolkien's work means only very few people collect all Tolkien the anthologies, anyway.
At any rate, if I were to come up with a list of BASIC Tolkieniana (er... that looks strange. No wonder that term isn't used more often), it would comprise of:
1. The Lord of the Rings;
2. The Hobbit;
3. The Tolkien Reader;
4. The Silmarillion; and
5. Humphrey Carpenter's "Tolkien: A Biography"
And then you can explore the rest of Tolkien's body of work as you see fit, based on what you've sampled. But if you want to get to know Tolkien's work with any degree of credibility, the material you find in "The Tolkien Reader" are must-reads.
RE de Leon
11:20 PM January 5, 2010
Agoo, La Union, Philippines
May 2, 2025
Great collection of short stories and poems by Tolkien. I've read most of the "bigger" stories like The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, so I mainly picked up a second hand copy of this book for the other essays. I found the introduction to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by Peter Beagle charming and fun to read. There are a few nice illustrations in this book, some great dragons that would make cool tattoos! Great addition to my Tolkien shelf. :-)
June 15, 2017
টোল্কিয়েন সাহেব যতখানি যত্ন নিয়ে দুনিয়া গড়েছিলেন বই লিখতে গিয়ে, ভাবতে অবাক লাগে। এই বইয়ে একটা নামডাক-ওলা প্রবন্ধ আছে, অনেকদিন পর প্রবন্ধ পড়লাম। সেইখানে কিছু চিন্তা দেখা গেলো, তাঁর নিজের লেখা যে ধাচের, ঐ ধাচের সাহিত্যের বিষয়ে।
অঙ্গুরীয়পুরাণের শেষের সংযুক্তি পড়লে তাঁর শ্রম আঁচ করা যায়। এটা, মানে প্রবন্ধটা পড়ে জানা গেলো, তিনি লেখালেখিকে কীভাবে দেখেন, গল্পকে কীভাবে।
একটা জিনিস যেমন, আমরা ভাবি যে ধূসর চরিত্র সৃষ্টি মহৎকর্ম, শাদাকালো চরিত্রেরা কাঁচা হাতের কাজ। ভেবেভেবেও যে সেটা করা যায়, তাও এতটা ভেবেসেবে, জানতে হলে এ বই পড়তে হবে।
গল্প দুইটাই অসাধারণ, তবে প্রথমটা সম্ভবত আমার দীর্ঘকাল মনে রাখতে হবে। লেখা দুর্দান্ত, গল্পও দুর্দান্ত। নিগলের আঁকা পাতা, আরো ঢের বেশি মানুষের হাতে পারলে আমি ছাপায়ে গছায়ে দিয়ে আসি।
কবিতাগুলিও ভালো লাগছে। অনেকদিন পর কবিতা পড়লাম টানা। আমি কবিতা কম বুঝি, তবে, কিংবা হয়ত সেই কারণেই, আমার টোল্কিয়েনের কবিতা ভালো লাগে।
সব মিলায়ে, ভালো লাগছে, প্রথম লেখাটা (বেওড়ৎনর্থ বেওড়থেল্ম) তেমন গিলতে না পারলেও। সেই লেখাও অবশ্য এনার এন্তার পড়াশুনার ফসল। এত পড়াশুনা লোকটার!
অঙ্গুরীয়পুরাণের শেষের সংযুক্তি পড়লে তাঁর শ্রম আঁচ করা যায়। এটা, মানে প্রবন্ধটা পড়ে জানা গেলো, তিনি লেখালেখিকে কীভাবে দেখেন, গল্পকে কীভাবে।
একটা জিনিস যেমন, আমরা ভাবি যে ধূসর চরিত্র সৃষ্টি মহৎকর্ম, শাদাকালো চরিত্রেরা কাঁচা হাতের কাজ। ভেবেভেবেও যে সেটা করা যায়, তাও এতটা ভেবেসেবে, জানতে হলে এ বই পড়তে হবে।
গল্প দুইটাই অসাধারণ, তবে প্রথমটা সম্ভবত আমার দীর্ঘকাল মনে রাখতে হবে। লেখা দুর্দান্ত, গল্পও দুর্দান্ত। নিগলের আঁকা পাতা, আরো ঢের বেশি মানুষের হাতে পারলে আমি ছাপায়ে গছায়ে দিয়ে আসি।
কবিতাগুলিও ভালো লাগছে। অনেকদিন পর কবিতা পড়লাম টানা। আমি কবিতা কম বুঝি, তবে, কিংবা হয়ত সেই কারণেই, আমার টোল্কিয়েনের কবিতা ভালো লাগে।
সব মিলায়ে, ভালো লাগছে, প্রথম লেখাটা (বেওড়ৎনর্থ বেওড়থেল্ম) তেমন গিলতে না পারলেও। সেই লেখাও অবশ্য এনার এন্তার পড়াশুনার ফসল। এত পড়াশুনা লোকটার!
