Rating: 
Summary: Top top work by Shippey.
Review: Just what I hoped for when I purchased the book! A very readable book about Tolkien with a good prespective.
Thoroughly enjoyed! ... and passed on to friends.
Rating: 
Summary: Lucent, insightful, but a bit academic.
Review: Mr. Shippey has authored a volume of great interest to all Tolkien readers and fans. He elegantly accounts for various aspects of Tolkien's writing, including his image of evil, mythology, and how Tolkien used his encyclopedic knowledge of philology & old english texts to compose 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'. In addition there are interesting comments relating to how Tolkien's works were initially rejected by the literary community. The only small minus is that the level of
academic detail is occasionally perhaps too deep for the book to be of general interest.It is however curious how 'The Lord of the Rings' seems to escape analysis. Even after reading Mr. Shippey's very good book, it still seems to me a miracle that such a gigantic and brilliant work of fantasy could ever be written.
Rating:
Summary: For the serious Tolkien fan, absolutely recommended
Review: Perhaps the single most important reason I loved this book is that now I can explain more coherently to the uninitiated why Tolkien is such a great author. I think a lot of us have an intuitive understanding of why we like the Lord of the Rings so much, but it defies simple explanation. Shippey dives into the tremendous subtlety of the books, explaining much of the background, many of the inspirations, and generally getting into the mind of Tolkien and thinking deeply about the Lord of the Rings. This is tremendously refreshing, since Tolkien's works have managed to escape serious study by being looked down upon in most academic circles, and yet being subtle and complex enough that those of us without a serious literary, philosophical, or philological background could certainly use the help. I have only two complaints about the book, and I mention them only to make it easier to read. Firstly, much like Senior's analysis of Donaldson's Covenent books (also recommended, and Shippey cites him - although amusingly Shippey seems to have as weak a grasp of Donaldson as Senior does of Tolkien), the first chapter gets a little bogged down in a rather irrelevant and needlessly defensive justification of the fantasy genre. This is emminently skipable. Secondly, once Shippey gets through the Lord of the Rings and starts wading into the Silmarillion, things get a little obscure and tedious even for the serious fan (and I have even read and enjoyed the Silmarillion). Still, this is in contrast to the remainder of the book which is wonderfully and amazingly insightful, and very helpful for truly appreciating and understanding one of the 20th Century's great masterpieces. This is the best attempt at literary criticism of such a popular book that I have read. Anyone who has read the trilogy more than once should absolutely read this book, and it gets the highest possible recommendation from me.
Rating:
Summary: A noteworthy accomplishment
Review: Seldom does a writer produce a work of scholarship that is actually enjoyable enough to read twice, yet in "Author of the Century" Shippey has done precisely that. This book is fascinating, insightful, pithy and at times quite funny. Not only does Dr. Shippey transport the reader into Middle Earth, he familiarizes us with Tolkien's professional world, a world in which he has travelled personally as Tolkien's professional heir. Shippey illustrates brilliantly the ways in which "The Lord of the Rings" is truly a product of the 20th century and should be viewed as one of the seminal works of our time. He does this while at the same time demonstrating the ways in which Tolkien drew from the hoard of literary and mythical traditions with which he was so familiar. The many influences and reflections of the languages, histories, literatures and myths of medieval and pre-medieval Europe are discussed in a manner that is appealing to both literary scholars and those who simply love Tolkien's fiction for the pure joy of story. Shippey's understanding of Middle Earth is matched by few and his understanding of both Middle Earth AND Tolkien's professional life may be matched by none. I give this book my whole-hearted endorsement to anyone who enjoys Tolkien, heroic literature, fantasy fiction or medieval studies. I suggest you, as a potential reader, consider the reviews written on this site alone and listen to their advice. It is worth noting that only two of 18 reviewers to date have given Shippey's book less than 4 stars, and I would point out that one particular reviewer has written his own book (which is complete drivel) on Middle Earth and thus is biased. This is definitely a 4+ star work of scholarship.
Rating:
Summary: A noteworthy accomplishment
Review: Seldom does a writer produce a work of scholarship that is actually enjoyable enough to read twice, yet in "Author of the Century" Shippey has done precisely that. This book is fascinating, insightful, pithy and at times quite funny. Not only does Dr. Shippey transport the reader into Middle Earth, he familiarizes us with Tolkien's professional world, a world in which he has travelled personally as Tolkien's professional heir. Shippey illustrates brilliantly the ways in which "The Lord of the Rings" is truly a product of the 20th century and should be viewed as one of the seminal works of our time. He does this while at the same time demonstrating the ways in which Tolkien drew from the hoard of literary and mythical traditions with which he was so familiar. The many influences and reflections of the languages, histories, literatures and myths of medieval and pre-medieval Europe are discussed in a manner that is appealing to both literary scholars and those who simply love Tolkien's fiction for the pure joy of story. Shippey's understanding of Middle Earth is matched by few and his understanding of both Middle Earth AND Tolkien's professional life may be matched by none. I give this book my whole-hearted endorsement to anyone who enjoys Tolkien, heroic literature, fantasy fiction or medieval studies. I suggest you, as a potential reader, consider the reviews written on this site alone and listen to their advice. It is worth noting that only two of 18 reviewers to date have given Shippey's book less than 4 stars, and I would point out that one particular reviewer has written his own book (which is complete drivel) on Middle Earth and thus is biased. This is definitely a 4+ star work of scholarship.
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien did not use the past, he recreated it and related it
Review: Shippey has written an outstanding book tht shows how the study of words has lead to the recreation of a lost past great literature of England. It is as if we had a great painting in tatters and someone had filled in the gaps. Now all who read it can see how he tied this great tradition withour modern concerns. Many popular books are common, but this is special. To consider some details, Shippey notes tht Denethor goes mad because he "sees" tht Frodo has been taken captive by Sauron. Many miss that point. He is also excellent in describing the Council of Rivendell and its wonderful construction to use discourse to carry plot and inform readers. I think he is very aware of some of the contemporary writers, but miss any mention of Heinlein, Clarke or Asimov. All who were influenced by Tolkien. His discussion of other Toolkien's writings, such as Lief by Nigle, is clear and makes a point that they are also important contributions. Anyone who likes Tolkien should have this close at hand. And if they don not like Tolkien, this may give them something to think about. Poor Edmund Wilson, his daughter gained much more than he did. How did his learning cause his mind to shut out so much good? I think of Wilson and wonder what I may be missing with similar blinders.
Rating:
Summary: A spirited defense of a popular author & his readers
Review: Shippey's argument that Tolkien was the foremost author of the 20th century has surely raised hackles among professors of literature: after all, fantasy is even more reviled than science fiction among high culture's arbiters of taste. Shippey martials an impressive body of evidence to support his claim that Tolkien deserves to be considered a great author on the grounds of influence, literary quality, and relevance to the burning social issues of his day; he also demonstrates that Tolkien's works are, for stories set in an imaginary past, almost perversely cutting-edge in their social, artistic, and intellectual concerns. Along the way, he also directs some (IMO) satisfyingly sarcastic remarks at the snobbery of a literary-critical establishment that ignores the literature read by the vast majority of readers. I enjoyed these as much as I enjoyed Shippey's perceptive analysis of Tolkien's works, which increased my appreciation for the ingenuity and artistry of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. All in all, the book left me looking forward to rereading Tolkien's works with greater relish than ever. I am not sure whether someone who has not suffered through a doctoral program in English would get the same kick out of this book that I did. However, by the standards of lit crit, it is wondrously readable; and fans of Tolkien should enjoy a book that defends not only the author we love, but ourselves as readers, as well.
Rating:
Summary: Author of the Century?
Review: Some will say that Joyce's Ulysses is the greatest novel of the 20th century; by some standards, that may be so, but it is also a rather unaccessible work. Tolkien, on the other hand may be enjoyed on many levels; that is why he can be liked by pre-teens and adults equally. Certainly, there are few modern authors who have had such a long-standing avid following as J.R.R. Tolkien. With essentially only two major works - The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien has become a favorite of many. Is he deserving of such popularity? This book argues yes. Many with the academic credentials of Shippey would not deign to suggest that Tolkien's works are more than trivial fantasy. That Shippey does not so easily dismiss these books adds credibility to his arguments. Shippey breaks down what would qualify an author as Author of the Century - such things as ability, popularity and influence - and shows why Tolkien fits well into this niche. Shippey examines the key four books of Tolkien's as well as his more minor works. While doing so, he points out fascinating facts and concepts, although sometimes, I think he overanalyzes the material. There is a risk in reading a book like this: just as knowing a magician's secrets may be useful, it destroys the magic of the act itself. Similarly, Shippey runs the risk of revealing all the magic that makes Tolkien great, but fortunately, he doesn't. Perhaps it is because Tolkien does not operate by sleight-of-hand but uses a subtler, more supernatural talent that cannot be fully understood...but if he is to be Author of the Century, would we expect any less? For any serious Tolkien fan, this book is a worthwhile and enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien Criticism for the New Millennium
Review: Starting with Shippey's opening claim that "The dominant literary mode of the twentieth century has been the fantastic," this is a fascinating study of Tolkien, what influenced him, and what he in turn influenced. Shippey discusses the concepts of Evil and Myth, and places Tolkien in a group of "traumatized" authors, mostly veterans, who wrote non-realistic fiction (Orwell, Vonnegut, Golding, CS Lewis, TH White, Heller, and (stretching it a bit) LeGuin). Shippey also continues his examination of the pagan roots of Tolkien's concept of courage from his 1983 "The Road to Middle-earth," and includes a useful chapter on the often-neglected shorter works. His examination of the critics who dismiss Tolkien offers excellent insights into the failures of modern criticism. This book is a good place for the novice reader of Tolkien criticism to start, and there is an extensive bibliography of other critical works. The copy I borrowed on interlibrary-loan is full of post-it notes awaiting transfer to the copy I have on order!
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien Criticism for the New Millennium
Review: Starting with Shippey's opening claim that "The dominant literary mode of the twentieth century has been the fantastic," this is a fascinating study of Tolkien, what influenced him, and what he in turn influenced. Shippey discusses the concepts of Evil and Myth, and places Tolkien in a group of "traumatized" authors, mostly veterans, who wrote non-realistic fiction (Orwell, Vonnegut, Golding, CS Lewis, TH White, Heller, and (stretching it a bit) LeGuin). Shippey also continues his examination of the pagan roots of Tolkien's concept of courage from his 1983 "The Road to Middle-earth," and includes a useful chapter on the often-neglected shorter works. His examination of the critics who dismiss Tolkien offers excellent insights into the failures of modern criticism. This book is a good place for the novice reader of Tolkien criticism to start, and there is an extensive bibliography of other critical works. The copy I borrowed on interlibrary-loan is full of post-it notes awaiting transfer to the copy I have on order!
| 
