I loved this thought-provoking analysis of Tolkien's work. Birzer provides an overview of Tolkien's life, then various aspects of his work, such as Tolkien's work as a myth, heroism, modernity, the created order, and the nature of evil. He looks through the lens of Tolkien's Roman Catholicism in particular. His friendship with C. S. Lewis figures in highly. Birzer includes footnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

Birzer's writing is scholarly, but not pedantic. He writes to be understood, not to impress with complex sentences. He uses examples from the major works, letters to or from Tolkien, and quotations about Tolkien, the subject of that chapter, or the times. I especially enjoyed the chapter on heroism. I found it interesting that Tolkien's works were banned in the Soviet Union but are extremely popular now.

I believe that many who enjoy Tolkien's works will enjoy this book, especially those who have a Christian worldview. It is thoughtful writing and requires thoughtful reading.

4.5/5

The first few chapters are nearly perfect. The couple after those were still great. The last chapter and conclusion left something to be desired. Still, I anticipate rereading this book on a yearly basis.

Excellent read for fans of Tolkien's work, though not for the casual film-goer. Discusses in tremendous detail mythological and religious influences of the "legendarium," which would certainly be a roadblock for anyone drawing only from the experience of the films. However, if you fancy yourself a Tolkien fan, have an interest in mythology, or are a lover of Christianity and fantasy, give it a shot!

"For Tolkien,especially,one of the greatest gifts of God to each human person was the power of imagination;wielded properly and accompanied by grace,it would readily outwit evil." This is a really important read for any fan of the stories of Middle Earth. This book shines a light on the myriad Catholic symbolisms and social thought in the Lord of the Rings. Also explored is the resulting impact,some quite strange to Tolkien,on the reading public and the relationships he had with other writers.Professor Birzer explores the various influences and beliefs held by J.R.R. Tolkien that influenced the author's legendarium of Middle Earth including his deep Roman Catholic Faith and political views,the influences of other Christian humanist writers,and the connection he explored between language and myths. There is plenty of references to interviews and letters of Tolkien,too and it turns out that some of what Tolkien thought seems quite prophetic. I really recommend this book for any fan of Tolkien who wants to have a profoundly enlightened understanding of the "Lord of the Rings".

I'm giving this book five stars not only for its insights into Tolkien and his world found in this book, but the wonderful talk by Bradley Birzer that I had the pleasure of hearing.

God given gifts Actualized

I have always held Tolkien’s works close to my heart, and they have indeed given me hope and strengthened my faith throughout my life. This study of how Tolkien uses his gifts to glorify God will bring any real Tolkien fan to tears just like his stories do.

If you enjoy Tolkien and Lord of the Rings, you might enjoy this one! I enjoyed learning more about Tolkien and it makes me want to read Lord of the Rings again!

A book to underline, turn down pages, and read over again.

Relying heavily on Tolkien's own letters and words, Birzer's goal is to reveal Tolkien's view of myth, specifically, that all myth contains certain truths which point to God (or more to the point, Tolkien's Catholic faith). But, left to themselves, these myths can be dangerous, and so, they must be sanctified - redeemed. As the title states, the emphasis in this book is the world of Middle Earth.

One of the most helpful aspects of this book is that Birzer helps to debunk the myth that Tolkien was entirely against all forms of allegory. Although he was a critic of obvious allegory (such as can be seen in his opinion of C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia), he was a fan of allusions, hints, symbols, and even subtle allegories which point to the Gospel. One only needs to read his essay On Fairy Stories to see the evidence. I recommend this book for anyone desiring a better grasp of the imagery and worldview behind Tolkien's Middle Earth.

This didn't make a huge impression on me, but I did enjoy getting more insight into how Tolkien's Christianity influenced his writing. Some I was already aware of. There were some very beautiful parts here, and some, obviously, very Catholic parts. Glad I read this, probably need to reread it since it didn't seem to stick with me very well.

4.5 stars - the 'thesis statement' ideas presented by this book are EXCELLENT and bear exploration on behalf of the reader to begin to venture beyond Middle Earth into the real world, that is, the world of truth, and beauty, and goodness; a world that has been created for us, and for the all the life that is around us - to embrace that life, with all the gifts of grace that we have been given, and to thus live fruitfully and till the earth as best we can for future generations, while preserving the best of what has been bequeathed us by our forefathers and mothers. Perhaps the central idea is the positioning of Tolkien as one of the key twentieth century Christian humanists (along with Lewis and a few others), who brought the gift of new life in the hearts of the disillusioned. My favourite passage in the book reads as follows: "To enter faerie - that is, a sacramental and liturgical understanding of creation - is to open oneself to the gradual discovery of beauty, truth, and excellence". This is the gift of Tolkien's mythology; a mythology elevated by a vision of grace and truth that grew from his Catholic faith.

A fun and informative read from a great writer. Looking forward to his new works coming out.