Short Cuts: Web Sources WWW Sites | Online Periodical Articles

Web Sources WWW Sites 

Angus [pseud.]  "All the Rings Together."  Rev. of The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien.  Mouthshut.com [Bombay, India], 2000-2002. 
From Critical Review by ENG 104 student:  "This review was really excellent in my mind for it addressed something that many avid readers share about translating a book to the 'big screen.' How much is truly lost when we are forced to take away from our imagination? By forcing a fixed image into the mind's eye, are we destroying our creative spirit? The reviewer briefly touches up on  this, and then goes to explain why he liked the novel Fellowship of the Ring. A very interesting read which I recommend to all fans of both the movie and book alike."
URL: http://www.mouthshut.com/readreview/6122-1.html

Appleyard, A.  Tolkien and Space Travel.  
["This article has been published in the Tolkien Society periodical `Mallorn'."]  No date.
"An essay which examines Tolkien's works and reference to space travel" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.buckrogers.demon.co.uk/tolkien/spacear.txt

Auden, W. H.  "At the End of the Quest, Victory."  Rev. of The Return of the King [Vol. 3 of The Lord of the Rings].  New York Times Book Review 22 Jan. 1956.  Rpt. New York Times: Tolkien Archives, New York Times Co., 2002.
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1956/01/22/books/tolkien-king.html
Abstract/Excerpts: Either readers find Lord of the Rings "a masterpiece of its genre or they cannot abide it"; indeed, many critics "object to Heroic Quests and imaginary Worlds on principle" as "light 'escapist' reading."  Yet Auden believes that "Tolkien has succeeded more completely than any previous writer in this genre" in presenting a traditional "Quest, the heroic journey,...the conflict between Good and Evil while at the same time satisfying our sense of historical and social reality."  How?  Tolkien creates a compellingly believable Middle-earth--detailed in "its landscape, its flora and fauna, its peoples, their languages, their history, their cultural habits."  Despite all its super-natural elements, Middle-earth is "a world of intelligible law, not mere wish":  Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring--a power that corrupts absolutely--is a plausible "political duty."

Auden, W. H.  "The Hero Is a Hobbit."  Rev. of Fellowship of the Ring [Vol. 1. of The Lord of the Rings].  New York Times Book Reviews 31 Oct. 1954. Rpt. New York Times: Tolkien Archives, New York Times Co., 2002.
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/31/books/tolkien-fellowship.html
Abstract/Excerpts: "No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy than The Fellowship of the Ring," declares Auden, who praises Tolkien's book because:
(1) adventures "should be various and exciting" and "in this respect Mr. Tolkien's invention is unflagging";
(2) imaginary worlds should "seem real" by a present "standard of realism...much stricter than" in the past, and Tolkien possesses "an amazing gift for naming and a wonderfully exact eye for description; by the time one has finished his book one knows the histories of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and the landscape they inhabit as well as one knows one's own childhood." 
(3) To take such a tale "seriously," readers "must feel that, however superficially unlike the world we live in its characters and events may be, it nevertheless holds up the mirror to the only nature we know, our own..."   Here, again, Tolkien succeeds "superbly": "what happened in the year of the Shire 1418 in the Third Age of Middle Earth is not only fascinating in A. D. 1954 but also a warning and an inspiration."

Barr, Donald.  “Shadowy World of Men and Hobbits.”  Rev. of  The Two Towers [vol. 2 of The Lord  of the Rings], by J. R. R. Tolkien.  New York Times Book Review, 1 May 1955.  Rpt. The Tolkien Archives, New York Times Online. 2002.
Excerpts:  “It is an extraordinary work-pure excitement, unencumbered narrative, moral warmth, barefaced rejoicing in beauty, but excitement most of all; yet a serious and scrupulous fiction, nothing cozy, no little visits to one's childhood.”  “…[T]he author has had intimate access to an epic tradition stretching back and back and disappearing in the mists of Germanic history, so that his story has a kind of echoing depth behind it . . . .” 
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1955/05/01/books/tolkien-towers.html

Battersby, Eileen.  Lord of the Hobbits.  The Irish Times 23 Dec. 2000.  Rpt.  The Irish Times on the Web, 2001.
"An assessment of Tokien's legacy" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/features/2000/1223/fea2.htm

Bertenstam, Åke, compiler.  A Chronological Bibliography of the Writings of J.R.R. Tolkien.  Rev. 1999.  "The aim of the chronological bibliography given below is to give a complete record of Professor J.R.R. Tolkien's published writings: books, contributions to books, and contributions to periodicals." Does not include: letters, illustrations and art, manuscript pages and miscellaneous writings, or reprints. Detailed citations are used, and a bibliography of sources is included" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.forodrim.org/arda/tbchron.html

