Which Shippey book should I get?

[kzer_za]

Road to Middle-earth or Author of the Century or another one? I haven't really read any secondary work on Tolkien besides Fonstad's atlas (and a bit of Christopher's stuff if that counts).

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

I've read them both 3 or so times, and recommend them highly. If you can only purchase one, buy The Road to Middle-earth. Promise yourself to purchase Author of the Century when you are able. Why that order? Primarily, because that's the order in which they were published.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Well, it's a little more complicated than that, actually. Yes, the Road to Middle-earth was originally published first, but it has been significantly revised twice since then, and the current third edition, actually incorporates quite a bit of material from Author of the Century. Overall, Road to Middle-earth is more scholarly and somewhat more difficult to get through, but a superior book overall. But both are great.

Let me also, as usual, put a plug in for Verlyn Flieger (who had the great pleasure to finally meet this weekend) who I think is the only person who is Shippey's equal in terms of insight into Tolkien's work. They both come from different directions, so their work is very complementary.

[tumhalad]

Brian Rosebury is an English scholar in Britain, his work, Tolkien: A Cultural Phenomenon, is I think actually better than Shippey and Flieger. Unfortunately it seems to be less well known, and he isn't really a part of the "Tolkien scholar" club.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Rosebury's book is excellent, and it actually is well thought of in the Tolkien's scholarship community. He provided (on invitation) the lead essay in Tolkien Studies, Volume 5, a paper on Revenge and Moral Judgement in Tolkien. However, while I like A Cultural Phenomenon a lot, it doesn't in my opinion have anywhere's near the depth of either Shippey's or Flieger's work.

But they are all worth reading!

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Well, it's a little more complicated than that, actually. Yes, the Road to Middle-earth was originally published first, but it has been significantly revised twice since then...

Yes, I understand that it was revised and expanded in 2003 after The History of Middle-earth came out which provided great detail on Tolkien's writing methods. I have only read this edition. Regardless, I'd still recommend reading 'Road' first.

I also suggest, if you have not already acquired them, purchasing Humphrey Carpenter's J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography and The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Being at least somewhat familiar with these will help you when you read Shippey. Even if you don't read Shippey they're must-haves for any Tolkien fan.

Overall, Road to Middle-earth is more scholarly and somewhat more difficult to get through...

You really think so? The aspect of Shippey's writing that I found so amazing was that he was able to take complex subjects and explain them in very clear, plain language. In my opinion that's a gift. (I'm obviously a HUGE Shippey fan. )

Let me also, as usual, put a plug in for Verlyn Flieger (who had the great pleasure to finally meet this weekend) who I think is the only person who is Shippey's equal in terms of insight into Tolkien's work. They both come from different directions, so their work is very complementary.

I'm familiar with Verlyn Flieger by name but I don't think I've read any of her stuff. Can you recommend which book of hers I should read first? Perhaps Splintered Light?

A friend of mine loaned me a book a few years ago, I think it was Perilous Realms: Celtic and Norse in Tolkien's Middle-earth by Marjorie Burns. I did not care for it at all.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I completely agree with the suggestion to read Carpenter's biography, and Tolkien's letters, both of which are completely essential.

And I agree too that Shippey is very good at explaining complex subjects. But Author of the Century was definitely designed for a much broader audience that Road to Middle-earth.

As for Verlyn Flieger, while I highly recommend all of her books (and am greatly looking forward to her new book Green Suns and Fairy due out next month), I would probably recommend Splintered Light first. And if it seems dense and difficult to get into in the beginning, perservere. It is worth it.

[kzer_za]

Quite a reading list you guys have! I only want to get one secondary book right now and I figured Shippey was the best because people bring him up the most, but maybe the biography be a better starting point?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Either way, you can't go wrong.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

No, you certainly can't go wrong. However, I'd read the biography first.

[Morwenna]

I'd say the biography, then Road to Middle-Earth. I adore Shippey, and I blew the one chance that came my way to hear him speak in person (last year's Boskone in Boston MA) because of unavoidable crises at home. I've read a lot of books on Tolkien over the years, many of which had great insights, but Shippey tops them all, so far.