February 7, 2018
Excellent compilation of some of Tolkien's shorter works. Farmer Giles of Ham is a funny adventure story, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of funny, epic, nonsense, and sad poems, only two of which are actually about Tom Bombadil. Leaf by Niggle is my all time favorite short story of Tolkien's. He's kind of poking fun at himself, working so hard on his legendarium that he gets grumpy when other duties get in the way, but in the end, he learns what is important. Niggle also learns that being creative is valued by God. This ties in directly to Tolkien's main point in his essay On Fairy Stories. He argued that fantasy is its own art form and shouldn't be relegated to children's stories. Instead, creating fantasy worlds is a reflection of our creator. He says "Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker."
April 22, 2010
If you're looking for more Lord of the Rings when you read this book, you're going to be disappointed.
That said, it's got some really stunning poetry in it, a few very interesting stories, and an interesting essay of mine, "On Faerie Stories."
Odds are, you'll find something in here you really like, some things you're pretty indifferent toward, and some things you don't like at all.
That said, it's got some really stunning poetry in it, a few very interesting stories, and an interesting essay of mine, "On Faerie Stories."
Odds are, you'll find something in here you really like, some things you're pretty indifferent toward, and some things you don't like at all.
September 27, 2009
This is a great read, adding a lot to one's knowledge of Tolkien. The three best pieces in the book are "On Fairy Stories," "Leaf by Niggle" and "Farmer Giles of Ham."
"On Fairy Stories" deals with two important themes--subcreation and eucatastrophe.
Subcreation is the act of world-building in which all creators of stories participate. It’s not creation. The primary world, the physical and spiritual world in which we live, was created by God. The world in which the events of our stories take place is not the primary world, but a secondary world that has been subcreated by an author. The author stands in relation to his subcreated world as God stands to the primary world. There is, of course, one big difference: characters in the primary world have free will, whereas characters in the secondary world do not. Even here, you can be nit-picky. Every author will attest that, sometimes, characters take on lives of their own and assert a kind of freedom over events in the secondary world. Whatever the psychological origin of such a phenomenon, it happens, and really attests to the divine nature of subcreation.
The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote that reading poetry involved the reader in “the willing suspense of disbelief.” The reader has to make a conscious agreement to believe in the secondary world created by the poet. Tolkien was a little harsher. If the author was doing a good job, he reasoned, the reader shouldn’t need to suspend his disbelief. He wouldn’t even realize that he was in a fictional world until he reached the end of the tale and had to close the book. Anyone who has read all afternoon and not noticed the passage of time knows exactly what Tolkien was talking about!
Tolkien was writing The Hobbit at the time, and clearly, his analysis of fairy story was at the same time an analysis of what he was doing in his own fairy story. The Hobbit isn’t a great deal like LOTR. The elves are not so much the figures of veneration as they are in LOTR—they’re more frivolous, more childlike. You can make what excuses you like—we’re only seeing an aspect of their nature in The Hobbit, perhaps—but the fact is that they’re written to satisfy the same mind that finds wonder in fairy story.
The eucatastrophe is the sudden and unexpected happy ending in a story. Against all expectations, things turn out right. The hero was thought to be dead, but is not. All is better than could really have been imagined before. The Resurrection is the prime historical example of eucatastrophe, of course, and there are numerous examples in literature, including most notably the destruction of the Ring of Power at the end of LOTR.
"Leaf by Niggle" is a short story--an allegory, no less. Tolkien claimed to dislike allegory, but here is an allegory he wrote. It's about a man called Niggle, who has an important journey to undertake, and good deeds to do, but he keeps getting distracted by the painting of a tree he is working on. It soon becomes pretty clear that the journey is death, and his allegorical journey by train to a land (obviously heaven) in which the tree from his painting is real is a beautiful rendition of the role of art in this life and beyond. The closing passage is a chilling reminder of how ill those left behind really deserve the art that is produced for them.
"Farmer Giles of Ham" is the tale of a reluctant hero who conquers a dragon--a delightful tale that gently spoofs chivalric romance and even, at one point, the Oxford English Dictionary!
"On Fairy Stories" deals with two important themes--subcreation and eucatastrophe.
Subcreation is the act of world-building in which all creators of stories participate. It’s not creation. The primary world, the physical and spiritual world in which we live, was created by God. The world in which the events of our stories take place is not the primary world, but a secondary world that has been subcreated by an author. The author stands in relation to his subcreated world as God stands to the primary world. There is, of course, one big difference: characters in the primary world have free will, whereas characters in the secondary world do not. Even here, you can be nit-picky. Every author will attest that, sometimes, characters take on lives of their own and assert a kind of freedom over events in the secondary world. Whatever the psychological origin of such a phenomenon, it happens, and really attests to the divine nature of subcreation.