Bouvin, Niels Olof (Dept. of Computer Science, Aarhus Univ., Denmark). The Hypertextualized Tolkien FAQ (1996 - 2001).
URL: http://www.daimi.aau.dk/%7Ebouvin/tolkienfaq.html
Bouvin's answers to Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ] about:
TOLKIEN and His Work | HOBBITS | ELVES | DWARVES | HUMANS | ISTARI (Wizards) | ENEMIES | MISCELLANEOUS | GENERAL History of Middle-earth

Dalziel, Colin, ed.  "The Road Goes Ever On and On": The Lord of the Rings Quotes.  www.coldal.org.uk "the web suite [sic] of Colin Dalziel."  2002
Selected Tolkien lyrics, audio clips, map of Middle-earth, links. [C.A.]
URL: http://www.coldal.org.uk/quotes.htm
Home Page: http://www.coldal.org.uk/

Degallier, Patrick.  An Analysis of the Presence of Evil in Beowulf and The Lord of the Rings.
"Text of a dissertation comparing the theme of evil in the two works" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract]. Section 7: Bibliography cites primary and secondary sources on The Lord of the Rings. [C.A.] 
URL: http://www-lehre.informatik.uni-osnabrueck.de/~skremer/martyn/html-text/patrick-contents.html
Tolkien Page: The Lord of the Rings ... by J.R.R. Tolkien, 2000.
Tolkien Page links to Tolkien verses, chapter summaries of all three books of The Lord of the Rings, a picture gallery, and related WWW sites. [C.A.]
URL: http://www-lehre.informatik.uni-osnabrueck.de/~skremer/martyn/index.html

Eaton, Anne T.  A Delightfully Imaginative Journey.  Rev. of The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again, by J. R. R. Tolkien.  New York Times Book Review, 13 March 1938.  Rpt. The Tolkien Archives, New York Times Online. 2002.
Excerpt:  “All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take "The Hobbit" to their hearts.”
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1938/03/13/books/tolkien-hobbit.html

Fauskanger, Helge K.  Ardalambion.
Self-description: "The most comprehensive site about Tolkien's invented languages that you are likely to find on the net."  Fauskanger's background: "Cand. philol. (corresponding, roughly, to a master's degree) in Nordic languages." [C.A.]
"Includes sections on the tongues of Arda, and the invented languages from Tolkien's youth" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.uib.no/People/hnohf/index.html

Friesen, Darryl.  The Tolkien Timeline.  1995-2002.
"This compilation is a chronological list of important events relating to Tolkien's life, career, and scholarly pursuits, and attempts to provide a more clear picture of this astounding man."  Includes a bibliography.
From Critical Review by English 104 student: "This website proved to be very simple and extremely informative at the same time. It details Tolkien’s life, and when he began/finished writing his various novels that were published. The website is constructed in a very simple graphical chronology stating which year which event happened. I feel this is extremely useful to someone who would need to find information quickly regarding Tolkien, without a great amount of time to spend looking for it (College Students anyone?)."
URL: http://gollum.usask.ca/tolkien/

Fisher, Mark.  The Encyclopedia of Arda: An Interactive Guide to the Works of J. R. R. Tolkien.  1997-2000. [Note: "Arda was the name given by the Elves to their World and all it contained...."]
"A hypertextual encyclopedia to the people and places featured in Tolkien's Middle Earth" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/

Hargrove, Gene [Dept. of Philosophy & Religion Studies, Univ. of North Texas - Denton, TX].
About the Songs and Poems in the Lord of the Rings
URL: http://www.cep.unt.edu/songs/tolkien.html
Music in Middle-Earth. 
URL: http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/music.html
"Article attempts to analyze the meter and form of the music that would have been heard in Tolkien's Middle Earth" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].  
Hargrove's site also offers several links to related websites on Middle-earth music & lyrics. [C.A.]
"Music in Middle Earth"  is reprinted from Beyond Bree [Newsletter of the Tolkien Special Interest Group of American Mensa], January 1995.  
Beyond Bree URL: http://www.cep.unt.edu/bree.html
Who is Tom Bombadil?
["An earlier version of this paper was published in Mythlore, no. 47 (August 1986)."]
[IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract:] Character "Analysis which concludes that Tom Bombadil is the 'ultimate exemplification of the proper moral stance toward power, pride, and possession.'" 
URL: http://www.cas.unt.edu/~hargrove/bombadil.html
Mythlore is a publication of The Mythopoeic Society: http://www.mythsoc.org/

