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The Complete Guide to Middle-earth

January 01, 1970

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth: from The Hobbit to The Silmarillion is a reference book for J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, compiled and edited by Robert Foster. It was first published in 1971 under the title A Guide to Middle-earth. A revised and enlarged edition under the title The Complete Guide to Middle-earth was published in 1978. It received a third edition in 2001.

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
Dust jacket of 1978 edition
AuthorRobert Foster
Cover artistThe Brothers Hildebrandt
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SubjectTolkien's legendarium
GenreReference
PublisherBallantine Books
Publication date
1978
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages573 pp
ISBN0-345-44976-2 (2001 edition)
OCLC48541956
Preceded byA Guide to Middle-earth, Mirage Press, 1971 

Author edit

Robert Foster (b. 1949, Brooklyn) earned a Ph.D. in English and Medieval Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and taught subsequently in the English Department at Rutgers University.[1][2] Foster begun work on this in the late sixties, consulting Tolkien works and letters.[3]

A Guide to Middle-earth edit

The 1971 A Guide to Middle-earth was the first published encyclopedic reference book for the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, compiled and edited by Robert Foster.[3] The book was published in 1971 by Mirage Press, a specialist science fiction and fantasy publisher, in a limited edition.[3] A paperback edition was issued by Ballantine Books in 1974.[4]

The author profile in the first edition describes Robert Foster as the then-"Tengwar Consultant" to the Tolkien Society of America.[5] The book incorporates material previously published in the science fiction fanzine Niekas.[3]

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth edit

AINUR (Q.: 'holy ones') Angelic spirits, offspring of the thought of Ilúvatar. Most of the Ainur dwell with Ilúvatar, but some, the Valar and Maiar (qq.v.), have come to Eä to fulfill the Ainulindalë. ...

Part of the entry for "Ainur", The Complete Guide to Middle-earth[6]

The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, published in 1978 was a major expansion of A Guide to Middle-earth, at almost twice its length, with coverage of The Silmarillion, which came out in 1977.[7] However, as it does not include information on post-Silmarillion material (i.e. Unfinished Tales and the history of composition series The History of Middle-earth), the 1978 edition contains some assertions supported by later publications, and some that are contradicted. For example, the Star of Elendil jewel (the Elendilmir) is identified with the Star of the Dúnedain given to Samwise Gamgee, something refuted by Christopher Tolkien.[8] On the other hand, Foster proposes that Gandalf and Olórin are one and the same; this is stated directly by Gandalf in The Two Towers.[9]

A revised edition (ISBN 0-345-44976-2) was published in 2001, in time for Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.[3]

A new hardback edition illustrated by Ted Nasmith, including standard and slipcased versions, was released in September 2022.[10][11]

Reception edit

Early editions of The Complete Guide to Middle-earth have been widely recognised as providing an excellent reference on Middle-earth.[12] Lester del Rey praised the 1971 version for covering "literally everything you wanted to know about Middle Earth and were unable to discover before."[13] Christopher Tolkien commended it in 1980 as an "admirable work of reference".[14] in 2002, Charles W. Nelson, author of A Tolkien Bestiary, wrote that the guide was helpful for Tolkien students and enthusiasts, each new edition being a noticeable improvement over its predecessors in terms of comprehensiveness.[3]

Dissenting, Adam Roberts, writing in The Times in 2022, calls the revised edition disappointing and "woefully outdated" in the face of the wealth of information on Tolkien now available on the Internet.[11]

Translations edit

A Polish edition, Encyklopedia Śródziemia, was published in 1998, and reprinted in 2002, 2003 and 2012.[15] A German edition, Das Große Mittelerde-Lexikon, revised and translated by Helmut W. Pesch, was published in 2002.[16]

