The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies

Greg Harvey

May 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Eric Jason Martin

About this audiobook

J.R.R. Tolkien's novels of Middle-earth-The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Silmarillian-have become some of the most famous, and most beloved, literary works of the twentieth century. And the Lord of the Rings films by director Peter Jackson have reignited interest in Tolkien and his works, as well as introduced his stories to a new generation of fans. Even if you've never read the novels and have only seen the films, you know that the world of Middle-earth is a complicated one. Tolkien took great care in representing this world, from creating new languages to including very particular cultural details that add to the richness of the world's fabric. Many other books have been written about Tolkien and his works, but none have come close to providing the kind of reference needed to comprehend the world of Middle-earth. What you'll find in The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Middle-earth, plus a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world. This book can help enrich your reading (or re-reading) of Tolkien's novels, and it will challenge you to think about the themes inherent in Tolkien's Middle-earth and their implications in your own life.

About the author

Greg Harvey is a language scholar who has traced the roots of Tolkien's work in European folklore and pre-Christian religious beliefs. He has studied twelve languages, including Elvish, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon.

Eric Jason Martin is a producer, director, and voice performer based in Los Angeles. He is the AudioFile Earphones and Audie Award-winning narrator of over 200 audiobooks, including works by Kurt Vonnegut, David Foster Wallace, Karin Slaughter, and Lee Child.