A must for anyone who loves Tolkien! Very fine!

With the reissue of Tolkien's cover of "The Hobbit" and other original drawings that he did, it seems like an appropriate time to pick up this book. Why? Because for a really complete vision of Tolkien's work (Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, and all the rest) it's probably best to see it as he saw it.

This book contains all the artwork that Tolkien created (NOT all the artwork BASED on his works, just the stuff he did himself!). Some are miscellaneous sketches and doodles, some are watercolors, ink drawings, prints, pencil sketches, and combinations of all of the above. One doodle looks like multicolored snowflakes, some are landscapes or pictures of little houses, teddy bears, owls, and so on. Very cute and cool, especially the illustrations done for "Roverandum."

And many are Middle-Earth related -- different views of the Misty Mountains or the Elvenking's hall, the evolution of what the Shire looked like, different Laketowns, different "Doors of Durin," even drawings of the tattered pages of the Dwarf Book of Moria. Near the end, even Tolkien's design drawings for LOTR book covers are included. And, of course -- MAPS! Maps of Wilderland, as well as the famous map from "Hobbit."

The text accompanying these many pictures carefully dissects all of the drawings and their importance, as well as how they evolved. (It's a bit like looking at concept art) As well as going over only Tolkien's work, Wayne G. Hammond also examines influences on Tolkien's artwork. For example, there is a fairy-tale picture that influenced a "Hobbit" picture, and a scientific drawing of a golden eagle that influenced another "Hobbit" picture with Bilbo.

This is a must-read for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, a great peek into a great mind. And it emphasizes that Tolkien was not just a brilliant writer, but a brilliant artist as well. Great stuff, definitely a must-see.

This book sheds so much light on the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien, and it allows the reader to see what he saw and know what he thought. It is a fantastic read and an invaluable addition to any Tolkien library.

"Farmer Giles of Ham" is a fast paced fantasy adventure by the same author of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." However, don't expect an epic like the ones of the other two books here. Tolkien here gives a fantasy adventure in a long ago Britain that is inhabited by supernatural beasts such as giants and dragons. The book is very short and can be read in one sitting.

Farmer Giles is a farmer of Ham, just as the title of the book suggests. When a huge giant comes into the village that he inhabits one night he fights it off and is recognized by the King. Farmer Giles is given a sword, named Tailbiter, and was used by a long ago hero that was a dragonslayer. When the giant spreads rumors of there being nothing in the lands that he came from to dragons, a curious dragon wanders down toward Ham. It is Farmer Giles' job to take care of the dragon. Read this fun filled fantasy adventure to find out the fate of the dragon and Farmer Giles.

This book is basically one very long chapter as it is not broken down into parts and can be thought of as a little part to a much bigger story. This is what differentiates this book from the classics "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings." At the end of the book there is an original text of how the original story was told. There is also a section of notes that were put together for people that are extra curious. The book also has many cute pictures that will get you along through Farmer Giles' adventures.

This is a super short read that can be enjoyed by adults as well as children, who I'd say this book would be liked by most. This simple tale was originally written for J.R.R. Tolkien's children and is like a fun fairy tale. This is a wonderful read that would be enjoyed by fans of Tolkien's other works. Just don't expect another "Lord of the Rings."

Happy Reading!

"Farmer Giles of Ham" (in the vulgar tongue) is an entertaining little tale, maybe the first real comic fantasy novel (actually, more like novella). It's certainly not on par with his tales of hobbits and elves, but it's still cute, funny and very well-written.

Aegidius de Hammo (or in the "vulgar tongue," as Tolkien archly tells us, Farmer Giles of Ham) is a pleasant, not-too-bright farmer (a bit like Barliman Butterbur) who leads a fairly happy life. Until the day his excitable dog Garm warns him that a giant (deaf and very near-sighted) is stomping through and causing mayhem. Giles takes out his blunderbuss and takes a shot at the giant, and inadverantly drive him off.

Naturally, Giles is hailed as a hero. Even the King is impressed, and sends him the sword Caudimordax (vulgar name: Tailbiter), which belonged to a dragonslaying hero. By chance, the not-so-fierce dragon Chrysophylax Dives has started pillaging, destroying and attacking the nearby areas. Can a not-so-heroic farmer drive off a not-so-frightening dragon?

