Customer Reviews

The People's Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Virtually every fan of J.R.R. Tolkien has been to Theonering.net, the massive fan website that contains far-reaching news, rumors, info and discussions about Middle-Earth. Now the webmasters of that site have compiled essays, film reviews, much-asked questions into the "People's Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien," both for and by "the people." (Meaning the fans)

After a foreword by the foremost Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey, the book launches into a series of essays by the very kind Tehanu, Anwyn, Quickbeam, Ostadan, and Turgon. They examine charges of racism and sexism, explore the relationship between Sam and Frodo, defend escapism, study the effects of 9/11 and Tolkien's world, Christianity's indirect impact on Middle-Earth ("Wake up and Smell the Dogma" being one of these), its relationship to Arthurian legend, its mythological roots, analyzing Tolkien's "Letters" book, the real hero of "Rings", nature's place in Middle-Earth, and many other ideas and concepts.

And, in keeping with what's going on now, there is movie analysis. First they handle the ghastly Rankin/Bass film and mediocre Bakshi film. Then they go over the new live-action Peter Jackson trilogy, and the multiple viewpoints on the films themselves are great (Anwyn's is probably the most in-depth). Among the essays is Quickbeam's visit to New Zealand in 2000 where he checked out sets, filming, and actually met Jackson himself (as well as talented actors Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Bernard Hill and Orlando Bloom). The end of one section gives us an unusually sweet, romantic glimpse of Jackson and Fran Walsh. (Too many interviewers treat them just as coworkers, and not as a loving couple with two kids. Both sides can be seen here)

That's not to say that it's all serious analysis: There is the "Merchandising Hell" chapter, full of nightmare cash-in merchandise ("lembas" nutrition bars sold at health clubs, Gollum toothpaste), gaming, a C.S. Lewis-inspired "Screwtape" letter, and the reclaiming of the word "geek." (Geek pride!) Finally there is a Q&A section handling questions like why hobbits aren't inclined to use the Ring's power, or Elf astronomy. (Not to mention the extremely cute "Yes, Elanor, there really is a Gandalf!" letter)

The "People's Guide" benefits both from the authors' knowledge of Tolkien, and their knowledge of who they're talking to. The book isn't overly complicated or nitpicky, but it's far from dumbed-down. It's conversational, but instructive. Even people well-acquainted with Tolkien's work may come away with new perspectives on it, and new fans will find insights for the first time.

Perhaps one of the best qualities of this book is the sense of familiarity it provides. Readers (assuming they've been to the website) will already be acquainted with the authors. You know they're not going to pull anything deranged out of their hats or show any scholarly contempt; you know they're genuine fans, not just analysts. Oh yes -- they're geeks too, the best kind of fan. ("Are we not geeks?")

Whether you have been a fan for years, or watched the new movies and were hooked, this is a must-read. If you buy one nonfiction Tolkien book this year, this should probably be the one.

A beautiful, dynamic collaberation of essays, reviews and the like, it deserves greatness. Now I can sit in my bed reading the timeless essays and writings of fellow normal LOTR fans (and abnormal *cough*), in my own bed rather than sitting at a computer. I really enjoy and recommend this book to anybody. The range of opinions in this book is amazing (ie Cliff's review of FOTR compared to Anwyn's ;)) and it gives pros and cons of the movies. Next to that, is great essays about good, evil, and whatnot, with splindid artwork, my favorite of which is the Q&A. By the way, the Q&A puts things into different perspectives that I have not previously thought of before, providing much more in depth looks then my mind could go. I recommend this book to anybody interested in Tolkien, just be warned of MAJOR spoilers if you don't want to be spoiled.

I found this book to be fairly enjoyable with some thought provoking ideas. I would not recommend it as the first book to read about Tolkien's works (such as Shippey or Humphrey), but as an adjunct to primary sources. Others have compared it to Harvey's Origins of Tolkien's Middle-Earth for Dummies, but I found that strewn with errors which detracted from the experience. Not so with this book. I did enjoy some of the writers over others, but the mix of ideas kept me reading.

Well, I feel compelled to defend this book. Yes, it is a collection of writing from a highly popular fan website, written by "amateurs" (by which I assume is meant someone who is not a university professor with stacks of publications to his/her credit). The book's title is the key here, the "People's Guide", not the "Academician's Guide". I may be old-fashioned, but I really prefer holding a book in my hands to reading from a computer screen. I like to underline key passages, put tabs on pages, return often to something that caught my curiosity. As a collection, the book is a mixed bag. Some writers are better than others, some chapters are frivolous, some are humorous and some are as good as anything you're likely to find in a scholarly journal. That's what makes this book so interesting, it's the voices of all the website creators, who are the people. I put myself in the same category, Tolkien fans who are educated, literate and don't have a university appointment but do have a lot of ideas. So I admire their bravery for putting their thoughts on paper and on the Internet, for others to tear down or hold up. Also, I want to express kudos to Cold Spring Press for a very elegant attractively designed volume. The publisher obviously put more than the ordinary effort into the production of this very nice trade paperback.