Heusden, Peter van.  Elf and Faerie: The Development of Elves in Tolkien's Mythology.
Source Information:  pvanheus@frodo.cs.uct.ac.za (P A van Heusden) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Elves in Tolkien and Folklore Message-ID: <pvanheus.722692649@frodo> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1992 11:57:29 GMT Organization: Computer Science Department, University of Cape Town.
[IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract:] "Written for a Tolkien society's 'zine, this article contrasts Tolkien's elves with those of folklore." 
URL: http://wiretap.area.com/Gopher/Library/Article/Misc/folklore.elf

Hostetter, Carl F. Resources for Tolkienian Linguistics. The Elvish Linguistic Fellowship: A Special Interest Group of the Mythopoeic Society, 2002.
"The purpose of this page is to provide references to useful, generally reliable, and . . . legal resources for those interested in the study of the invented languages of J.R.R. Tolkien."
URL: http://www.elvish.org/resources.html

IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection, Internet Public Library (IPL),  2002
"critical and biographical websites about authors and their works that can be browsed by author, by title, or by nationality and literary period" - includes full text articles.
URL: http://www.ipl.org/ref/litcrit/ [last accessed August 2002]
Browse by Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
URL: http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/bin/litcrit.out.pl?au=tol-52 
Browse by Title: Lord of the Rings
URL: http://www.ipl.org/div/litcrit/bin/litcrit.out.pl?ti=lor-22
Internet Public Library - IPL (Univ. of Michigan School of Information, Regents of the University of Michigan, 2002), offers extensive teaching & learning resources.
URL: http://www.ipl.org/ [last accessed August 2002]

J. R. R. Tolkien.  HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., 2001.
Flashy multimedia U.K. publisher's commercial site is bent on selling, but includes useful features such as Tolkien biography, Middle-earth maps that trace Frodo's journey, bibliography, & links.
Flash version URL: http://www.tolkien.co.uk/index_flash.htm

J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973).  The Academy: Readings.  Ms. Miriam Santacruz. dir.; TheAcademySite.org, no date.  [The Academy's goal "is to equip young people with the foundational tools they need to be winsome and intellectually credible advocates of the Christian worldview within their community and culture."]
Web page offers short Tolkien biography & The Lord of the Rings plot synopsis and discussion questions.
URL: http://www.theacademysite.org/tolkien.html

J. R. R. Tolkien Reads from Chapter XI of "The Fellowship of the Ring."  Recorded in 1952. The Tolkien Archives: A Guide to the World of J. R. R. Tolkien.  New York Times Online, 2002.
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/richmedia/source/2001/11/19/books/tolkien-fellowship.html

Kessler, Brian.  Tolkien and the Wars.  1998.
"An essay which examines critics who view Tolkien's work as having been rooted in WWI and/or WWII" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/naked/132/tolktoc.html

Lee, Wade M.  Celebrating J. R. R. Tolkien's Birthday at Carlson Library.  University of Toledo Libraries, 1999.
Bibliography, timeline & links.
URL: http://www.cl.utoledo.edu/userhomes/wlee/tolk2.html

Lippert, Eric.  The J. R. R. Tolkien Information Page. 1997.
"This enormous webliography includes resources on Tolkien in a wide range of categories, including articles, family trees, online texts, periodicals, societies, and more" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/u/relipper/tolkien/rootpage.html

Martinez, Michael L.  Parma Endorion:  Essays on Middle-earth.  Rev. [2nd] ed. 1998.
"The essays you'll find here are intended to provide some insight into the histories and cultures of Middle-earth. Each 'page' is a chapter in the 'Book of the Middle Lands". The essays are written for your reading enjoyment. They contain some speculative remarks intended to point the reader toward some possible conclusions."
URL: http://www.xenite.org/parma/pe_table.htm
Download the 3rd edition of Parma Endorion: Essays on Middle-earth, 2002, from Free-eBooks.Net:  http://www.free-ebooks.net/fan_fiction.html
Free-eBooks Abstract: "Tolkien researcher Michael Martinez shares his knowledge and insights into Tolkien's Middle-earth. The award-winning Parma Endorion Web site has been used by scholars, teachers, librarians, and students from around the world since 1996. Essays cover topics ranging from "What does an Elf do in Aman?" to "Planning the Middle-earth wedding" to "The Wonders of Middle-earth". Martinez is also the author of Visualizing Middle-earth, available as a print-on-demand trade paperback or ebook from Xlibris. This special 3rd edition of Parma Endorion has been updated for eBook publication only, and it includes selected fan artwork from Anke Eissmann and Rich Sullivan."

