The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia
LC Class | PR6039.O32 Z664 2007 |
The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment, edited by
Contents
Michael D. C. Drout's aim for this project, as stated in the book's introduction, was to make it appealing to a wide group of readers.[1] The volume has over 125 contributors from a wide variety of countries.[1] Entries discuss their concepts' connections with various of J. R. R. Tolkien's works, as well as related literary criticism and theory.[1]
and philosophical concepts; contemporary history and culture; and Tolkien's literary works.Reviews
Kelley Wickham-Crowley, reviewing the work, noted that the quality of the entries was very uneven, and that while some entries were written by experts and were highly interesting and informative, others were much less so; in his words, "the quality of entries can run the gamut from masterful to pedestrian". He wrote that "For characters in particular, entries that rehearse attributes and deeds suffer in comparison to more sophisticated analysis where we learn something or are graced with a perceptive insight or new direction of enquiry". Further, Wickham-Crowley suggested that a number of entries should have been merged. For example, some entries, like those on "
Wickham-Crowley attributed the failings of the work to insufficient
Likewise, Jennifer Goodfellow in her review noted that the entries vary significantly, with some offering only a short summary of a topic, while others are much more in-depth. She noted that the organization of entries is not optimal, but concluded that the work was "an excellent resource for serious scholars of English literature as well as those with a general interest in Tolkien".[3]
Tracy Carr in her short review of the work noted that it was intended more for scholars than
See also
References
External links
- Drout on the editing process
- A collection of reviews of the Encyclopedia, with comments by a number of authors and editors on the difficulties with the press/publishing process