Customer Reviews

J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide (Two Volume Box Set)

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In the Preface to their long-awaited J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, Hammond and Scull write that the book "has been designed to serve as a reference of (at least) first resort", but I would daresay that in a great many cases, theirs will be not only the first but the *only* reference work needed. It's *that* exhaustive!

The first volume is mainly a chronology of Tolkien's life, with several satellite chapters detailing his published works, poems, art, a series of Tolkien's family trees, etc. To say that the chronology is detailed would be a considerable understatement. It's really an almost daily accounting of the events of Tolkien's life: essentially an 800-page biography of dates. Staggering!

The second volume, the Reader's Guide, is even larger at well over 1000 pages. This volume, meant to compliment the chronology (and vice versa) provides alphabetized entries for just about every person, place, and literary idea of importance to Tolkien studies. Many of these are in quite astonishing detail, and even the short ones are extremely valuable little gems. For example, in the entry for Jennie Grove, Hammond and Scull provide the basic facts, of course -- but they also point out where to find a photograph of her as well as a portrait of her drawn by Tolkien. These are fantastic kernels of information, and nowhere else are so many collected together in one place. Not only that, but the list of unpublished and archival sources Hammond and Scull consulted is very impressive indeed! Many details represented here have never been brought to light before.

Another excellent feature of the set is the common index; that is, a single index at the back of both volumes covers references *in* both volumes. This makes cross-referencing between the Reader's Guide and Chronology a snap. Both volumes also have extremely thorough bibliographies.

The price tag for the two-volume set is high, yes, but it is well worth it. NB: I'm speaking of the U.S. edition published by Houghton Mifflin *only*; I have not seen the British edition published by HarperCollins (however, I can say that I've been consistently disappointed by the production quality of most British books -- including HarperCollins' otherwise excellent extended edition of "Smith of Wootton Major" (ed. Verlyn Flieger). The books are sturdy and well made, bound in cloth, with sewn binding. The slipcase, also, is attractive, sturdy, and cloth-bound and will help to protect the books over time. The pages are a pleasant cream, with a nicely proportioned and very readable font, and with appropriate margins. The pages had to be a little thin to accommodate so many, but there is only minimal bleed-through.

The two volumes are a little unwieldy to read from -- but given their size, how could they not be? And reading them cover to cover will take a long time (perhaps all the way until John Rateliff's History of the Hobbit is published next November ;), but it's something I've been looking forward to for a long time now.

This is an enormous work and a stupendous achievement. Christina Scull and her husband Wayne G. Hammond have created, in two large volumes, an indispensable compendium for students of JRR Tolkien. Although the two volumes can be obtained separately, I recommend that both be purchased, preferably at the same time, so that you can turn from one to the other as your studies lead you down one fascinating avenue to countless others.

The Chronology Volume is an amazing achievement. JRR Tolkien's entire life is chronicled, many times day by day, so that we know what classes he taught, lectures he gave, conferences he attended, and guests he invited for dinner throughout a long, active life. This may seem to be inconsequential minutiae, but all of it is important in revealing the personality and character of the author and the many sources from which his own writings sprang. Historians and sociologists will also find this volume extremely useful since it reveals one man's daily life through three quarters of the twentieth century.

Equally as impressive is Volume 2, the Reader's Guide. Here Scull and Hammond have provided a multiplicity of information on every bit of extant writing by Tolkien, other authors and thinkers with whom he conversed or otherwise communicated, and so much else that it is impossible to enumerate it all. Scholars studying other writers besides Tolkien will do well to consult this volume, since he had contact with so many of them.

As a matter of full disclosure I should reveal that I met Christina Scull some years ago in London, and I have maintained a friendship with her and with Wayne ever since. I am honored that an article I wrote for the Tolkien journal "Beyond Bree" has been referenced in this Reader's Guide. But I hasten to assure you that I would be just as impressed with this work and would recommend itjust as highly even if these connections did not exist.

Scull and Hammond's "The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide" is an unparalleled reference work about Tolkien as author. The "Chronology" volume examines his life in extraordinary detail, often day-by-day. It draws heavily from Tolkien's letters. The Reader's Guide" volume discusses in equal detail the persons, institutions, and literary works that influenced Tolkien's great cration. Published in a boxed, two-volume set of excellent physical quality, Scull and Hammond's "The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide" would be a handsome addition to any library, and a fountain of sparkling interest to any serious Tolkien student.

The long delay was well worth the wait: the depth and detail of the work are astounding. I daresay the two volume work is exhaustive, but I have been hardpressed to find any topic or date of significance that is not addressed.

The chronology may seem overwhelming for the reader without an agenda. Tolkien's letter collection edited by Humprey Carpenter is a great resource for cross referencing. Even if you aren't interested in what day Tolkien had lunch with a comittee at Leeds, don't ignore the chronology! The bibliography towards the rear is well worth the big bucks--plenty of bread crumbs to helpful sources.
The reader's guide is excellent and ranges from Tolkien's work to his life. Hammond and Skull are very good about pulling information from primary sources. Even more so, they do well at avoiding speculation on more subjective matters, and limit their own interpretation to those primary sources (though I am sure it is valuable).

This is type of book that should occupy the reference area of every college library. The companion is certainly a scholarly work, and is the best reference material on Tolkien to date. It is also, however, valuable to readers who are equally fascinated with Tolkien as they are with his creations.

This set of 2 books has got to be the most informative, fun-to-read, amazing books on Tolkien I have read. Wayne & Christina have done it again. These 2 books are a must have for any serious Tolkien fan although they are a bit too much for a casual Tolkien reader IMHO. The Chronology is almost like reading a diary of everything JRRT did from day to day. It's so much fun to read & see what Tolkien's life was like. The Reader's Guide is so stuffed with information it's like having a whole encyclopedia on Tolkien. It has almost anything you could want to know about the man, his works, his family, his feelings/opinions on world events, etc. These 2 books are from the dynamic duo who brought us the reader's companion on the Lord Of The Rings which is a must have book for a reader of that book whether reading it for the 1st time or for the 30th. In summary, if you're just a casual Tolkien reader who enjoys The Hobbit or LOTR and don't care to know any more about the history of the books or the author of them, this set might be too much for you. On the other hand if you are a die-hard Tolkien fan, you simply MUST get this set of books. You will feel like a kid in a candy store with all the Tolkien info in these books!!!

Like the title of my review says, this set has everything you ever wanted to know about Tolkien and then some. At around 2300 pages, this isn't exactly casual reading, and it isn't for the casual reader either - it is for the devoted Tolkien fan.

Devoted Tolkien fans will be rewarded for their patience as they work their way through these thick volumes. Plenty of rare nuggets and interesting commentary on the life and times of Tolkien.

After long wait and anticipation, the Companion and Guide Box Set is out.
I reviewed the two volumes separately. I think that those books are the most important Tolkien's scholarship books since H.o.M.E. Vol. 12.

Is J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide suitable for all? the answer is no. vol. 2 will be more appealing for the "average Tolkien enthusiastic" and Vol.1 will be of much interest and importance for serious Tolkien scholar.

The box set is very impressive and convenient, But make sure that you want both books before buying it.

I think that this book is really useful if you have to study Tolkien in depth because it gives you lots of information about his life and creative works. I love it.

I am a Williams alumni, and I was pleased to present this definitive Tolkien guide to my brother for Xmas this year. Bravo to the librarians!

In reply to the above poster: this book hasn't been published yet, and may not come out for a while (the authors were delayed by work on the "Reader's Companion to the Lord of the Rings", which has been published).

Amazon has the annoying habit of not updating old listings which have since become inacurate.