References edit

  1. ^ "Robert Foster". Alibris. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  2. ^ Robert Foster Complete Guide to Middle Earth. Library of Congress. 2003. ISBN 978-0-3454-6529-0. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Nelson, Charles W. (2002). "Review of The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, from The Hobbit through The Lord of The Rings and Beyond". Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts. 13 (2 (50)): 190–192. JSTOR 43308582.
  4. ^ Drout 2006, pp. 655–656.
  5. ^ Complete Guide, author profile
  6. ^ Foster, Robert; Nasmith, Ted (illus.) (2022). The Complete Guide to Middle-earth: The Definitive Guide to the World of J.R.R. Tolkien (Illustrated ed.). HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-0085-3781-4. [alt. subtitle] From The Silmarillion to The Lord of the Rings
  7. ^ Tolkien 1977.
  8. ^ Tolkien 1980, Footnote 8 in 'Many Roads Lead Eastward (1)', p. 309.
  9. ^ Tolkien 1954, Book 4, ch. 5 "The Window on the West", where Gandalf states: "Many are my names in many countries, he said. Mithrandir among the Elves, Tharkûn to the Dwarves; Olórin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten, in the South Incánus, in the North Gandalf; to the East I go not.".
  10. ^ "Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth 2022". Tolkien Collector's Guide. 18 March 2022.
  11. ^ a b Roberts, Adam (1 September 2022). "The Complete Guide to Middle-earth by Robert Foster review — avoid this encyclopaedia disappointica". The Times.
  12. ^ Drout 2006, p. xxix (editor's introduction, which refers to the book by the title of the 1971 edition.
  13. ^ del Rey, Lester (1974). "Reading Room". If (September 1974): 132.
  14. ^ Tolkien 1980, p. 6 (editor's introduction) "If I have been inadequate in explanation or unintentionally obscure, Mr Robert Foster's Complete Guide to Middle-earth supplies, as I have found through frequent use, an admirable work of reference.".
  15. ^ "Encyklopedia Śródziemia – encyklopediafantastyki.pl". www.encyklopediafantastyki.pl. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  16. ^ Drout 2006, p. 240.

