Book – The Tolkien reader

Book – The Tolkien reader 

Author: J.R.R Tolkien

Score:6/10

Publisher: Del Rey

ISBN 978-0-345-34506-6

Pages XI-251 (let me precise that the book starts at pages VII-XVII for the various intros, hence make up only 11 pages) 

Language: English 

Part essay part fiction, The Tolkien reader brings forth writings that had previously gone out of print. 

This mixture isn't of the same quality as his masterpieces, and at times a bit tedious to read.
The illustrations are all black and white, and not very easily decipherable.  

Table of contents, alongside the page numbers, and notes about my reading experience. 

VII Publisher's note 
IX Tolkien's magic ring, by Peter Beagle

>> 

• 1 The homecoming of Beorthynoth Beorthelm's son - First fiction, deals with a battle of 991, and is quite a difficult read - not withstanding the names but also the style of writing, rather long winded and becomes a bit boring. I don't plan to re-read it and don't recall much of its details from my only reading of it last year. (2016)

>> 29 Tree and leaf : 

• 33 Tolkien proposes an essay about fairy-tales, their nature, possible origins and roles it can fulfill in fiction. Some footnotes are scattered about, and 8 notes about specific passages are gathered in pages 91-99 at the end of the essay.

• 100 Leaf by Niggle. Through the tale of Niggle, a painter with a good heart and who can never say no to anyone's requests, ending up side tracked in his one obsession : a painting of a leaf that turned into something much bigger. This tale isn't of Tolkien's poetic style as of yet ; it actually starts in one direction and takes a different one, out of the blue, leaving no suspense but a sense that Tolkien was actually talking about his own one obsession : writing the Lord of the Rings, and being interrupted in his inspirations by many other projects... It could be only my interpretation of it, though. It can also be an exercise into writing, flexing his mind ; or about putting one's time into one's talents and skills whilst one can.

>> 121 Farmer Giles of Ham -

• 123-124 Forward 
• 125-187 Farmer Giles of Ham ; this portion tells of Aegidius De Hammo, aka the titular farmer, and his encounters first with a giant and then with a dragon, both who threaten to ravage his village of Ham. This story style is much more basic than the Hobbit and LOTR, but shows some of Tolkien's research into character development and fascinations with myth, beasts and the notions of heroic acts by non-heroic people, in this case, a farmer. 

I disliked the farmer and his wife's abuse and threats they make towards their speaking dog in a few passages, though he comes to warn of the dangers. 

There are, however, interesting comments regarding Giles and his constant excuses not to go to his pressing tasks and the character evolution that occurs during this short tale. 

>> 189 The adventures of Tom Bombadil and other verses from the Red Book 

• 191-194 Preface 
• 197-251 the adventures of Tom Bomdadil 

As I loved the chapter in which Frodo Baggins meets Tom Bombadil in the Fellowship of the ring (the first book in the Lord of the Rings), I expected a lot from the title ''the adventures of'...' for this section.  

I was sadly disappointed that instead of a poetic tale, Tolkien offered 16 poems, only the first 2 of which actually feature Tom. These two are the best of the 16 poems, with cleverest rhymes and stories, whilst the other 14 vary greatly in quality and their rhymes are harder to follow. 

Sometimes, they are actually heavy and I was skimming through, to finish faster. 

Three of these poems also appear in the LOTR, whilst all these 14 non-Tom poems are bestiary verse and fairy tale rhymes. 

>>

All in all, the Tolkien reader isn't so pleasant to read. It gives a slight insight into JRR's writings, in fiction and essay. My favorite part is actually the essay about fairy-tales and subsequent Leaf by Niggle. They were the most pleasant to read in this book and had better story telling as well as characters ; whilst the first portion was quite difficult to follow with the historic fiction of Beorthynoth, inspired by the old English poem of the Battle of Maldon - and which in turn was a real battle in 991 (AD). 

Although some of the dialogues between the two characters can be of interest, their style is really heavy and devoid of the magic that I came to love and expect from Tolkien's writings. 

Here's the breakdown of the dates of publications of the various portions from the Tolkien reader (itself from 1966), followed by my scores :

The homecoming of Beorthynoth Beorthelm's son > October 1953 > 5/10. I wish it was more interesting, really.

Tree and leaf > May 1965>  essay 8 & tale 8/10, a lot more engaging than the rest of the book 

Farmer Giles of Ham > written 1937, published in 49. Written during the composition of the Hobbit ; in my opinion, an evident sketch and research into storytelling and characters. As the farmer and his wife are so unlikable and the style didn't attract me much, I must score it only 6.

The Tales of Tom Bombadil and other verses from the Red Book > November 1962. The title of the tales is doubly erroneous, I think. First, they are poems, and secondly, only 2 are about Tom himself. With a majority of 14 without him, the ''other verses'' part which wasn't announced on the book cover but inside really come too late.
Due to the various remarks I made above, I again have to be rather severe and score 5/10.

Hence 5+8+8+6+5 = 32 /5 = medium 6/10.