The only thing I have by Flieger is Splintered Light. Believe it or not, I was disappointed to find it had less to say about LOTR and more about Sil. Of course I may be misremembering, because I haven't read it in years. But this is not at all meant to denigrate her work; it's just that at that time I was looking for something else.

For the record, I first read The Hobbit and LOTR in 1967, as a college student.

[CosmicBob]

Just started reading Author Of The Century for the first time. I don't have The Road To Middle-Earth, though I plan to get it.

Quite enjoying Author so far. I am also finding myself in agreement with his conclusion, that Tolkien was the author of the 20th century. But I will be the first to admit bias, since he's my favorite author.

[CosmicBob]

I finished Author Of The Century and was somewhat disappointed in it. Maybe it wasn't what I expected, but from the introduction it seemed like he was going to be making the case that Tolkien should be the author of the century.

I don't feel he really did that, and while I happen to think that Tolkien was the author of the century, I don't think this book would change many people's minds who might not think that.

He did have some good points and some interesting insights into Tolkien's writing and sources. And I liked his point that because there really isn't much study of philology in academic circles, no one is likely to approach Tolkien in terms of depth when creating a world. But I don't think he made a strong case that Tolkien should be THE author of the century. He didn't really prove to me why being a philologist helps so much, so much that Tolkien should be the author of the century. I think the philology background might have made the case that Tolkien should be the Fantasy author of the century.

And did he only mean British authors? Because there was little discussion of Americans, save for Vonnegut and Heller. He saved most of his comparisons for Joyce. No Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner etc.

At least he didn't propose George RR Martin as the "American Tolkien"! Nothing cheeses me off more than such a comparison.

It's not like I disagreed with his thesis, so I should be an easy target, I just don't think he proved it. But he does know his stuff with respect to Tolkien's sources/inspirations.

[Alatar]

Joyce was British? When did that happen?

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Quite enjoying Author so far. I am also finding myself in agreement with his conclusion, that Tolkien was the author of the 20th century. But I will be the first to admit bias, since he's my favorite author.

It's been awhile since I last read it, but doesn't Shippey explain that Tokien is not the author of the 20th Century, but an author of the 20th Century?

[CosmicBob]

Quite enjoying Author so far. I am also finding myself in agreement with his conclusion, that Tolkien was the author of the 20th century. But I will be the first to admit bias, since he's my favorite author.

It's been awhile since I last read it, but doesn't Shippey explain that Tokien is not the author of the 20th Century, but an author of the 20th Century?

Conceivably I missed that point. But I had thought he wanted to make the point Tolkien was the author. Otherwise, it's pretty obvious he's an author. Unless he meant to say that Tolkien, though writing high fantasy based on the older sagas, was writing with 20th century sensibilities.

Though why he would call the book Author Of The Century would be baffling to me in that case. If that's what he meant, I think the title is confusing.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Unless he meant to say that Tolkien, though writing high fantasy based on the older sagas, was writing with 20th century sensibilities.

Something along those lines. IIRC Shippey makes the point that the work of authors like Tolkien, Vonnegut, et al were informed by their experiences with WWI and WWII. For example, Tolkien participated in the Battle of the Somme, while Vonnegut was in Dresden during the Allied bombings.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, he makes that point, but he also definitely tries to argue that Tolkien is THE author of the century. A waste of time, as far as I am concerne. One reason why I greatly prefer Road to Middle-earth.

[Old_Tom_Bombadil]

Yes, he makes that point, but he also definitely tries to argue that Tolkien is THE author of the century.

Does he? I guess I'll have to go back and read it again. Some day.

Of course I have a number of other books I'd like to read first, including your book which still resides on my Amazon Wish List. Right now I'm reading Tolkien and Wales: Language, Literature and Identity, but as I don't read nearly as much as I used to it is taking me some time. I also have a copy of Shippey's Roots and Branches that I'm planning to read. I'd also like to get around to purchasing and reading Verlyn Flieger's Splintered Light, also on my Wish List.

Books I own, started to read, but did not finish are Jesse L. Byock's translation of Snorri Sturluson's The Prose Edda, and Middle-earth Minstrel edited by Bradford Lee Eden. I own but have not yet started Tolkien and the Study of His Sources edited by Jason Fisher and Keith Bosley's translation of Elias Lönnrot's The Kalevala.

At the rate I'm going that should keep me busy for (at least) the next five years .