Tree and Leaf by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tree and Leaf: Includes Mythopoeia and The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
by J.R.R. Tolkien

Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (February 5, 2001)
ISBN-13: 978-0007105045


Currently out of print,
used copies available on Amazon
Update: Free 1965 edition (pdf) and the text of Mythopeia

The Mind Behind Middle-Earth

We are reading this on our Goodreads group this month. Some of our member are big Tolkien fans and have really interesting insights into the background and philosophy that Tolkien reveals in this collection of essay, poetry, and story.

Here is the blurb:

Repackaged to feature Tolkien's own painting of the Tree of Amalion, this collection includes his famous essay, 'On Fairy-stories' and the story that exemplifies this, 'Leaf by Niggle', together with the poem 'Mythopoeia' and the verse drama, 'The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth', which tells of the events following the disastrous Battle of Maldon. Fairy-stories are not just for children, as anyone who has read Tolkien will know. In his essay On Fairy-Stories, Tolkien discusses the nature of fairy-tales and fantasy and rescues the genre from those who would relegate it to juvenilia. The haunting short story, Leaf by Niggle, recounts the story of the artist, Niggle, who has 'a long journey to make' and is seen as an allegory of Tolkien's life. The poem Mythopoeia relates an argument between two unforgettable characters as they discuss the making of myths. Lastly, and published for the very first time, we are treated to the translation of Tolkien's account of the Battle of Maldon, known as The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth. Tree and Leaf is an eclectic, amusing, provocative and entertaining collection of works which reveals the diversity of J.R.R. Tolkien's imagination, the depth of his knowledge of English history, and the breadth of his talent as a creator of fantastic fiction.

That's it for this week! Catch our weekly wrap-up tomorrow and have a great weekend!

Reviewed by VM on Month DD, YEAR