This is an awesome book. I was not let down by it at all! This book provides great insight into the works of Tolkien. This is a must have for any fan of the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, or the Silmarillion. TheOneRing. net did an awesome job putting this book together. This book is great for reference or for just sitting down and reading from cover to cover.

I bought this book expecting it to be what its title says it is: a GUIDE and introduction to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. Well, guess again! This is NOT a "People's Guide," nor is it any other kind of "Guide." It is simply a collection of essays in which a group of fans associated with the website http://www.theonering.net spout their personal opinions on various issues connected with the books and movies. This book does NOT provide any sort of "Guide" to Tolkien, nor is it an introductory work by any stretch of the imagination. It actually presupposes a substantial amount of Tolkien knowledge, and those who lack that are not likely to get much out of reading it.

I'm sure this book will be enjoyable for many readers, notably those who are big fans of the website for which its authors write. I found some of the material in it entertaining myself. But I must strenuously object to its has being so misleadingly titled. With the burgeoning popularity of the books bolstered by the release of the Peter Jackson films, I'm concerned that there may be lots of people new to Tolkien looking for something to read that will help them make sense of it all, who will be attracted to this book because of its fallacious title. To anyone who is new to Tolkien's world, I can't emphasize more strongly that this book is NOT going to help you become oriented to the history, geography, mythology, of anything else concerning Middle-earth...or do much of anything else other than confuse you.

Fortunately, the helpful folks who put out the "For Dummies" series have risen to the challenge and provided a REAL guide to Tolkien's work, which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone who is looking for a clear, systematic introduction to Tolkien: The Origins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies. I would urge bewildered Tolkien newbies to check out that work and stay away from this one for the time being.

Bottom line: this book will be amusing reading for some Tolkien geeks, but I think anyone who is not already pretty well versed in Middle-earth lore would be much better off investing their money in the "For Dummies" book than buying this one. And to the publishers of this book: if you ever put out a second edition, PLEASE give it a less misleading title!

I was one of the fortunate ones to obtain this book at the Los Angeles Book Fair the day of its release. And even luckier to have a signed copy!! It is an easy read for those who are Tolkien fans, but by no means scholars. And for those who want a more in-depth discussion, it's there. This book is well written, well thought, and does not condescend or speak above it's readers. It's just right!!
The impressive views from the various writers provide a nice blend of perspectives; culturally and educationally. Once, I started reading it, I found myself reading "just one more article,' then one more, then one more, until I read the whole book in one sitting. And I still pick it up and reference it time and time again because it is so well done.
If their is a Tolkien fan on your gift giving list this is the book to have.

This volume, an essay collection not a "guide" of any sort, is a selection of the offerings at the website TheOneRing.net. Web essays can be entirely different in print. What seems friendly and informal in phosphors can look bumptious on paper. And do we really now need to preserve in book form reviews of Jackson's first film that speculate what the sequels will be like? But despite erratic coverage there's some good stuff here, more of it about Tolkien than about the films, earnestly and engagingly written, often on-target and at worst honestly wrong. All five of the cutely-bylined authors, from "Tehanu" to "Quickbeam", are capable of fine insights, and they know their Tolkien. If you want paper copies of Tolkien web material, this is some of the best.

Of the many Tolkien-related books that delve into the world behind the Ring, this is one of the best. For once it is not the pontifications of some philosopher marginally acquainted with the world of Middle-Earth, but the work of intelligent "geeks," well-thought-out and in-depth, and consistently interesting.

The articles are clear-headed and thought-provoking, covering everything from Tolkien himself, to his beliefs, to the movies, to the themes of the books, and even a very nice Q&A at the end.

An added bonus is the sheer accuracy of information presented. I for one have found mistakes in nearly every Tolkien resource I've ever read, but _The People's Guide_ is totally accurate.

Perhaps _The People's Guide_ is a bit more informal than most of the stuff on the shelves, but it is an easy and engaging read, yet by no means shallow. I would recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien.

If you are a fan at all of Tolkien's works and those inspired by him, this book is one of the best collections of thoughtful, artistic writers expressing the impact of the Professor's influence I've ever read. Their perspective on Tolkien's world come first-hand from those who were fans long before the films made Middle-earth so popular. It's a bonus that they are closely connected to the filmmakers; which only adds to their insight. Their moving entries span from humorous to emotional. There's something for everyone here. A must for Tolkien-lovers.