Sources edit


January 01, 1970
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The Complete Guide to Middle earth fromThe HobbittoThe Silmarillion is a reference book for J R R Tolkien s fictional universe of Middle earth compiled and edited by Robert Foster It was first published in 1971 under the title A Guide to Middle earth A revised and enlarged edition under the title The Complete Guide to Middle earth was published in 1978 It received a third edition in 2001 The Complete Guide to Middle earthDust jacket of 1978 editionAuthorRobert FosterCover artistThe Brothers HildebrandtCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishSubjectTolkien s legendariumGenreReferencePublisherBallantine BooksPublication date1978Media typePrint Hardback amp Paperback Pages573 ppISBN0 345 44976 2 2001 edition OCLC48541956Preceded byA Guide to Middle earth Mirage Press 1971 Contents 1 Author 2 A Guide to Middle earth 3 The Complete Guide to Middle earth 4 Reception 5 Translations 6 References 7 SourcesAuthor editRobert Foster b 1949 Brooklyn earned a Ph D in English and Medieval Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and taught subsequently in the English Department at Rutgers University 1 2 Foster begun work on this in the late sixties consulting Tolkien works and letters 3 A Guide to Middle earth editThe 1971 A Guide to Middle earth was the first published encyclopedic reference book for the fictional universe of J R R Tolkien s Middle earth compiled and edited by Robert Foster 3 The book was published in 1971 by Mirage Press a specialist science fiction and fantasy publisher in a limited edition 3 A paperback edition was issued by Ballantine Books in 1974 4 The author profile in the first edition describes Robert Foster as the then Tengwar Consultant to the Tolkien Society of America 5 The book incorporates material previously published in the science fiction fanzine Niekas 3 The Complete Guide to Middle earth editAINUR Q holy ones Angelic spirits offspring of the thought of Iluvatar Most of the Ainur dwell with Iluvatar but some the Valar and Maiar qq v have come to Ea to fulfill the Ainulindale Part of the entry for Ainur The Complete Guide to Middle earth 6 The Complete Guide to Middle earth published in 1978 was a major expansion of A Guide to Middle earth at almost twice its length with coverage of The Silmarillion which came out in 1977 7 However as it does not include information on post Silmarillion material i e Unfinished Tales and the history of composition series The History of Middle earth the 1978 edition contains some assertions supported by later publications and some that are contradicted For example the Star of Elendil jewel the Elendilmir is identified with the Star of the Dunedain given to Samwise Gamgee something refuted by Christopher Tolkien 8 On the other hand Foster proposes that Gandalf and Olorin are one and the same this is stated directly by Gandalf in The Two Towers 9 A revised edition ISBN 0 345 44976 2 was published in 2001 in time for Peter Jackson s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy 3 A new hardback edition illustrated by Ted Nasmith including standard and slipcased versions was released in September 2022 10 11 Reception editEarly editions of The Complete Guide to Middle earth have been widely recognised as providing an excellent reference on Middle earth 12 Lester del Rey praised the 1971 version for covering literally everything you wanted to know about Middle Earth and were unable to discover before 13 Christopher Tolkien commended it in 1980 as an admirable work of reference 14 in 2002 Charles W Nelson author of A Tolkien Bestiary wrote that the guide was helpful for Tolkien students and enthusiasts each new edition being a noticeable improvement over its predecessors in terms of comprehensiveness 3 Dissenting Adam Roberts writing in The Times in 2022 calls the revised edition disappointing and woefully outdated in the face of the wealth of information on Tolkien now available on the Internet 11 Translations editA Polish edition Encyklopedia Srodziemia was published in 1998 and reprinted in 2002 2003 and 2012 15 A German edition Das Grosse Mittelerde Lexikon revised and translated by Helmut W Pesch was published in 2002 16 References edit Robert Foster Alibris Retrieved 15 January 2013 Robert Foster Complete Guide to Middle Earth Library of Congress 2003 ISBN 978 0 3454 6529 0 Retrieved 15 January 2013 a b c d e f Nelson Charles W 2002 Review of The Complete Guide to Middle earth from The Hobbit through The Lord of The Rings and Beyond Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 13 2 50 190 192 JSTOR 43308582 Drout 2006 pp 655 656 Complete Guide author profile Foster Robert Nasmith Ted illus 2022 The Complete Guide to Middle earth The Definitive Guide to the World of J R R Tolkien Illustrated ed HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 0085 3781 4 alt subtitle From The Silmarillion to The Lord of the Rings Tolkien 1977 Tolkien 1980 Footnote 8 in Many Roads Lead Eastward 1 p 309 Tolkien 1954 Book 4 ch 5 The Window on the West where Gandalf states Many are my names in many countries he said Mithrandir among the Elves Tharkun to the Dwarves Olorin I was in my youth in the West that is forgotten in the South Incanus in the North Gandalf to the East I go not Robert Foster The Complete Guide to Middle earth 2022 Tolkien Collector s Guide 18 March 2022 a b Roberts Adam 1 September 2022 The Complete Guide to Middle earth by Robert Foster review avoid this encyclopaedia disappointica The Times Drout 2006 p xxix editor s introduction which refers to the book by the title of the 1971 edition del Rey Lester 1974 Reading Room If September 1974 132 Tolkien 1980 p 6 editor s introduction If I have been inadequate in explanation or unintentionally obscure Mr Robert Foster s Complete Guide to Middle earth supplies as I have found through frequent use an admirable work of reference Encyklopedia Srodziemia encyklopediafantastyki pl www encyklopediafantastyki pl Retrieved 2021 10 02 Drout 2006 p 240 Sources editDrout Michael 2006 J R R Tolkien Encyclopedia Routledge ISBN 0 415 96942 5 Tolkien J R R 1954 The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings Boston Houghton Mifflin OCLC 1042159111 Tolkien J R R 1977 Christopher Tolkien ed The Silmarillion Boston Houghton Mifflin ISBN 978 0 395 25730 2 Tolkien J R R 1980 Christopher Tolkien ed Unfinished Tales Boston Houghton Mifflin ISBN 978 0 395 29917 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Complete Guide to Middle earth amp oldid 1185105573, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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