McKillip, Patricia A.  Tributes.  [Excerpt from the "much longer" article by McKillip: "Three Ways of Looking at a Trilogy," The New York Review of Science Fiction 156 (August 2001).] GreenBooks.TheOneRing.net.
URL: http://greenbooks.theonering.net/tributes/files/pat_mckillip.html
Abstract/Excerpt:  At seventeen, McKillip first attempted, but abandoned her attempt., to read The Lord of the Rings because Tolkien's male-dominated world did not offer "the company of someone like me."  Years later, McKillip did finish reading, then re-reading and appreciating Tolkien's epic for what it does offer.  But McKillip's imaginative effort was achieved at the price of resigning herself not to look "for definition, or comfort, or anything at all from" Tolkien's female characters.

Milos, Karyn.  Too Deeply Hurt: Understanding Frodo's Decision to Depart.
[This article originally appeared in Mallorn 36 (Nov. 1998):17-23.]
Abstract: Milos considers "the natural effects of traumatization upon Frodo and . . . the resultant progression of disheartenment" to answer the question, "Why did Frodo leave Middle-earth?" [C.A.]
URL: http://home.mn.rr.com/karynmilos/essays/toodeeplyhurt.html

National Geographic's Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings.  National Geographic Society, 2001.  "Discover the history, myth, and cultural forces that inspired The Lord of the Rings and explore the parallels between the imaginary world of Middle-earth and our own." 
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/
...Author & History - descriptive Timeline
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/timeline.html
...Language & Culture
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/language.html
...Myth & Storytelling
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/myth.html
...Real World Parallels: Discussion Forum
URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngbeyond/rings/cgi-bin/forum/forum.cgi?forum=ngbtm

Norman, Philip [The Sunday Times, London].  The Prevalence of Hobbits.  Interview with J. R. R. Tolkien.  The New York Times: Books. 15 Jan. 1967.  New York Times Online, 2001.
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1967/01/15/books/tolkien-interview.html

One Ring: The Complete Guide to Tolkien Online.  Darryl Friesen, 2001.
URL: http://onering.virbius.com/

TheOneRing.net: "Forged by and for fans of J. R. R. Tolkien" and "Home of the OFFICIAL Peter Jackson Fan Club."  TheOneRing.net, 1999-2002.
URL:  http://www.theonering.net/theonering/index.html
Root URL: http://www.theonering.net/
Website Review:  “Middle Earth on the Web.”  [Rev. of  the Web site developed by Michael Regina, TheOneRing.net, which focuses on The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.]  Maclean’s 10 Sept. 2001: [Sect. Entertainment Notes] 61.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article No. 5104668.
EBSCOHost Abstract: "Discusses the success of the Web site developed by Michael Regina, TheOneRing.net, that focuses on the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. Popularity of the site; His work on the site; Information on the motion pictures for the trilogy that are included on the site."

Polonsky,  Slava, ed.  The Chronology of the Life of J. R. R. Tolkien.  Mithrilian, 1996.
URL: http://www.kulichki.com/tolkien/eng/enghron.html
Arda-na-Kulichkakh: The Island of Tolkien Fans - "one of the many islands of the Russian TriWial archipelago 'Chertovy Kulichki.'"  
URL: http://www.kulichki.com/tolkien/eng/arda_eng.html

Readings: J. R. R. Tolkien (1872-1973).  The Academy (Ed. Ms. Miriam Santacruz).
"Offers a short biography of Tolkien, along with a synopsis and discussion questions for The Lord of the Rings" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].  Also pictures & bibliography [C.A.]
URL: http://www.theacademysite.org/tolkien.html

Rilstone, Andrew (self-described "writer, games inventor and part time-genius," with an M.A. in Medieval Studies, currently with Hothouse Creations and living in Bristol, U.K.).  
Is Tolkien Actually Any Good?
URL: http://www.aslan.demon.co.uk/tolk.htm

Seland, John.  Gollum and the Mystery of Evil.  C. S. Lewis and Other Related Authors, C. S Lewis Collection.  Taylor University - Upland, IN.
URL: http://www.tayloru.edu/upland/programs/lewis/articles/seland.html

Taruithorn: The Oxford Tolkien Society (Glyn Kennington, 2001).
Taruithorn is "Tolkien's Elvish name for Oxford, where he was both a student and later a Professor."  
URL: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~tolksoc/
...Tolkien's Oxford offers photos & commentary
URL: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~tolksoc/TolkiensOxford/index.html
...Clickable Map:  http://users.ox.ac.uk/~tolksoc/TolkiensOxford/map.html 
University of Oxford Root URL: http://www.ox.ac.uk/ 
The Cambridge Tolkien Society--at "the Other Place"--is affiliated with The Tolkien Society.
URL: http://tolkien.soc.ucam.org/

