Reading The Lord of the Rings: New Writings on Tolkien's Classic

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is one of the most popular books of the twentieth century and the recent film adaptations have made box office records. This book provides a comprehensive critical and theoretical analysis of both the book and films. Beginning with an introduction to the critical history of Tolkien's work, the book offers different ways of reading the works through key critical approaches like philosophical, postcolonial and gender criticism. Chapters focus on core topics and concepts such as time, home, the gothic, the concept of the ring, women, homosexuality and show how focusing on these questions can enable different readings of the novels and films. The final section looks at the continuing influence of Tolkien's work on fantasy fiction and in contemporary game and electronic narratives.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Robert Eaglestone PART I: CONTEXT AND CRITICISM 1. Towards a Better Tolkien criticism; Michael D. C. Drout, Wheaton College, Norton, MA 2. Time; Barry Langford, Royal Holloway, University of London 3. Gothic Echoes; Sue Zlosnik, Manchester Metropolitan University 4.The One Ring; Adam Roberts, Royal Holloway, University of London PART II: SPACE, PLACE AND COMMUNITY 5. Invisibility; Robert Eaglestone, Royal Holloway, University of London 6. Home; Simon Malpas, Edinburgh University PART III: GENDER, SEXUALITY AND CLASS 7. Women; Jennifer Neville, Royal Holloway, University of London 8. Masculinity; Holly A Crocker, University of South Carolina 9. Homoeroticism; Esther Saxey, University of Sussex 10. Service; Scott Kleinman, California State University, Northridge TOLKIEN'S FUTURES 11. Games; Barry Atkins, Manchester Metropolitan University 12. In the tradition...; Roz Kaveney Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Robert Eaglestone is Professor of Contemporary Literature and Thought at Royal Holloway, University of London, UK.

Review :
'...the articles are easily comprehensible to ordinary educated readers with no background in poststructuralism or subaltern studies...there is plenty here to stimulate thought as well as argument. Altogether, this is a highly recommendable read, at an affordable price.' Amonhen 199 Bulletin of the Tolkien Society mention- Today's Books, Oct. 10, 2006 Review (Dutch) 'Lembas' - Magazine of the Dutch Tolkien Society - Unquendor "This useful, scholarly, at times provocative, collection of recent essays provides the Tolkien scholar and student alike with a good idea of directions recent Tolkien criticism has taken... this will be a good collection for libraries, Tolkien scholars, and students."- Don Riggs, International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, Summer 2006, 17.2 '...Eaglestone and his contributors evince much greater theoretical sophistication, and they take Tolkein's work more seriously. In short, Reading "The Lord of the Rings" realizes its goal - "to reintegrate The Lord of the Rings into the broad sweep of current literary critical and theoretical interests"- with impressive success... indisputably a good thing, and a sign of the rude new health of Tolkien studies.'- Patrick Curry, Tolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review