The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote that reading poetry involved the reader in “the willing suspense of disbelief.” The reader has to make a conscious agreement to believe in the secondary world created by the poet. Tolkien was a little harsher. If the author was doing a good job, he reasoned, the reader shouldn’t need to suspend his disbelief. He wouldn’t even realize that he was in a fictional world until he reached the end of the tale and had to close the book. Anyone who has read all afternoon and not noticed the passage of time knows exactly what Tolkien was talking about!
Tolkien was writing The Hobbit at the time, and clearly, his analysis of fairy story was at the same time an analysis of what he was doing in his own fairy story. The Hobbit isn’t a great deal like LOTR. The elves are not so much the figures of veneration as they are in LOTR—they’re more frivolous, more childlike. You can make what excuses you like—we’re only seeing an aspect of their nature in The Hobbit, perhaps—but the fact is that they’re written to satisfy the same mind that finds wonder in fairy story.
The eucatastrophe is the sudden and unexpected happy ending in a story. Against all expectations, things turn out right. The hero was thought to be dead, but is not. All is better than could really have been imagined before. The Resurrection is the prime historical example of eucatastrophe, of course, and there are numerous examples in literature, including most notably the destruction of the Ring of Power at the end of LOTR.
"Leaf by Niggle" is a short story--an allegory, no less. Tolkien claimed to dislike allegory, but here is an allegory he wrote. It's about a man called Niggle, who has an important journey to undertake, and good deeds to do, but he keeps getting distracted by the painting of a tree he is working on. It soon becomes pretty clear that the journey is death, and his allegorical journey by train to a land (obviously heaven) in which the tree from his painting is real is a beautiful rendition of the role of art in this life and beyond. The closing passage is a chilling reminder of how ill those left behind really deserve the art that is produced for them.
"Farmer Giles of Ham" is the tale of a reluctant hero who conquers a dragon--a delightful tale that gently spoofs chivalric romance and even, at one point, the Oxford English Dictionary!
April 29, 2025
The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son - This is a translation of a surviving fragment of a poem recounting a battle that took place in 991 AD in Essex. It features two men, one old and one young, digging through corpses on the battlefield looking for the body of the titular Beorhtnoth. The older man is battle weary and world weary, and the younger one is a bit idyllic. It's a fun dynamic, their morbid task notwithstanding. I could practically hear Tídwald repressing the urge to smack Torhthelm for his constant distractions from the task at hand. What I really appreciated about this was the nicknames. That may sound like a weird thing to focus on, but I often get distracted by modern-written historicals that use modern nicknames. A contemporary author might give these two nicknames like Torrie and Wally. No, their nicknames are Tída and Totta. Please, authors, try to use period-appropriate nicknames.
Tree and Leaf - Once again, I failed to finish Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories" but if you enjoy fairy stories and want to read Tolkien go on and on and on about what he deems should and shouldn't be counted as a fairy story (hint: only stories that actually contain fae or the influence of fae), then you'll probably get more out of this than I ever could.
BUT, don't skip this part entirely, or you'll miss what is possibly Tolkien's only allegorical work, "Leaf by Niggle," and that would be a shame. Niggle is quite literally someone who can't see the forest for the trees, or in this case, the tree for the leaves. He's hung up in his own interests, his own ambitions, small though they may be, to the point where he abandons or ignores practicalities; he only ever consents to helping his neighbor, Mr. Parish, when it won't put him out too much or require too much effort. And Mr. Parish is also quite self-involved, demanding favors but never saying thank you. You can view this as an allegory about purgatory. Perhaps the two voices are angels of a sort, guiding these two souls to a more fulfilling afterlife, or perhaps the voices belong to a pair of fae who decided to help these two get over themselves via a purgatorial journey. As a reader, we're given no answers, but the journey is no less enthralling to read about.
Farmer Giles of Ham - I had just reread this a few years back. Here's my review from then:
"Farmer Giles of Ham" follows the adventures and misadventures of a farmer named Giles, his cowardly dog Garm and all the stuff they get up to, with unexpected results. There's a witty, whimsical tone to this one, since it is a silly yarn, and full of colorful characters and creatures.
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - A series of 16 poems wraps up this collection. Three of them you'll know already from LOTR. Only the first two are about Tom, thankfully, and we get the original "Errantry," of which Tolkien used the meter for his Ëarendil poem in LOTR. The poems are mostly silly, but a couple of the later ones get a bit disturbing. Methinks Frodo was experiencing some anniversary illnesses when those were inspired. 😢
Tree and Leaf - Once again, I failed to finish Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories" but if you enjoy fairy stories and want to read Tolkien go on and on and on about what he deems should and shouldn't be counted as a fairy story (hint: only stories that actually contain fae or the influence of fae), then you'll probably get more out of this than I ever could.