The Tolkien Archives: A Guide to the World of J. R. R. Tolkien.  New York Times Online. 2002.
A collection of articles from the New York Times archives, including book reviews and a Tolkien interview.
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/specials/advertising/movies/tolkien/index.html
including OBITUARY:  J. R. R. Tolkien Dead at 81; Wrote 'The Lord of the Rings'
New York Times, September 3, 1973:  "J. R. R. Tolkien, linguist, scholar and author of "The Lord of the Rings," died today in Bournemouth. He was 81 years old."
URL:   http://www.nytimes.com/1973/09/03/books/090373tolkien-obit.html

Tolkien Online: The One Ring
The definitive almost-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-Tolkien site. [C.A.]
URL: http://www.tolkienonline.com/

Website Review:  Sauter, Michael.  "Tolkien Online."  Bio Scope: Reviews.  Biography 5.12 (Dec. 2001): 38 (1pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article Number 5541928.
Excerpt:  A "lavishly over-stuffed Web site, devoted to the teeming fantasy world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings,"  including the "daily offering of excerpts from Tolkien's literature and letters; the massive archive of news, reviews, articles, and essays; and the ever-growing gallery of strikingly original artwork, by Tolkien and some of his best-known interpreters."

The Tolkien Society.  England, 2000.
"This official site of The Tolkien Society includes biographical information, bibliographies of works by and about Tolkien and his writings, and an annotated listing of Web sites about Tolkien and for other Tolkien societies worldwide" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/
About J. R. R. Tolkien: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/index.html
Biography & Bibliography: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/biog_frame.html

The Tolkien Timeline.  Darryl Friesen (Dept. of Computing Services, Univ. of Saskatchewan), 1995-2002.
"'This compilation is a chronological list of important events relating to Tolkien's life, career, and scholarly pursuits.' Cites source for each item in timeline" [IPL Online Literary Criticism Collection Abstract].
URL: http://gollum.usask.ca/tolkien/index.html

Williams, Donald T. (PhD, Medieval & Renaissance Literature, Univ. of Georgia).  Is Man a Myth?  Mere Christian Perspectives on the Human.  Mythopoeic Society.  Christian.org. 1995-2000. [Online version of:  Donald T. Williams, "'Is Man a Myth?': Mere Christian Perspectives on the Human."  MYTHLORE 23:1 (Summer/Fall 2000): 4-29.]
URL: http://www.christians.org/manmyth/man01.html
[Section 4:] "J. R. R. Tolkien: Humanity and Faerie" interprets Tolkien's essay "On Faerie Stories."
[Source: Tolkien, J. R. R. "On Faerie Stories." The Tolkien Reader. NY: Ballantine, 1966, pp. 3-84.]
URL: http://www.christians.org/manmyth/man04.html

Online Periodical Articles (most with annotations)

Note: COCC Library Online Databases--access restricted to Central Oregon Community College students, staff, community--include subscriptions to EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Gale Literature Resource Center, LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe, OCLC FirstSearch, and WilsonSelectPlus--which may offer full text articles. 
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/library/databases.html Pathway: Humanities 

Aichele, George, Jr.  “Biblical Miracle Narratives as Fantasy.”  Anglican Theological Review 73.1 (Winter 1991): 51 (8pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 9604166849.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Notes two distinct ways in which biblical miracle narratives may be considered to be literary fantasies. Relevance of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy theory to the miracles performed by Elijah; Similarity of structure between parables and some of the miracles; Treatment of the miraculous cursing of the tree; Juxtaposition of sayings and miracles in the gospel of Mark.”

“Bedside Reading.”  Civilization 3.4 (Aug./Sept. 1996): 35.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 9608131104. 
Abstract:  Favorite books of some famous people, including J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for W. H. Auden: “One of the very few books which I shall keep re-reading all my life . . . .”

Biemiller, Lawrence.  “From Captains Courageous to Auntie Mame: Finding a Writer’s Voice.”  Chronicle of Higher Education 19 Sept. 1997: B2.
Abstract: Biemiller discusses how his writing and character were influenced by the books he read as a child, including by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Note: This journal is held by COCC Library.

Byfield, Link.  “The Greatest Book of the Century Was Built on the Thought ‘and in one Lord, Jesus Christ….’”  Alberta Report/ Newsmagazine 24 Feb. 1997: 2.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 9703253234.
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Editorial. Discusses the criticisms surrounding the announcement that J.R.R. Tolkein's `The Lord of the Rings' is the greatest book of the twentieth century. The survey of thousands of British readers; The response of author Germaine Greer; The reason `The Lord of the Rings' could have only been written by a Christian; The ideology driving the controversy.”

