Myth Maker: J. R. R. Tolkien [Hardcover]

Anne E. Neimark (Author), Brad Weinman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

A philologist of world renown, a professor at Oxford, and the author of academic treatises, J. R. R. Tolkien was far more than a fantasy book writer. His lifelong fascination with medieval texts and languages gave him a unique vision and endless inspiration for his tales. His broad interests made possible his creation of faery worlds and entire races of beings, as well as the languages, cultures, and characters that make his books as engaging today as they were fifty years ago. This clear and thoroughly researched biography of the creator of The Hobbit is accompanied by magical illustrations that recall the mystery of Tolkien’s imaginary worlds.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6?This serviceable biography gives a straightforward introduction to the life of the man who created the world of The Hobbit. Although brief, the book covers pertinent events. Tolkien spent the first few years of his life in South Africa, where his father worked for the Bank of Africa. When he was three, Tolkien, or Ronald, as he was called, went to England with his mother and brother for what was supposed to be a visit. While they were away, Tolkien's father died, leaving his wife nearly destitute. Five years later, she died. Tolkien was eventually sent to live in a boarding house for orphans, where he met his future wife. After a brief teaching post at Leeds University, he taught at Oxford for the rest of his career. Because Tolkien's life lacked the drama of a Fitzgerald or a Hemingway, this biography often seems slow moving. It does, however, give some interesting insight into the power Tolkien's work has had on people over the years, and gives addresses of Tolkien groups operating both in the U. S. and Great Britain. Libraries that have David R. Collins's J.R.R. Tolkien: Master of Fantasy (Lerner, 1992) may want to pass on this one, since the books are similar in scope and content. Otherwise, buy as demand suggests.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

A biography of the author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit that devotes equal time to all periods of his life. Tolkien lost both parents by the time he was 12; at 17 he found the love of his life, but his guardian forced him to give her up for three years. Following his schooling, they were reunited, and he convinced her to marry him, a relationship that lasted more than half a century. As a scholar, Tolkien broke ground in the fields of language, literature, and philology. Fans will be heartened to see his life's passion--inventing languages and worlds--succeed in the form of The Hobbit. The Rings trilogy was rejected at first by publishers, so the story of its success is even more sweet. Neimark offers no clues as to her sources for information, so that credible situations include dialogue that--barring information to the contrary--seems invented. Tolkien's fans will find this to be a serviceable look at his life, no more. (illustrations, not seen) (Biography. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (September 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152988475
• ISBN-13: 978-0152988470
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,246,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Watered-down biography, September 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien (Paperback)

Neimark's "Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien" is a biography of Tolkien the man, and makes no serious attempt at literary criticism or interpretation. That's fine, of course-- but the problem is that it's not a very *good* biography by any measure. Certainly, Neimark makes no points, raises no issues, and consults no sources that haven't been used in the much more insightful biographies by Daniel Grotta-Kurska (an unauthorized biography and Humphrey Carpenter (the Tolkien estate approved bio). Really, this seems seems to be a watered-down version of those biographies (more Carpenter's than Grotta-Kurska's, actually), briefly summarizing Tolkien's life and writings and doing so in fairly simplistic language. The low level of the prose, the simplistic presentation of Tolkien's life, and the presence of several illustrations inclines to be believe that this is a book intended for children (I'd say it was aimed at kids between 10-14... those who are old enough to read the Hobbit and Tolkien's other fiction on their own.). I'm not really sure what even Tolkien fans of this age will get out of this book though-- and I think any kids who are seriouslyinterested in Tolkien enough to want to read about him as a man would much prefer to find out *real information* in one of more substantive biographies.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good for Its INTENDED AUDIENCE, August 3, 2004

By 

Joel T. Buchanan, Jr. (Roswell, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Myth Maker: J. R. R. Tolkien (Hardcover)

I'm amazed that the previous reviewer could say the things that he/she says -- criticizing the book as simplistic, etc. -- as the book is obviously not written for an adult audience (as the book's jacket spells out!), and therefore should be evaluated as such. As a book for young Tolkien fans or would-be Tolkien readers, it is a good basic introduction to Tolkien's life without the detail of an adult-level biography like Carpenter's.

Writing a fair review is much easier if you have some notion of a book's intended readership.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Watered-down biography, September 21, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien (Paperback)

Neimark's "Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkien" is a biography of Tolkien the man, and makes no serious attempt at literary criticism or interpretation. That's fine, of course-- but the problem is that it's not a very *good* biography by any measure. Certainly, Neimark makes no points, raises no issues, and consults no sources that haven't been used in the much more insightful biographies by Daniel Grotta-Kurska (an unauthorized biography and Humphrey Carpenter (the Tolkien estate approved bio). Really, this seems seems to be a watered-down version of those biographies (more Carpenter's than Grotta-Kurska's, actually), briefly summarizing Tolkien's life and writings and doing so in fairly simplistic language. The low level of the prose, the simplistic presentation of Tolkien's life, and the presence of several illustrations inclines to be believe that this is a book intended for children (I'd say it was aimed at kids between 10-14... those who are old enough to read the Hobbit and Tolkien's other fiction on their own.). I'm not really sure what even Tolkien fans of this age will get out of this book though-- and I think any kids who are seriouslyinterested in Tolkien enough to want to read about him as a man would much prefer to find out *real information* in one of more substantive biographies.