UNITED KINGDOM AUTHOR · HISTORY AND CRITICISM · FANTASY FICTION
Tom Shippey
Also known as: Tom Shippey, Tom Allen
Thomas Alan Shippey is a British scholar of medievalism, of medieval literature, including that of Anglo-Saxon England, and of modern fantasy and science fiction. In particular he is widely considered one of the world's leading academic scholars on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien about whom he has written several books and many scholarly papers. - Wikipedia
So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
— from Beowulf
Most acclaimed
J.R.R. Tolkien
"Recent polls have consistently declared that J. R. R. Tolkien is "the most influential author of the century" and The Lord of the Rings is "the book of the century." In support of these claims, Tom Shippey, a prominent medievalist and scholar of fantasy, now presents us with a fascinating companion to the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, focusing in particular on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.". "The core of the book consists of three chapters that examine The Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural map, as a twisted web of story, and as a response to the meaning of myth. Shippey presents a unique argument to explain the nature of evil and gives readers a compelling insight into the complicated interweaving of the many strands of the story. Other chapters examine The Hobbit, explaining the hobbits' anachronistic relationship to the heroic world of Middle-earth; show the fundamental importance of The Silmarillion to Tolkien's canon; and take an illuminating look at Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, and other lesser-known works in connection with Tolkien's life."--BOOK JACKET.
Beowulf
" More than one hundred glorious images, many of objects dating from the time of the story, enhance Seamus Heaney's masterful best-selling translation. Composed toward the end of the first millennium, Beowulf is the elegiac narrative of the Scandinavian hero who saves the Danes from the seemingly invincible monster Grendel and, later, from Grendel's mother. Drawn to its immense emotional credibility, Seamus Heaney gives the great epic convincing reality for the reader. But how to visualize the poet's story has always been a challenge for modern-day readers. In Beowulf: An Illustrated Edition, John D. Niles, a scholar of old English, brings Heaney's remarkable, best-selling translation to life. More than one hundred full-page illustrations-Viking warships, chain mail, lyres, spearheads, even a reconstruction of the Great Hall-make visible Beowulf's world and the elemental themes of his story: death, divine power, horror, heroism, disgrace, devotion, and fame. Now this mysterious world is transformed into one that only becomes more amazing after viewing its elegant goblets, dragon images, finely crafted gold jewelry, and the Danish landscape of its origins."--Publisher's website. Presents a translation of the Anglo-Saxon epic chronicling the heroic adventures of Beowulf, the Scandinavian warrior who saves his people from the ravages of the monster Grendel and Grendel's mother, with illustration of ancient artifacts from the time period.