Tolkienists.org

The nature of Middle-earth: ed. Carl F. Hostetter

— review by Nancy Martsch

9 December 2021 | Beyond Bree, December, 2021, 5

The Nature of Middle-earth is a collection of Tolkien’s writings, edited and with comments by Carl Hostetter. It has been called the 13th volume in The History of Middle-earth series and The Return of the King, Extra Appendices.” (Joseph Major, Alexiad” Oct 21, p. 3) This book does not contain tales, unfinished or otherwise, polished philosophical debates, or lengthy chronicles. It is, to use a cinematic analogy, an assortment of screen tests, outtakes, and bits from the cutting room floor. One will find everything from Tolkien working through an idea at length, only to reject it in the end, to short paragraphs excised from already published works.…

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date recorded 📅2021-12-31
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