Understanding The Lord of the Rings

Edited by Tolkien scholars Rose A. Zimbardo and Neil D. Isaacs, this book spans fifty years of critical reaction, from the first publication of The Fellowship of the Ring through the release of Peter Jackson's film trilogy. Fans and scholars alike will appreciate these important, insightful, and timely pieces, including works from a wide range of voices: - W. H. Auden's classic, admiring essay on the true nature of the hero quest - C. S. Lewis on the value of myth - Edmund Fuller on the nature of the fairy tale - Marion Zimmer Bradley on hero worship - Tom Shippey on the film trilogy