Tolkien in Nature

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Ents, Elves, and Eriadors: The Environmental Vision of J. R. R. Tolkien by Matthew Dickerson and Jonathan Evans

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Book Review by LOTRfanMiguel I love fantasy novels as much as the next guy. When I get wrapped up in the lore of an author– especially when that author is J. R. R. Tolkien– I try to learn as much as I can, and that’s why this time around I dived into Matthew Dickerson and Jonathan Evans’ Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J. R. R. Tolkien . In this book, the two scholars really get into the nitty gritty of Tolkien's love for nature manifested within Tolkien’s work, especially The Lord of the Rings . Dickerson and Evans’  main argument throughout the book is as follows: through his writings, Tolkien establishes a formula for environmental stewardship, and from this, we can add ways to preserve and conserve nature to the greater conversation of environmentalism. Although their argument is no surprise to Tolkien fans, these authors really shine in the depth of their research and their application to our world. All this being said, the book was far from perfect in th...
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A Book Review of John Garth's 'The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien'

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  The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Places That Inspired Middle-earth , by John Garth. A Review The landscapes and world of Tolkien’s legendarium, so brilliantly conceived and illuminated by the author’s words, inspire extensive commentary. John Garth’s new book The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien offers this and more, as it provides – along with an extensive collection of beautiful imagery including artwork from J.R.R. Tolkien himself - thoroughly researched insights into Tolkien’s life and experiences, and their inspirational power in shaping Tolkien’s fictional worlds. The beautifully constructed and informative final product is one that should be of interest to both casual fans of Tolkien’s work as well as Tolkien scholars, providing a background on Tolkien’s life and his development of his legendarium which should contain at least some new insights for any reader, whether they’ve read all Tolkien’s writings or only his most iconic. I would echo Garth’s own sentiment in his Introduct...
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A Real Dragon: Tolkien’s commentary within the malicious hearts of his beasts

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We’ve all heard Tolkien talk about dragons. We’ve read about them, watched, them, and (probably) love them. They are honestly probably the most prolific part of fantasy…for any author. But in case you have been under a rock, here’s an image: With four legs and claws, a terribly long jaw and snake-like tongue. He had near-impenetrable armor, and yet was flexible and evasive when necessary. He may be winged, with gusts of wind strong enough to topple an army. And he could flatten even the largest men with his tail. Worse, he was full of true evil. Malice running through his veins, he was brought joy only by destruction and the sorrow of his foes. They may curse you and drag you under their spell even after you die, forcing one to succumb to the dark desires manifested in their hearts. Tolkienian dragons hoard, with no reason other than to steal away what is most valuable, and hide it in the darkness. Now Tolkien gave his first big talk about dragons to a bunch of kids. And according ...
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