BUT, don't skip this part entirely, or you'll miss what is possibly Tolkien's only allegorical work, "Leaf by Niggle," and that would be a shame. Niggle is quite literally someone who can't see the forest for the trees, or in this case, the tree for the leaves. He's hung up in his own interests, his own ambitions, small though they may be, to the point where he abandons or ignores practicalities; he only ever consents to helping his neighbor, Mr. Parish, when it won't put him out too much or require too much effort. And Mr. Parish is also quite self-involved, demanding favors but never saying thank you. You can view this as an allegory about purgatory. Perhaps the two voices are angels of a sort, guiding these two souls to a more fulfilling afterlife, or perhaps the voices belong to a pair of fae who decided to help these two get over themselves via a purgatorial journey. As a reader, we're given no answers, but the journey is no less enthralling to read about.
Farmer Giles of Ham - I had just reread this a few years back. Here's my review from then:
"Farmer Giles of Ham" follows the adventures and misadventures of a farmer named Giles, his cowardly dog Garm and all the stuff they get up to, with unexpected results. There's a witty, whimsical tone to this one, since it is a silly yarn, and full of colorful characters and creatures.
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - A series of 16 poems wraps up this collection. Three of them you'll know already from LOTR. Only the first two are about Tom, thankfully, and we get the original "Errantry," of which Tolkien used the meter for his Ëarendil poem in LOTR. The poems are mostly silly, but a couple of the later ones get a bit disturbing. Methinks Frodo was experiencing some anniversary illnesses when those were inspired. 😢
July 1, 2025
If you only buy this just to read Leaf by Niggle, it will have been absolutely worth it.
November 28, 2021
This is a collection of essays, short stories and poetry by the master. His opening essay is about fairy tales and fantasy. Very interesting, but he was so brilliant, it can sometimes be hard to understand. Also, Tolkien is so self-depreciating about his own brilliance. The short stories are Leaf by Niggle and Farmer Giles of Ham. The first about an artist who likes to paint leaves and one day finds the place of his painting. Farmer Giles is the story of a farmer who becomes a great knight, tames a dragon, gets the dragon’s wealth and becomes kind. The poetry is mostly about Tom Bombidil and other poems that appeared in the Hobbit and LOTRs series.
June 22, 2010
Anyone who wants to know the mind of Tolkien should own this book. A clear insight into his thinking of story writing and his Christian worldview.
September 27, 2017
I'd read many of these short(er) pieces by Tolkien before, but it had been a long time, and going through them all again as part of an honors seminar I'm teaching on Christianity and Fantasy has been simply delightful. "On Fairy-Stories" remains a brilliant and challenging take on questions of language, narrative, and belief that properly sits comfortably beside the philosophical writings of J.G. Herder, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and every other hermeneutical thinker who has struggled to understand the relationship between poetry, mythology, and religion--besides being, along with all that, a wonderful glimpse of a cranky, opinionated mind at work. "Leaf by Niggle" is a subtle Christian allegory, putting the journey of an easily-distracted artist (or a fussy, never-satisfied scholar) in the context of a grand journey towards salvation. "Farmer Giles of Ham" is a genuinely entertaining bit of medieval satire, while "Smith of Wootton Major" (which isn't included in this particular collection, but I read it alongside the other works anyway) is a truly superb fairy story, combining the unsettling, strange beauty of Faerie with a very ordinary, poignant story of humble people growing older and wiser (or not!) as the years go by. There are many collections where these and other writings by Tolkien can be found; wherever you find them, they are worth treasuring.
February 12, 2018
I debated on how I should rate this book. I really enjoyed a couple of the stories, but liked the poetry less well. I've never really been a fan of poetry, even that within Tolkien's Middle Earth books. However, Leaf: By Niggle and Farmer Giles of Ham were so enjoyable that they bumped this volume up to four stars. In fact, Leaf is so good that I would rate it as one of the best short stories that I have ever read.
February 14, 2020
Most of this was probably around 3 stars for me - fine, not memorable.
But it also includes a wonderful essay, "On Fairy-Stories." I would consider this required reading for anyone with a particular interest in the fantasy genre. What Tolkien has to say on subjects like originality, escapism, and the role of fairy stories in adult life is just as relevant today as it was when it was written.
But it also includes a wonderful essay, "On Fairy-Stories." I would consider this required reading for anyone with a particular interest in the fantasy genre. What Tolkien has to say on subjects like originality, escapism, and the role of fairy stories in adult life is just as relevant today as it was when it was written.
May 27, 2019
I just read the essay "On farie Stories" It is simply the best. I find that this is the reason I read!
September 3, 2008
This collection is a must read for fans of all forms of fantasy. His essay "On Fairy Tales" is worth reading at least twice.
If reading "On Fairy tales" for the first time, I suggest you try to avoid reading the footnotes. They're interesting, but they knock you out of Tolkien's thought train. Then read it again, preferrably immediately. For, while Tolkien focuses on fairy stories, he in fact discusses nothing short of the nature and significance of all fiction.