It's a fast, fun little adventure story with blundering giants, greedy dragons and unlikely heroes (the last one is what Tolkien always does best). It's not epic and it's not deep, but it is entertaining, especially for people who enjoy comic fantasies. You'll like this if you enjoyed the cuter moments of "The Hobbit" and stories like "Roverandum."

Tolkien's writing always seems to be winking at the reader. There are a lot of in-jokes for people who know Latin (the "vulgar tongue" comments) and a lot of cute moments, like the young dragons exclaiming that they always knew "knights were mythical!" And the illustrations resemble old tapestries and paintings, but they usually have a funny sort of twist to them.

"Farmer Giles" is not the deepest or most riveting of Tolkien's works, but it's a straightforward, cute little adventure that kids, adults, fans and non-fans of Tolkien will enjoy.

This is a great little book. I can just see that grand old man Mr. Tolkien throwing bottles at his hound & Edith telling him forthrightly to drown the poor thing on the morrow. I'm going to go off-path a bit:Lots of folks say not to read this, that it makes you some kind of mindless Tolkien junkie if you appreciate his non-Middle-Earth material; I simply read on. I haven't spent a fortune on Tolkien: I bought the Hobbit & the Rings Trilogy when I was in sixth grade for $7. Everything else of his, including this, I've gotten at the local library. Smith of Wooton Major, Leaf by Niggle & Roverandom are just neat books worth reading in and of themselves. I read the Silmarillion & enjoyed it. I won't wade through Unfinished or Lost Tales because I'm not a junkie, just an enthusiast. The movies haven't been the most faithful adaptions, but I think Tolkien would have gotten a kick out of them. I'm not a mindless automoton addicted to capitalistic Tolkienia. I just like him because he was a man of faith, a lover of good beer & old yarns, a friend of C.S. Lewis, a fan of Robert E. Howard, & a great writer; he wasn't the smartest, the quickest, or the most academically prolific man, but was expectionally kind, thoughtful and enjoyably creative. Just give his non-Hobbit works a chance; they're good stuff.

Roverandom is a sweet little book which would probably be best used as a read-aloud introduction to Tolkien for small children. It is neither profound, nor a masterpiece, but it is fun to read. It is the story of a puppy that is turned into a toy dog by a passing wizard, and his adventures as he tries to get back to real-dog-ness. This edition has extensive endnotes, almost to the point of being silly (they explain a reference to Humpty Dumpty!). But the endnotes are otherwise helpful and entertaining if you are curious about the current event allusions in the text. All in all, it is an entertaining book, and worth sharing with a young friend.

To those who would criticize this lovable little book I say, "Understand a work before you judge it." Maybe you just didn't know, but Tolkien wrote this book to be read aloud to small children. Similarly, The Hobbit was actually written to be read with children. Roverandom is NOT Lord of the Rings, but it is a very good, enthralling little story...

This lovely little book is similar to the Hobbit in style but shorter and smaller in scope. Great for those who enjoy the Hobbit or Farmer Giles of Ham. Also great for anyone who enjoys lighthearted adventures even if they have not read Tolkien before.

Not similar to the epic grandeur of the Lord of the Rings nor connected to Tolkien's 'Silmarillion' mythology, this book still holds a place in any collection of literature to dazzle and delight.

This is a richly detailed bibliography of J.R.R. Tolkien's writings. (Keep that in mind-- this is not a bibliography of Tolkien criticism or scholarship-- only of Tolkien's own works). Each edition of each work is described in careful detail-- subtle distinctions in the cover, title page, etc. are noted as are variations in spelling, typography, errata and corrections. To be honest, I'm not sure how relevant this work is for the average Tolkien fan-- or even for the Tolkien scholar. It will certainly be useful for book collectors, used/rare booksellers, book appraisers, and others who are interested in the book itself as a physical object)-- but I think there's very little of interest here fans interested in broadening their understanding of Tolkien's fiction or for scholars interested in writing about it. Because of its very limited, very specific utility, I can't really justify a high rating for this. Don't get me wrong-- for what it is, it's thorough and quite excellent. But, I just don't think it's all that *useful* of a book to anyone but a small handful of bibliophiles

Although this rather pricey work is intended for booksellers, collectors, and librarians rather than for the general public, I believe that just about anyone who is interested in the writing and production of Tolkien's great works will find much here that is both informative and interesting.