This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but millions of other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in.

Get it for less! Order it used
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Tolkien's War: J.R.R.Tolkien and the Great War
  

Tolkien's War: J.R.R.Tolkien and the Great War (Paperback)

by John Garth (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.


Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 7 used & new from £4.01
Paperback (New edition) £7.99 £7.99 17 used & new from £2.99

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

J R R Tolkien: A Biography

J R R Tolkien: A Biography

by Humphrey Carpenter
5.0 out of 5 stars (9)  £5.49
Tolkien: Man and Myth

Tolkien: Man and Myth

by Joseph Pearce
The Road to Middle-Earth: How J. R. R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology

The Road to Middle-Earth: How J. R. R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology

by T.A. Shippey
5.0 out of 5 stars (3)  £7.69
J.R.R.Tolkien: Author of the Century

J.R.R.Tolkien: Author of the Century

by T.A. Shippey
5.0 out of 5 stars (7)  £7.19
The Children of Hurin

The Children of Hurin

by J.R.R. Tolkien
3.8 out of 5 stars (59)  £4.85
Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd; New Ed edition (1 Oct 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0007172435
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007172436
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 2,996,422 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
John Garth's Tolkien and the Great War will certainly captivate the millions of new captives of the Lord of the Rings saga, who have been roped into JRR Tolkien's fantasy world as the result of Peter Jackson's three-part cinematic interpretation, but it's written more for those who've long been enthralled by Middle-earth and its fantastic denizens. While many early readers found parallels between World War II and the Lord of the Rings fairy tale, Garth reaches back to World War I to find the deep roots in Middle-earth. Prior to the Great War, Tolkien was a scholar with a deep passion for language and fables; with a few school pals he formed a literary circle dubbed the Tea Club and Barrovian Society. Its members had the misfortune of coming of age just as the war was reaching a fevered pitch; Tolkien, a second lieutenant in the British army, survived the bloody Battle of the Somme, which took the lives of two of his closest friends. Garth adeptly chronicles how the devastation Tolkien witnessed helped shape the mythic tale that was already brewing in his mind. Written with a seriousness one associates with the time it chronicles, Tolkien and the Great War is an erudite but eminently readable exploration of how the harsh reality of the early 20th century coloured one of the beloved fantasies of the modern era. --Steven Stolder, Amazon.com

Synopsis
A biography exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's wartime experiences and their impact on his life and his writing of "The Lord of The Rings". The period of Tolkien's life in which he fought in The Great War has remained largely unexplored and unresearched by his many and various biographers. This volume concentrates specifically on this period life and relates it to his creation of some of the world's best-loved literary works. Having lost many of his friends from school and university in the First World War, this, coupled with his time spent as a signaller in the Royal Lancashire Fusiliers, had a profound impact on him. As did, it would seem, the writing of G.B. Smith, a close friend who was sadly lost in the War. Invalided home from the Somme,Tolkien was able to reflect on his life, and John Garth argues that, far from being a flight of fancy, "The Lord of The Rings" is, in fact, a product of his wartime experiences and stands as a great war novel.

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting read, 28 Mar 2006
By A Customer
An interesting analysis and certainly the most detailed outline of Tolkien's wartime experiences I've come across. Rather too willing to view Tolkien's early poetry uncritically though - Tom Shippey takes a more balanced approach and admits it isn't very good, even if it is useful for looking at Tolkien's development. Also rather unfair on the 'War Poets' in the final section, notably Wilfred Owen. Nonetheless, I'd recommend this to anyone interested in knowing more about the genesis of Tolkien's ideas and the influence of the First World War upon him.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A more specialized study than the title suggests, 4 Oct 2004
Janet Brennan Croft, War and the Works of JRR Tolkien, is far better than Garth in its discussion of the effect of the Great War on Tolkien's works.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Review, 19 Nov 2004
Having only read Humphrey Carpenter's biography of JRR Tolkien prior to this one I don't think I came to a full appreciation of how deep the Great War's influence on Tolkien was until I read it. As the Amazon review says, this is for people who have read deeper into Tolkien than LOTR - its for people who at least know the structure of the works contained in the 12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth Tolkien's son Christopher has been painstakingly putting together since the death of his father.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


The Body Shop

The Body Shop - Vitamin C Skin Boost
Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

Shop The Body Shop

 

Make A Wish

Get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List Make sure you always get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List.

More info on Wish Lists

 

Boys Smell

Lynx Africa Body Spray and After Shave Gift set
But we make sure they smell good...

Discover male grooming at Amazon.co.uk

 

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

Learn more about Gift Certificates

 
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates