In the middle of November, I talked about Tolkien’s WWI experiences and their impact into their writing. With the live action adaptation of The Hobbit released into theaters soon, it makes sense to look at how The Hobbit was written in the first place. It’s an interesting story, with a bunch of twists and turns.
Go read There and Back Again: A Hobbit’s Tale over on Kirkus Reviews.
Here are the sources that I used and would recommend:
The Annotated Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien and Douglas A. Anderson: This edition of The Hobbit has received the annotated treatment. I was a big fan of the Annotated Dracula, and this edition has some good insights into the creation of the book.
The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Chronology, by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond: This massive volume was an invaluable resource in determining where Tolkien went during his time in combat. It’s detailed down to the day in most cases, with an overwhelming amount of information.
The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: Reader’s Guide, by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond: This second companion book was also great for background information on Tolkien’s friends and some of his influences.
J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, by Humphrey Carpenter: This book was one that I came across years ago, and it still remains one of the definitive biographies of the author, with a comprehensive and readable detailing of his life and works.
J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, by Tom Shippey: This book provided some good background information on Tolkien and his influences in the War.
For the real Tolkien nut (like me), the Tolkien Professor is a podcast by a university professor who teaches tolkien. There are a series of lectures on the hobbit that is many hours long and very interesting. They are on his website here:
http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/wp/lectures/the-hobbit/
and on itunes here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tolkien-professor/id320513707
There are also lectures on many other Tolkien related topics!