Reading Materials Your Instructor has carefully selected materials for the course to enhance your learning experience.Materials You Will Need:
Your instructor has chosen these materials for in-depth use in this course and will refer to them in lessons and reading assignments. These materials are also used for class lessons, assignments and message board discussions. You should obtain these materials before your course session begins.
Title: The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Boxed Set
Product Type: PaperbackSynopsis: More than the most widely read and influential fantasy story of all time, The Lord of the Rings is arguably the most memorable and endearing tale ever written. Originally published in 1954 and drawing upon primal traditions of myth and legend, it set the framework upon which all epic/quest fantasy since has been built.
MATERIALS FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION:
Your instructor also recommends these materials for further exploration of course topics.
Title: J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century
Product Type: PaperbackSynopsis: This thoughtful book examines The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map, as a twisted web of story, and as a response to the meaning of myth. Tom Shippey presents a unique argument to explain the nature of evil and gives readers a compelling insight into the complicated interweaving of the many strands of the story.
Title: The History of the Lord of the Rings
Product Type: PaperbackSynopsis: Here is the story behind the creation of one of the most popular books of the 20th century, as told by J.R.R. Tolkien's son, whose unprecedented access to his father's estate allowed him to compile this four-volume set of rough drafts, unpublished passages, and other literary odds and ends that add greatly to a thorough understanding of the saga.
Title: J.R.R. Tolkien
Product Type: PaperbackSynopsis: To write this definitive biography, Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Lord Of The Rings and The Silmarillion and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.
Title: The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Product Type: PaperbackSynopsis: Over the years Tolkien wrote a mass of letters -- to his publishers, his family, to friends, and to fans of his books -- which record the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events. Now newly expanded with a detailed index, this collection provides an invaluable record that sheds new light on Tolkien's creative genius.