This study "adds an important voice to the growing body of Tolkien scholarship," covering the author's life, influences, and original mythology (The Boston Globe).
J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy adventure, The Lord of the Rings, is universally regarded as one of history's best-loved literary works. Now medieval scholar and Tolkien expert Christopher Snyder presents the most in-depth exploration yet of Tolkien's source materials for Middle-earth—from the languages, poetry, and mythology of medieval Europe and ancient Greece to the halls of Oxford and the battlefields of World War I. Fueled by the author's passion for all things Tolkien, this richly illustrated book also reveals the surprisingly pervasive influence of Tolkien's timeless fantasies on modern culture.