"The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" and "Farmer Giles of Han" illustrate the enormous breadth of Professor Tolkien's wit and scholarship. The poems, frankly, might only be of interest to die-hard LOTR fans.
Recommend you skip Peter S. Beagle's essay on "Tolkien's Magic Ring" as it adds nothing to the collection. If Mister Beagle actually read "The Lord of the Rings," he certainly didn't understand it. Your opinions will be at least as good as his.
If reading "On Fairy tales" for the first time, I suggest you try to avoid reading the footnotes. They're interesting, but they knock you out of Tolkien's thought train. Then read it again, preferrably immediately. For, while Tolkien focuses on fairy stories, he in fact discusses nothing short of the nature and significance of all fiction.
"The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth" and "Farmer Giles of Han" illustrate the enormous breadth of Professor Tolkien's wit and scholarship. The poems, frankly, might only be of interest to die-hard LOTR fans.
Recommend you skip Peter S. Beagle's essay on "Tolkien's Magic Ring" as it adds nothing to the collection. If Mister Beagle actually read "The Lord of the Rings," he certainly didn't understand it. Your opinions will be at least as good as his.
November 7, 2016
Too bad Americans aren't into statuary-- I would put a statue of Tolkien in my house if we did that sort of thing. I particularly enjoyed the moments of self-revelation in his essay about fairy stories. How he longed for dragons as a child, how he "had and has a wholly unsatisfied desire to shoot well with a bow," how he can make himself sit through a cricket match only by using things other than cricket to stay interested, such as a "wild, heraldic preference for dark blue over light blue." It was also amusing to see that he always skipped over the poetry in books when he was young.
In Leaf by Niggle, he shows his view of his own life, and what he expects to be doing in the afterlife.
I liked everything in this book, including the poetry. My son will recite Errantry to his class tomorrow, and as Bilbo recommends, he plans to keep going until they rise up in revolt.
In Leaf by Niggle, he shows his view of his own life, and what he expects to be doing in the afterlife.
I liked everything in this book, including the poetry. My son will recite Errantry to his class tomorrow, and as Bilbo recommends, he plans to keep going until they rise up in revolt.
September 16, 2022
Essential extras for Tolkien enthusiasts. The best bits are the essay "On Fairy Stories" and its companion tale, "Leaf By Niggle", but it also contains the tongue-in-cheek Farmer Giles of Ham and a number of compelling verses straight out of Middle-Earth.
April 6, 2024
I really just read On Fairy Stories, but I also had already read Farmer Giles of Ham, so honestly I feel like I read most of this… and one day actually will, but for now…
On Fairy Stories.
I don’t really know what to say other than my love of, respect for, awe at, and inspiration from this man has somehow (???) increased. Oddly I’ve never fully read a letter/essay by him and thus have not engaged with his non-fiction, day-to-day mannerisms, sarcasms, and snarky critique of the fellow thinkers of his day (though in his way, he probably would grimace at their categorization of “thinker” lol so snarky).
Anyways.
I am just so fascinated and amazed at this man’s mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity. The way he drives a point in the midst of rambling and long-windedness is honestly so affirming - I’ve always thought my long-winded nature to be immature or a sign of me lacking deeper conviction (not really sure where this comes from; maybe fear of man) but to see my favorite person to pretty much ever live ramble on and on and yet write so eloquently and beautifully and nail his point at the same time… that just really felt validating lol
All that to say, I absolutely loved it. One of my favorite things I have ever read, and ends on SUCH a powerful commentary on the Gospel. Plz read 💛
On Fairy Stories.
I don’t really know what to say other than my love of, respect for, awe at, and inspiration from this man has somehow (???) increased. Oddly I’ve never fully read a letter/essay by him and thus have not engaged with his non-fiction, day-to-day mannerisms, sarcasms, and snarky critique of the fellow thinkers of his day (though in his way, he probably would grimace at their categorization of “thinker” lol so snarky).
Anyways.
I am just so fascinated and amazed at this man’s mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity. The way he drives a point in the midst of rambling and long-windedness is honestly so affirming - I’ve always thought my long-winded nature to be immature or a sign of me lacking deeper conviction (not really sure where this comes from; maybe fear of man) but to see my favorite person to pretty much ever live ramble on and on and yet write so eloquently and beautifully and nail his point at the same time… that just really felt validating lol
All that to say, I absolutely loved it. One of my favorite things I have ever read, and ends on SUCH a powerful commentary on the Gospel. Plz read 💛
March 8, 2025
“It does not deny the existence of dyscatastrophe, of sorrow and failure: the possibility of these is necessary to the joy of deliverance; it denies (in the face of much evidence, if you will) universal final defeat and in so far is evangelium, giving a fleeting glimpse of Joy, Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.” (from On Fairy Stories)
This small collection contained the essay “On Fairy Stories” as well as short fictions like “Leaf by Niggle”, “Farmer Giles of Ham” and more. I had read, in passing, most of these but not in close succession and also not in a log while. Unfortunaely, while charming, it is less cohesive than I imagined it to be, and I got — by far — the most out of the essay, “On Fairy Stories”. I really love how, as a greater of these languages and worlds, Tolkien’s brain works. Funny, full of compassion and brilliant in scope. His words always seem to come together in something akin to a warm hug. I’m delighted to have spent some time here and it was a nice thing to slot in between other reads. But… I’m 20% into my reread of “The Return of the King’ now and much prefer that level of immersion, lol.
