Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Heaven in Middle Earth, June 11, 2006
Peter Kreeft is a gifted writer. He is able to take some of the most difficult concepts and make them accessible to the reader. He is very concrete and clear. In this book about Tolkien, he states his objective concisely: "This book is not about Tolkien's world. It is about Tolkien's worldview, Tolkien's philosophy. Exploring that* can be another adventure. For while this philosophy is as much a part of Tolkien's world as its wars,...the philosophy is not on the surface,...but hidden beneath it,..." Kreeft uses a wealth of thinkers, philosophers, theologians, and writers to illuminate (or contrast) Tolkien's major ideas and ideals. He presents a virtue, a philosophy, or a theological concept, then defines it, expounds on it, and ties it to "The Lord of the Rings". He is also adept at applying his ideas to modern events such as 9/11. Then he takes excerpts from Tolkien's own books and provides the clincher.
As succinct as he is at this task, it is significant that he seldom mentions Tolkien for nearly the first sixty pages, and the introduction consists of only about twenty of them. Correspondingly significant, he quotes from C.S. Lewis more often than from Tolkien. However, this is a description, not a flaw, for he frames Tolkien well with Lewis. (Sometimes Lewis is better at describing the process and/or values of Tolkien.) He is masterful for tightly presenting key concepts from Plato, Dostoyevski, Sartre, G. K. Chesterton, and Hegel, just to name a few, and applying them to the framework of Tolkien's deepest beliefs. And, I must note, you don't have to have read any of these figures to understand the book or their references.
It is hard to argue with Kreeft. Like any of his books, you are backed into a corner, for which (thankfully, this reviewer believes) one must accept the Kreeft package or be a gifted debater. He is not one to compromise! I wonder what disparity there would be between a Christian and secular audience for this book. For the former, "The Philosophy of Tolkien" is soul food; for the latter, it may be a fascinating, extraneous, or infuriating experience depending on the taker. It is hard to say where Kreeft could have done better, but his other works resonate even better and seem even more seamless, but his execution is so remarkable that any minor criticisms should be taken with at least a grain of salt.
This is a brilliant book and a wonderful gift to readers. Peter Kreeft may take you on a different voyage than "The Lord of the Rings," but, while he challenges you, he does most of the work.
(*italicized, emphasis the author's)
(Allegedly, it took Kreeft two years to publish this book because the Tolkien and Lewis estates are tight-fisted about their copyrights. If true, it would make this book a particular treasure.)
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful Well Beyond the Topic, March 17, 2006
This is a superb book. Well-written, and insightful. If viewed only as a work of scholarship on J.R.R.Tolkien, it might not be indispensible. But Kreeft is full of such profound insights into the bigger issues of the value of story, and how story incarnates philosophy--and he articulates them so clearly--that the book becomes a must read for anybody interested in the value of story, the value of fantasy, the value of myth... and how a reader should approach this genre of literature. Of course the book does an excellent job at the stated topic also, outlining how Tolkien's masterpiece addresses the most important questions of philosophy.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Great Commentary on a Great Book, January 10, 2006
Peter Kreeft is one of the best at helping readers see key insights. For those who love Tolkien, Kreeft is a most helpful guide at exploring the worldview that permeates the entire masterpiece by Tolkien. The author of more than 40 books (not amazon reviews that miss the point) has done it again!
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