With an introduction by Peter S. Beagle, The Tolkien Reader gathers together fascinating and hard-to-find short writings by J.R.R. Tolkien. From short stories of fantastical adventures, to essays on imagination and narrative forms, readers looking to dig deeper into Tolkien's work will find much here to enjoy. Among the writings included are:
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: A delightful collection of verse in praise of Tom Bombadil, staunch friend of the Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings and a beloved character of Tolkien fans.
Tree and Leaf: Tolkien's famous essay "On Fairy-stories" is presented alongside the short story "Leaf by Niggle," which together examine and illustrate the form and value of fantasy narratives.
Farmer Giles of Ham: An imaginative history of the distant past that introduces the rather unheroic Farmer Giles, whose efforts to capture a somewhat untrustworthy dragon prove most challenging.