If you like fantasy and think it’s looked down on by literary snobs, you might enjoy the vindication you’ll feel after reading the aforementioned essay.
This small collection contained the essay “On Fairy Stories” as well as short fictions like “Leaf by Niggle”, “Farmer Giles of Ham” and more. I had read, in passing, most of these but not in close succession and also not in a log while. Unfortunaely, while charming, it is less cohesive than I imagined it to be, and I got — by far — the most out of the essay, “On Fairy Stories”. I really love how, as a greater of these languages and worlds, Tolkien’s brain works. Funny, full of compassion and brilliant in scope. His words always seem to come together in something akin to a warm hug. I’m delighted to have spent some time here and it was a nice thing to slot in between other reads. But… I’m 20% into my reread of “The Return of the King’ now and much prefer that level of immersion, lol.
If you like fantasy and think it’s looked down on by literary snobs, you might enjoy the vindication you’ll feel after reading the aforementioned essay.
October 7, 2024
What a pleasant read!💖
Language: One or two uses of the 'D' word. And a few uses 'he' double hockey stick as in referring to down under.
Violence: N/A. Some fighting but no gore or anything.
Magic: Not really, just fantasy elements like dragons and some poems with enchanters and such.
This was a great collection of short stories and essays from Tolkien! His essay of Fearie stories was very interesting and beautiful!💖
All the stories were so fun and made me want to curl up by a fire in a fuzzy blanket🥰💖 I especially loved Farmer Giles of Ham! That was such a fun read! Talking dogs, knights, and of course Tolkien's dragons are always something else!!!💖 Such a lovely story that made me laugh more than once!😂
And the Adventures of Tom Bombadil were very fun as well!!! Enjoyable little verses!💖💖💖
Recommended for any Tolkien fan like myself!!!💖😁
Language: One or two uses of the 'D' word. And a few uses 'he' double hockey stick as in referring to down under.
Violence: N/A. Some fighting but no gore or anything.
Magic: Not really, just fantasy elements like dragons and some poems with enchanters and such.
This was a great collection of short stories and essays from Tolkien! His essay of Fearie stories was very interesting and beautiful!💖
All the stories were so fun and made me want to curl up by a fire in a fuzzy blanket🥰💖 I especially loved Farmer Giles of Ham! That was such a fun read! Talking dogs, knights, and of course Tolkien's dragons are always something else!!!💖 Such a lovely story that made me laugh more than once!😂
And the Adventures of Tom Bombadil were very fun as well!!! Enjoyable little verses!💖💖💖
Recommended for any Tolkien fan like myself!!!💖😁
June 7, 2021
I enjoyed this! I won't review each selection in this anthology but overall it demonstrated Tolkien's creativity ranging (in my opinion) from fine to amazing. His essay on Faeries was uh, quite thorough and extensive. I get tired of talking about the same thing fairly quickly but not this man. I really appreciated the poetry which is a bit of a change for me and even the non-LOTR content was intriguing.
April 18, 2022
I’ve read a fair amount of posthumous Tolkien works, but the Tolkien Reader is something special. The poems are great, as are the stories Leaf by Niggle and Farmer Giles of Ham.
But especially interesting to me are The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son and On Fairy Stories. Beorhtnoth is a translation of Norse verse with contextual notes which was very interesting to read. On Fairy Stories is a rather long lecture-turned-essay that the professor gave in 1938(published in 45). It’s incredibly interesting to read his thoughts on fairytales and fantasy in general. He’s delightfully sassy.
But especially interesting to me are The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son and On Fairy Stories. Beorhtnoth is a translation of Norse verse with contextual notes which was very interesting to read. On Fairy Stories is a rather long lecture-turned-essay that the professor gave in 1938(published in 45). It’s incredibly interesting to read his thoughts on fairytales and fantasy in general. He’s delightfully sassy.
June 2, 2023
I was more interested in the short stories and poems in this book. The essay goes into detail about what is a fairy story and the different elements that make up a fairy story. I’ll be honest, some of it went over my head. The short stories and poems are incredible! He has such a mastery over creative writing it’s insane. I highly recommend, and I won’t judge if you skip the essay.
February 18, 2025
It feels weird to rate a Tolkien work less than 5 stars. I rated 4 because it left me wanting in regard to more Lotr lore.
