More to William Morris: Two Books That Inspired J. R. R. Tolkien-The House of the Wolfings and the Roots of the Mountains

by William Morris, Michael W. Perry (Foreword)

J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, said that his writing was inspired and influenced by the books of William Morris. This book contains two of Morris's best loved The House of the Wolfings and The Roots of the Mountains.

252 pages, Paperback

First published October 25, 2003

About the author

People best remembered wallpaper and furniture designs of William Morris, British painter, craftsman, and social reformer, whose poetry includes Sigurd the Volsung , the epic in 1876.

The Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood and the Arts and Crafts Movement associated William Morris, an English architect, textile, artist, writer, and Marxist. Morris wrote and published fiction and translations of ancient and medieval texts throughout his life. He worked his known The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems (1858).

William Morris wrote The Earthly Paradise (1868–1870), A Dream of John Ball , and the utopian News from Nowhere .

William Morris, an important figure in the emergence, founded the Socialist league in 1884 but broke with the movement over goals and methods before the end of 1880s, that decade.

He founded the press of Kelmscott in 1891 and devoted much of the rest of his life. People consider the edition, masterpiece of Kelmscott of 1896 of the Works , book of Geoffrey Chaucer.

Reviews

[Megan]

I finally got around to finishing the second story in this two-book compilation. I had read the first of the two stories (House of the Wolfings) a couple of years ago, and it was interesting--like reading tales of Rohan (from Lord of the Rings). This second story was a bit better than the first. Most of all, I love how Morris creates a complete world. In that, his inspiration for Tolkien is clear. Roots of the Mountains has all the glory and strife of war, along with a love triangle similar to the one hinted at in LOTR. The only downside is that much of the plot is predictable, as the enemy, while fierce, seems to have no actual cunning and therefore puts up very little fight. If you like folklore and stories that seem to draw from ancient Norse legends and Celtic peoples, you would find this interesting.

[jack]

been wanting to read house of the wolfings for some time now. thought id try out this edition.