Genres
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: Never before published in a single volume, Tolkien's four novellas (Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major, and Roverandom) and one book of poems (The Adventures of Tom Bombadil) are gathered together for the first time. This new, definitive collection of works �?? which had appeared separately, in various formats, between 1949 and 1998 �?? comes with an illuminating introduction from esteemed author and Tolkien expert Tom Shippey as well as Tolkein's most celebrated essay, "On Fairy-stories," which astutely addresses the relationship between fairy tales and fantasy. The book is the perfect opportunity for fans of Middle-earth to enjoy some of Tolkien's often overlooked yet most creative storytelling. With dragons and sand sorcerers, sea monsters and hobbits, knights and dwarves, this collection contains all the classic elements for Tolkien buffs of all ages… (more)
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008 (collection)
Publication
London, Harper Collins Publishers, 2008
ISBN
9780007280599
Local notes
A collection of Tolkien's short stories and novellas:
* Roverandom
* Farmer Giles of Ham
* Smith of Wootton Major
* Leaf by Niggle
as well as the collection of Arda poems "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" and Tolkien's prose essay "On Fairy Stories".
The foreword by Tom Shappey details the origins of each of the entries in the collection.
* Roverandom
* Farmer Giles of Ham
* Smith of Wootton Major
* Leaf by Niggle
as well as the collection of Arda poems "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil" and Tolkien's prose essay "On Fairy Stories".
The foreword by Tom Shappey details the origins of each of the entries in the collection.
Similar in this library
Awards
Chesley Award (Nominee — 2009)
User reviews
LibraryThing member AshRyan
A few decent stories rather in the style of fairy tales, but nothing terribly exciting...and I still don't like Tom Bombadil.
LibraryThing member jefware
Read "Leaf by Niggle" a delightful story about transformation through privation. About suffering and the cessation of suffering.
LibraryThing member Ailinel
This collection of several of Tolkien’s shorter works includes “Roverandom”, “Farmer Giles of Ham”, and “Tree and Leaf by Niggle” among others. From a story written by Tolkien for one of his sons who had lost a toy dog at the beach to a collection of hobbit songs and poems, this
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collection ranges from children’s bedtime tales a story that, from the beginning Latin name, is a humorous effort aimed at Tolkien’s Oxford peers. The stories are brief, engaging, and many provide examples of Tolkien’s fictional work outside his writings of Arda. Show Less
LibraryThing member katieloucks
it was pretty good! I liked reading these - gave some insight on other things Tolkien's written.
LibraryThing member BenKline
Great collection of Tolkien short stories. I had previously read Farmer Giles of Ham, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and Smith of Wootton Major, but Roverandom and Leaf by Niggle were new; as well as the essay/lecture Tolkien wrote/gave titled 'On Faery-Stories'. Both Roverandom and Leaf by Niggle
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were good stories (though Roverandom was better), and the essay was a good scholarly write-up on fantasy/fairy-tales/etc. as of Tolkien's time. Definitely worth a read. Show Less
LibraryThing member elenchus
I'd read several pieces here before, but not all, and decades ago. The essay "On Fairy-stories" is the best, though here relegated to Appendix. It is the only essay, and several of the remaining short fiction works are worth revisiting.
"On Fairy-stories" discusses the role of fantasy for culture,
Tokien's dislike of allegory is infamous, and he had his reasons but does not mention them in this essay. Interestingly, the one mention of allegory is approving if incidental, in thinking of Greek myths when illustrating natural phenomena as better understood as allegory, not as myth.
I'm left motivated to read his other essays, perhaps especially those on Beowulf and his thoughts on invented language.
Of the short fiction, most memorable from my first reading was "Leaf by Niggle", and it did not disappoint upon re-reading. I enjoyed both "Farmer Giles" and "Smith of Wootton Major", somewhat moreso than expected even as (perhaps directly following from the fact) I'd not remembered any detail of either's plot nor of character. "Smith" is more poignant and Dunsanian than "Giles", and for me the lost gem.
I also appreciated the Bombadil poems, but in this case very specifically as vague backstory. Some of these seemed shoehorned into the Bombadil character, or their alleged source The Red Book: for example, "The Errantry", quite near to becoming that type of Elizabethan fairy story Tolkien admits to loathing, or several poems which seem something Bombadil might share when entertaining hobbits, not verse telling us of the character or his world. (Shippey confirms several of these suspicions, and Tolkien almost apologises for them in a framing preamble.)
"Roverandom" I need not revisit, it comes across very much as a children's story and not the variety I'm still fond of reading. I don't think I would have much liked it as a child, either.
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Alan Lee's illustrations (and his afterward) are welcome, but unnecessary. It comes down to whether you admire Lee's interpretation of Tolkien's world, or do not: I do.
Tom Shippey's Introduction valuable and full of spoilers, regrettable the editor did not swap his & Lee's contributions, allowing the reader to proceed from first page to last, as a book naturally suggests.
"On Fairy-stories" discusses the role of fantasy for culture,
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and how it is misunderstood by many (especially critics?) who take it as juvenile or non-literary or both. Tolkien's position of "sub-creation" strikes me as another expression of Cabell's Romance, and to similar purpose and value. Tolkien rejects much scholarship on fairy-stories, not as invalid but as useless for either enjoying or writing a story about Faerie. Such scholarship is better for answering questions outside the tale, as it is irrelevant whether an event "really happened", or whether a scene reflected historical personages or legal doctrines. Rather, the stories arise from story-making (using metaphor "Cauldron of Story") and the aspects of a fantasy story which matter are those which work as story. Tolkien finishes with some reflections on what story is good for, all of these sensible and persuasive and wholly Cabellian. (His epilogue on the eucatastrophe of the Christian story he admits is "dangerous" and also revealing of what aspects of his fiction share in his own Christian beliefs.)Tokien's dislike of allegory is infamous, and he had his reasons but does not mention them in this essay. Interestingly, the one mention of allegory is approving if incidental, in thinking of Greek myths when illustrating natural phenomena as better understood as allegory, not as myth.
I'm left motivated to read his other essays, perhaps especially those on Beowulf and his thoughts on invented language.
Of the short fiction, most memorable from my first reading was "Leaf by Niggle", and it did not disappoint upon re-reading. I enjoyed both "Farmer Giles" and "Smith of Wootton Major", somewhat moreso than expected even as (perhaps directly following from the fact) I'd not remembered any detail of either's plot nor of character. "Smith" is more poignant and Dunsanian than "Giles", and for me the lost gem.
I also appreciated the Bombadil poems, but in this case very specifically as vague backstory. Some of these seemed shoehorned into the Bombadil character, or their alleged source The Red Book: for example, "The Errantry", quite near to becoming that type of Elizabethan fairy story Tolkien admits to loathing, or several poems which seem something Bombadil might share when entertaining hobbits, not verse telling us of the character or his world. (Shippey confirms several of these suspicions, and Tolkien almost apologises for them in a framing preamble.)
"Roverandom" I need not revisit, it comes across very much as a children's story and not the variety I'm still fond of reading. I don't think I would have much liked it as a child, either.
//
Alan Lee's illustrations (and his afterward) are welcome, but unnecessary. It comes down to whether you admire Lee's interpretation of Tolkien's world, or do not: I do.
Tom Shippey's Introduction valuable and full of spoilers, regrettable the editor did not swap his & Lee's contributions, allowing the reader to proceed from first page to last, as a book naturally suggests.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mirryi
This collection contains some of my favorite poems and stories of Tolkien's, and his creativity with language really shines.