It's a collection of writings by Tolkien. Most of it quality writing. Leaf by Niggle is by far the best part. Think Tolkien's version of Lewis' The Great Divorce.
All in all, it's a good read to add to anyone's Tolkien collection.
It's a collection of writings by Tolkien. Most of it quality writing. Leaf by Niggle is by far the best part. Think Tolkien's version of Lewis' The Great Divorce.
All in all, it's a good read to add to anyone's Tolkien collection.
April 17, 2023
A miscellany of stories, essays, and poetry from Tolkien. I was surprised at how much of an emotional punch Leaf by Niggle had. I'd read much of the poetry elsewhere, but there were still some beautiful pieces that were new to me.
April 23, 2024
Finally, my class finished this book
December 30, 2012
"The Tolkien Reader" is an excellent collection of shorter writings by the Lord of the Rings author. Each of the pieces here represent a different genre - drama, essay, short fiction, and poetry - that are, for the most part, unrelated to Middle Earth, but if you've read The Hobbit and/or LOTR and aren't sure what to read next, this is a great place to start.
The Reader opens with "Tolkien's Magical Ring," a short preface by Peter S. Beagle, who is best known for his novel "The Last Unicorn." Fans of Tolkien might be tempted to skip over this, since Beagle spends most of it summarizing the story and themes in The Hobbit/LOTR. I'm really glad I didn't pass it over, though, because Beagle has nothing but the utmost admiration for Tolkien and there are some stunning lines. My favorite: "Old friends rediscover it, as I do... and we talk of it at once as though we had just read it for the first time, and as though we were remembering something that had happened to us together long ago. Something of ourselves has gone into reading it, and so it belongs to us." Later, he adds, "I believe that Tolkien has wandered in Middle-Earth, which exists nowhere but in himself, and I understand the sadness of the Elves, and I have seen Mordor." I've never read any of Beagle's fiction, but this brief essay alone makes me want to pick up "The Last Unicorn."
The first Tolkien-penned work in the Reader is "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son," a one-act historical drama based on a battle fought between the English and the Danes in the 10th century. The drama itself is not particularly interesting; it's primarily a conversation between two characters as they search for the body of their fallen king in the aftermath of the battle. I was more interested in the two short essays that accompany this work to explain the historical background and themes. The idea of chivalry - and whether it's possible to be too chivalrous - is discussed in the second essay, and the influences of Anglo-Saxon culture on LOTR are quite obvious here.
Next is "On Fairy-Stories," which is probably the most important and interesting work in the Reader. If you can only read one piece in this anthology, it has to be this essay. Tolkien discusses the origins of fairy tales, how he believes they should be defined, who they are intended for (and who they *should* be intended for), and then broadens the scope of the essay to discuss the genre of fantasy fiction as a whole. The essay is long, dense, and wordy, in typical Tolkien fashion, but it sheds a lot of light on how Tolkien views fantasy. My favorite section of the essay is towards the end when he criticizes those who say that fantasy is a "lesser" genre because it is an escape from the problems of our world - and an unrealistic escape at that: "Fantasy can, of course, be carried to excess. It can be ill done. It can be put to evil uses. It may even delude the minds out of which it came. But of what human thing in this fallen world is that not true?"
Following Tolkien's essay is "Leaf by Niggle," a short story about a painter named Niggle. There are a couple of different ways to read this story; I prefer to interpret it as an allegorical tale about the creative process Tolkien undergoes when working on fiction. This is probably my favorite piece of fiction in the Reader.
After "Niggle" is "Farmer Giles of Ham," a story about a farmer named Giles who is tasked with slaying a dragon named Chrysophylax. It's easy to compare this story to The Hobbit, because at first glance the plots of both seem very similar (Giles and Bilbo are also cut of the same cloth). But Farmer Giles is much more of a lighthearted story, and Chrysophylax and Smaug are different characters. Very enjoyable and entertaining.
Finally, we have "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil," a collection of 16 poems from Middle Earth. The title of this section is deceiving; only two of the poems are about Tom Bombadil. I thoroughly enjoyed every single poem (some of which previously appeared in LOTR), especially "Princess Mee" and "The Sea-Bell." Additionally, if you haven't read The Hobbit or LOTR, the poems are still easily accessible because they don't directly reference any of the events in those works.
All in all, this is a fantastic anthology of Tolkien's writing. Apart from the essay, none of the pieces in the Reader are particularly long, so it's easy to read a story or poem here and there without feeling obligated to finish the entire collection (with that being said, I did read this in just a few days because I loved the stories so much). Recommended for anyone who appreciates Tolkien, whether you've read LOTR or not.