Caywood, Carolyn.  “The Quest for Character.”  School Library Journal 41.3 (March 1995): 152.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 9503137758.
Abstract/Excerpts:  “Although there certainly were fantasy novels earlier, The Lord of the Rings . . . was the model for a new genre with powerful appeal to teens.”  Why?  “Obviously magic is integral, but it works best if it is logical, symbolic, and achieved only through disciplined study, almost like physics”; and teens who enjoy “the process of learning” will be delighted by “a fantasy's simulation of arcane lore, complete with appendices, maps, and a long narrative that gradually unfolds the secrets of a world.”  But “the most important element in attracting and holding Tolkien fans is a quest to save the world from supernatural evil” by “A Fallible Hero”: reading of hobbits who “succeed, teens who escape into fantasy can return with the courage to confront the evils humans have created.”

Caywood, Carolyn.  “Series Fiction: The Whole Story.”  School Library Journal 38.8 (Aug. 1992): 94.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 9209070935.
Subtitle:  “We abandon our responsibilities when we refuse to deal with materials simply because their format is inconvenient.”
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Discusses how different fiction series are not always easy to keep in stock in libraries because of how quickly they go out of print. J.R.R. Tolkien's `Lord of the Rings'; More and more fantasy novels billed as being better than the `Lord of the Rings' coming out; Signs of mutiny at libraries due to decreased acquisitions budgets; Good side to the emergence of multi-volume stories; What series fiction enables authors to do; More.”
Excerpt:  “Series fiction gives authors room to develop complex plots, let characters grow, and change settings with time.”

Cooper, Susan.  “There and Back Again: Tolkien Reconsidered.”  Horn Book Magazine 78.2 (Mar./Apr. 2002): 143 (8pp.).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No.  6336992.
Excerpts:  “I first set eyes on J. R. R. Tolkien when I was eighteen years old, a first-year graduate at the University of Oxford…”—at which point Tolkien had been “Chair of Anglo-Saxon Literature for almost thirty years,” and had been writing The Lord of the Rings, off and on, for fifteen years with no idea that its publication, beginning in 1954, would start “a passionate worldwide cult.”  Cooper believes  “…there is good reason why Tolkien's work remains so popular, why the film-makers have spent all that money on it, and why it has influenced so many fantasy writers…, even those of us who prefer to root our fantastic conflicts in the real world, and in the minds of human beings. . ." "there is tremendous narrative force in the central story of Frodo and Sam struggling on through Middle-earth, facing danger in order to do their part in saving good from evil.”

Corday, Alina.  “Master of Middle Earth.”  Smithsonian 32.10 (Jan. 2002): 76 (6pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 5749860.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Profiles author J.R.R. Tolkien, in light of the release of the motion picture 'The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring,' which is based on his series 'The Lord of the Rings.' Work of Tolkien at Oxford University; Popularity of his books; Belief of Tolkien that his work would be unsuccessful; Success of Tolkien as a linguist; Biographical information.”
Notes: This title is held locally [by COCC Library]

Duriez, Colin.  “J. R. R. Tolkien.”  Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 160: British Children's Writers, 1914-1960.  Ed. Donald R. Hettinga and Gary D. Schmidt.  A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book.   Detroit: The Gale Group, 1996.  254-271.  Rpt. Gale Literature Resource Center [Online Database].  The Gale Group, 2002.

“From Middle English to Middle-earth.”  Report / Newsmagazine (Alberta ed.) 8 July 2002: 4.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002; Article No. 6893894.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Focuses on work done by J.R.R. Tolkien on the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Entries in the OED which were written by Tolkien; Interest of Tolkien in philology; Definition of the word 'hobbit,' which was written by Tolkien.”

Fuller, Graham.  "Trimming Tolkien."  Sight and Sound 12.2 (Feb. 2002): 18+. 
Subtitle:  "The Fellowship of the Ring may be a huge success for Peter Jackson, but what would Tolkien have thought of it, asks Graham Fuller."
Abstract/Excerpts:  The first installment of Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings "is the Misty Mountain top of contemporary mainstream cinema," "streamlining the narrative without deviating from it and evocatively rendering the book's eerie and elegiac atmosphere."  While the film has its drawbacks, it does do "justice to the single most important theme in the book": "Death and Immortality."  In Tolkien's words, "'Large human stories are practically always about one thing, aren't they?  Death, inevitably death.  All men must die, and for every man his death is an accident, an unjustifiable violation.'"  "Death and resurrection--or the magical evasion of death--permeate the film."

George, Michael W. “J. R. R. Tolkien: January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973.”  Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 255: British Fantasy and Science-Fiction Writers, 1918-1960.  A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book.  Ed. Darren Harris Fain.  Detroit: Gale, 2002.  237-250.  Rpt. Gale Literature Resource Center [Online Database].  The Gale Group, 2002.

Grace, Kevin Michael.  “Praising God in Myth.”  Report / Newsmagazine (Alberta ed.): 7 Jan. 2002: 34 (4pp).  Rpt.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5813863
Subtitle:  “Tolkien’s Ring triumphs over the uncomprehending to shed a Christian light on our times.”
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Presents a profile of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of 'The Lord of the Rings,' and discusses how the book is a reflection of the Christian truth inherent in the world. Background information on Tolkien; Popularity of his books; Significance of the friendship between Tolkien and C.S. Lewis; Tolkien's views regarding the truth of myth, specifically Christian myths; The purpose of life, according to Tolkien.”

Heydt, Bruce.  “J. R. R. Tolkien.”  British Heritage 22.6 (Oct./Nov. 2001): 14 (3pp.)  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No.  5135329
Subtitle:  “Tolkien loved England and its people, but in many ways he preferred his own world, populated by elves and hobbits.”
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Focuses on the life and works of British writer John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Educational attainment; Career background; Books published.”

James, Edward.  “J. R. R. Tolkien: Overview.”  St. James Guide to Fantasy Writers.  Ed. David Pringle.  St. James Press, 1996.  Rpt. Gale Literature Resource Center [Online Database].  The Gale Group, 2002.

“The Lord of the Rings.”  Magill Book Reviews 1 Aug. 1990.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 9008011173.
Abstract:  Article gives plot synopses of all three parts of The Lord of the Rings.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “This 3-volume epic fantasy tells of the war against Sauron, the evil Lord of the Rings, and in particular of the hobbit Frodo's quest to destroy the Rings of power by throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom.”

Miller, John J.  “The Truth Beyond Memory.”  National Review 31 Dec. 2001: [Sect. Books, Arts & Manners] 43 (3pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5750720.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Discusses the release of the film `The Fellowship of the Ring,' based on the `Lord of the Rings'  trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. View that the popularity of the film adaptations will annoy some of Tolkien's detractors; Assertion that the film offers entertainment, but the book showcases the most fundamental concerns of the world; Tolkien's intention to create an imaginary world that is fundamentally real.”

Obertino, James.  "Moria and Hades: Underworld Journeys in Tolkien and Virgil."  Comparative Literature Studies 30.2 (1993): 153-169. 
Excerpts:  "To consider the underworld journeys of Aeneas and Frodo is to recognize how much Tolkien resembles Virgil and was probably influenced by him, as well as to see some of the significant differences in catabasis [journey into the underworld of the unconscious] owing to the different political and personal circumstances in the lives of the authors." "The Aeneid's greater optimism matches its era, when Roman civilization was expanding to full stretch.  Tolkien, on the other hand, wrote when the British Empire had begun to wane; pessimism about the present and future and nostalgia for the golden afternoon of pre-1914 England are reflected in his work."

Obertino, James.  “Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Rings.”  Explicator 54.4 (Summer 1996): 230 (4pp.).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002;  Article No. 9611200811.
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Analyzes J.R.R. Tolkien's book `The Fellowship of the Ring.' Implications of character Gandalf's death; Parallel with biblical meaning of heroism in sacrificing one's life for others; Connotations of the place Moria.”
Excerpt:  Obertino argues that Gandalf’s “death through sacrifice” in the mines of Moria is “apparently foolish, yet ultimately wise...for both his friends and the good all Middle Earth….”

Pearl, Nancy.  “In Tragedy’s Wake: Literature’s Consolation.”  Library Journal 126.17 (15 Oct. 2001): 136.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002;  Article No. 5389520.
Abstract: Pearl reviews several books, including The Lord of the Rings, that can offer consolation in times of personal sorrow or public tragedy.  At such times, readers may need "an escape from the terrible reality of the present. Perhaps this is the best that literature can give us: some way of getting through the present until we are ready to cope with what has occurred."  The Lord of the Rings "recounts a great battle between good and evil, in which good does eventually triumph against great odds but only with equally great losses, including the loss of innocence."