The Reader opens with "Tolkien's Magical Ring," a short preface by Peter S. Beagle, who is best known for his novel "The Last Unicorn." Fans of Tolkien might be tempted to skip over this, since Beagle spends most of it summarizing the story and themes in The Hobbit/LOTR. I'm really glad I didn't pass it over, though, because Beagle has nothing but the utmost admiration for Tolkien and there are some stunning lines. My favorite: "Old friends rediscover it, as I do... and we talk of it at once as though we had just read it for the first time, and as though we were remembering something that had happened to us together long ago. Something of ourselves has gone into reading it, and so it belongs to us." Later, he adds, "I believe that Tolkien has wandered in Middle-Earth, which exists nowhere but in himself, and I understand the sadness of the Elves, and I have seen Mordor." I've never read any of Beagle's fiction, but this brief essay alone makes me want to pick up "The Last Unicorn."
The first Tolkien-penned work in the Reader is "The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son," a one-act historical drama based on a battle fought between the English and the Danes in the 10th century. The drama itself is not particularly interesting; it's primarily a conversation between two characters as they search for the body of their fallen king in the aftermath of the battle. I was more interested in the two short essays that accompany this work to explain the historical background and themes. The idea of chivalry - and whether it's possible to be too chivalrous - is discussed in the second essay, and the influences of Anglo-Saxon culture on LOTR are quite obvious here.
Next is "On Fairy-Stories," which is probably the most important and interesting work in the Reader. If you can only read one piece in this anthology, it has to be this essay. Tolkien discusses the origins of fairy tales, how he believes they should be defined, who they are intended for (and who they *should* be intended for), and then broadens the scope of the essay to discuss the genre of fantasy fiction as a whole. The essay is long, dense, and wordy, in typical Tolkien fashion, but it sheds a lot of light on how Tolkien views fantasy. My favorite section of the essay is towards the end when he criticizes those who say that fantasy is a "lesser" genre because it is an escape from the problems of our world - and an unrealistic escape at that: "Fantasy can, of course, be carried to excess. It can be ill done. It can be put to evil uses. It may even delude the minds out of which it came. But of what human thing in this fallen world is that not true?"
Following Tolkien's essay is "Leaf by Niggle," a short story about a painter named Niggle. There are a couple of different ways to read this story; I prefer to interpret it as an allegorical tale about the creative process Tolkien undergoes when working on fiction. This is probably my favorite piece of fiction in the Reader.
After "Niggle" is "Farmer Giles of Ham," a story about a farmer named Giles who is tasked with slaying a dragon named Chrysophylax. It's easy to compare this story to The Hobbit, because at first glance the plots of both seem very similar (Giles and Bilbo are also cut of the same cloth). But Farmer Giles is much more of a lighthearted story, and Chrysophylax and Smaug are different characters. Very enjoyable and entertaining.
Finally, we have "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil," a collection of 16 poems from Middle Earth. The title of this section is deceiving; only two of the poems are about Tom Bombadil. I thoroughly enjoyed every single poem (some of which previously appeared in LOTR), especially "Princess Mee" and "The Sea-Bell." Additionally, if you haven't read The Hobbit or LOTR, the poems are still easily accessible because they don't directly reference any of the events in those works.
All in all, this is a fantastic anthology of Tolkien's writing. Apart from the essay, none of the pieces in the Reader are particularly long, so it's easy to read a story or poem here and there without feeling obligated to finish the entire collection (with that being said, I did read this in just a few days because I loved the stories so much). Recommended for anyone who appreciates Tolkien, whether you've read LOTR or not.
February 13, 2018
This is a lesser-known but excellent collection of Tolkien's minor works. There are some amazing gems here. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of verse that shows some of the breadth of Tolkien's talent both as a very structured poet and as a storyteller. It includes some thought-provoking works for any fan of Lord of the Rings, including an account of the wedding of Tom Bombadil to the River Daughter. "Farmer Giles of Ham" is one of Tolkien's most delightful short stories. By far the crowning element in the collection is the careful, subtle essay "On Fairy Stories" and the accompanying short story, "Leaf by Niggle." These do a creditable job of summarizing Tolkien's own view of artistic work in general and his own writing in specific. And no artist can dismiss Niggle who struggles with his own inspiration and skill but eventually finds that all his effort is not in vain.
September 16, 2015
"On Fairy Stories" should have been required reading for a literature major. Or for anyone who plans on giving kids reading material. He devotes an entire section on why fairy stories aren't only for children; Madeleine L'Engle and he would be good artist friends, and I can't shake the feeling that he was directly condemning Lewis's condescending tone in Narnia.
"Leaf by Niggle" is my new favorite theological exploration of art. If you're an artist of any sort--writer, painter, poet, anything--and a Christian, it's a must-read.
"Leaf by Niggle" is my new favorite theological exploration of art. If you're an artist of any sort--writer, painter, poet, anything--and a Christian, it's a must-read.
June 29, 2009
FOOTNOTE #26 ON PAGE 41-"this is, naturally, often enough what chidren mean when they ask:'Is this true?' They mean:'I like this, but is it contemporary? Am I safe in my bed?' The answer: 'There is certainly no dragon in England today,' is all that they want to hear."
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