Poudrier, Almira F.  “The Virtue of the Weaponed Hero.”  Humanist 61.4 (July/Aug. 2001): 35 (3pp).  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 4776698.
EBSCOHost Abstract: “Discusses the connection between weapon and hero. Analysis of the poem `Lord of the Rings,' by J. R. R. Tolkien; Status of weapons during the Middle Ages; Why the gun as the weapon of choice is beginning to lose its charm; Superheroes of animation and comic books who do not use guns.”
Excerpts: King-in-exile Aragorn [AKA Strider], the wandering hero, is unbreakably identified with a broken sword “and its renewal shall mean the restoration of the rightful king to the throne.”   “In fact, all [The Lord of the Rings]’s major characters carry weapons, even the humble hobbits.”  “Although Tolkien's story is a very modern one, the association of hero and killing tool is a very old one,”  and “the power of the weaponed hero”  is still felt today.  “We love them, we fear them, and we can't ignore them. Those who wish to get rid of guns in movies need to come up with other stories, heroes with other types of weapons or no weapons at all…. this process is already underway, and with some other much-welcomed changes, such as the rising prominence of the female cast as hero.”

Sibley, Robert.  “A Major Mythmaker for Today.”  Rev. of J. R. R. Tolkien: The Man Who Created The Lord of the Rings. 
By Michel Coren.  New York: Stoddart Publishing, 2001.  Report / Newsmagazine (National ed.) 19 Nov. 2001: 58.  
Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article No. 5565118.

Excerpts:  “In unpretentious, jargon-free style, Mr. Coren tells of Tolkien's early life in South Africa, where he was born in 1892; the deaths of his parents when he was still a boy; his years as a student at Oxford and as a soldier in the First World War; his great love for his wife Edith; his blossoming academic reputation as a linguist and philologist; and how, before his death in 1973, his myth-creating genius made him one of the most popular writers in history.”  “Does J.R.R. Tolkien's half-century-old story about a band of brothers on a quest to destroy the source of evil in their world have anything to say to us today as we confront the terrorist threat to the West?” –both Coren and reviewer Sibley say, yes.

Turner, Paula S.  “Inventing an Alphabet, Real or Pretend.”  Christian Science Monitor 27 Nov. 2001: 22.  Rpt. EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, Article No. 5556708.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Discusses the invention of alphabets, including an Elvish alphabet which was invented by J.R.R. Tolkien.”

    " 'In a hole in the ground / there lived a hobbit.'
"It was an idle scribble on the blank page of a school examination paper.
Sitting by the window of his study on a summer day in the early 1930s,
a thin-faced Oxford professor let his mind wander from correcting papers
and into a world that would become Middle-earth."
--Pamela S. Turner, "Visit the Birthplace of The Lord of the Rings."

Turner, Pamela S.  “Visit the Birthplace of The Lord of the Rings.”  Christian Science Monitor 27 Nov. 2001: 17.  Rpt.  EBSCOHost Academic Search Elite, 2002: Article No. 5556704.
EBSCOHost Abstract:  “Describes sites in Oxford, England which were frequented by J.R.R. Tolkien, author of 'The Lord of the Rings,' including the Eagle and Child Pub.”
Excerpt:  "The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are among the most widely read and loved books of the 20th century.  It's estimated that more than 100 million people have read the epic tales, which have been translated into 40 languages."  . . . “What would Tolkien think of the new, high-budget film? No doubt, the spectacular computer-generated effects would impress. But in the end, Tolkien would probably prefer his own private vision of Middle-earth.”

Unwin, Rayner.  “Tolkien and His Publisher: A Forty-Year Relationship.  Logos 10.4 (1999): 200-210.  Rpt. OCLC FirstSearch, Article No. BLIB00001544.
Abstract:  Publisher Rayner Unwin (1925-2000) recounts his long professional association and friendship with J. R. R. Tolkien—from its beginnings when, as a child, Rayner first reviewed The Hobbit for his publisher-father, who “believed that children were the best judges of children’s books.”

J. R. R. Tolkien & The Fellowship of the Ring,
being the first part of The Lord of the Rings (Novel & Film)
Tolkien Bibliography 1. Print Sources by & about Tolkien | 2. Web Sources & Online Articles
3. Sources Recommended by ENG 104 Students
 Tolkien Fellowship Study Guides: 1. Prologue & Book One | 2. Book Two
Peter Jackson's Film Adaptation: Web Sources, Film Reviews & Related Articles
Reviews of Sources: Students' Critical Reviews of Sources
for further study of Tolkien & The Lord of the Rings
ENG 104 Home

You are here: Tolkien Bibliography 2. Web Sources & Online Periodical Articles
URL of this webpage:  http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/eng104/Tolkien2.htm
Last Updated: 11 September 2003

Copyright © 1997-2003, Cora Agatucci, Professor of English
Humanities Department, Central Oregon Community College
Please address comments on web contents & links to Cora Agatucci
For technical problems with this web, contact COCC webhelp